During our trip to Washington, D.C., and Virginia, Janis and I visited Monticello (above), the home of Thomas Jefferson, yet another site of presidential peccadilloes. Monticello is a great historical site and well worth the drive from Washington. Central Virginia is beautiful country, dotted with Civil War battlefields. We also did a little wine tasting along the way. In Washington, we made the usual rounds. The highlights were the new FDR and Vietnam memorials, seeing Old Glory and the Declaration of Independence in the Smithsonian, and the Library of Congress. The architecture and interior of the LOC's main reading room are stunning. Plus, we got our own library cards. George Washington's home at Mount Vernon is also well worth the wait in line. I think every citizen should visit Washington. The sense of history of this great nation of ours is overwhelming; visiting the Capitol lends an air of reality to the otherwise surreal realm of politics. And a stroll the length of the Mall is good exercise, especially if you start at the Lincoln Memorial — it's uphill to the Capitol Building. |
