Around the Capital

After an exhausting two days we had a very relaxed breakfast, not finishing till well after 10am. 

Then we set off to the botanical garden where we were to have a guided tour arranged by our American friends.

On the way we passed the Capital Building and took a much better view of it than previously.  There were, however, barriers preventing closer access as they are preparing for the inauguration. We thought this a rather early start now when the ceremony isn't until January. Our assumption is that Mr. Trump has insisted that it is all painted gold or he won't turn up. White is so last century!!

We cut off all the barriers and workmen that were filling the foreground. 

Next into the garden. whose entrance sculpture (roots) entertained Eric for a few moments.

The garden is a bit like the National Botanic Garden of Wales in Carmarthenshire, with different areas devoted to to different climates, and areas of native plantings, but unlike in Wales, they have a First Lady's Garden, plus a lawn and Rose Garden that is used by Congress for their parties.  Llanarthney would be a bit far for our Assembly Members to travel unless they were on a jolly.

Far too many good things here to picture but attempted a few.

And my favourite (no need to guess who's writing this!)

No sign of a Cadbury logo but it is a chocolate tree and Eric decides to swat up on the recipe thinking he might pinch few fruits and have a go. 

From here we head for lunch at the cafeteria in the National Gallery of Art, which we approached via this rather futuristic moving walkway. A tour of the mostly unintelligible Modern Art section, although with some interesting pieces.  Then we moved upstairs passing under the Calder Installation, a 76ft long assemblage of moving abstract structures making up a mobile that hangs over the central court. It was designed, using an ingenious system of weights and counter balances, to move powered only by slight air currents. We have seen several smaller versions of this type of sculpture on our various travels, often including them in the blog, but Calder is credited with being the instigator of such art. 

Our afternoon was taken up with further exploration of the gallery and then we decided to checkout our means of getting to the airport. Everyone has been at pains to say that Dulles airports is not the easiest to reach. We find that there is a direct bus so do some investigating as to from where and when. We fing L'enfant Plaza but are unsure where the 5a metro bus top is. A very helpful gentleman, with a Georgetown University sweatshirt on, comes to give us some assistance (I guess we must have looked a little lost), and shows us where to go. Then it's back to the apartment for the evening and to get a meal.