East Coast USA, 2023 | FindPenguins

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JHarwood East Coast USA, 2023
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- Day 7
- Thursday, March 16, 2023 at 9:45 AM
- ☀️ 7 °C
- Altitude: 23 m
- United States Capitol Grounds 38.89052, -77.00791138°53’26” N 77°0’28” W
United States Capitol
March 16, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 7 °C
This morning I’m currently visiting the United States Capitol. It started with a tour of the middle part of the building. This includes the crypt (this is where George Washington was meant to be buried alongside his wife), and then the rotunda, the centre point of the building and the city. In the rotunda you can see (in my opinion) two of the most famous art works in US history, the first being John Trumbull's painting, “Declaration of Independence.” The painting shows the five-man drafting committee presenting their draft of the Declaration to the Congress, an event that took place on June 28, 1776. The second is also by Trumbull and is called “General George Washington Resigning His Commission,” this is the event after the war of independence when Washington handed back control of the army to the government.

Afterwards I got an international visitors pass to see the House of the Senate*, which was sitting at the time. And then I’ve stopped for a coffee before visiting the museum, and the House of Representatives**.

Will update when I’m done.

* the senate represents the 50 states equally, two reps each.
** the House of Representatives is for the people, and it’s members are based on the population sizes of the states. Greater the population, greater the reps for that state.Read more
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JHarwood East Coast USA, 2023
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- Day 7
- Thursday, March 16, 2023 at 3:03 PM
- ☀️ 17 °C
- Altitude: 8 m
- United States National Sculpture Garden and Ice Rink 38.891087, -77.02346138°53’28” N 77°1’24” W
Coffee in the Sun ☀️ (17*)
March 16, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
Yes you read that correctly, it is 17* and sunny in Washington DC today, complete change from two days ago when it was -2 and snowing in NYC.

The coffee shop is by the National Archive (which I will visit tomorrow) and along the National Mall of museums, monuments and all things ‘America’ and world history.Read more
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JHarwood East Coast USA, 2023
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- Day 7
- Thursday, March 16, 2023 at 5:40 PM
- ☀️ 18 °C
- Altitude: 8 m
- United States National World War II Memorial 38.88982, -77.0406538°53’23” N 77°2’26” W
Walk along the Mall
March 16, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
To finish the day I walked along the Mall from the Capitol building all the to the World War 2 Memorial. The sun was still shining and there was a really nice atmosphere throughout.
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JHarwood East Coast USA, 2023
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- Day 7
- Thursday, March 16, 2023 at 7:18 PM
- 🌙 15 °C
- Altitude: 15 m
- United States American Film Institute National Film Theater 38.895954, -77.05509938°53’45” N 77°3’18” W
Into the Woods
March 16, 2023 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 15 °C
Final stop of the day was ‘The Kennedy Centre,’ a large arts venue on the bank of the Potomac River, to see ‘Into the Woods.’ This was a show that has just transferred from Broadway and started an actress who was in Wicked and her husband Sebastian Arcelus who’s been in House of Cards, Madam Secretary, Rent, Wicked and Elf.

The night also ended with me bumping into someone from work, who was over here with work and decided at the last minute to see if there was any tickets left. What are the chances..:Read more
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JHarwood East Coast USA, 2023
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- Day 8
- Friday, March 17, 2023 at 9:40 AM
- ☁️ 13 °C
- Altitude: 30 m
- United States Ford's Theatre National Historic Site 38.896758, -77.02573338°53’48” N 77°1’33” W
Ford’s Theatre
March 17, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
First stop of the day was the Ford’s Theatre, it was here in April, 1865, Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by well-known stage actor John Wilkes Booth. What I found interesting was prior to this Lincoln had gone to the Ford’s theatre to see a play staring Booth, during the play Booth aimed many of the harsher lines of the play at Lincoln. One of Lincoln’s aides said “he has it in for you.”Read more
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JHarwood East Coast USA, 2023
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- Day 8
- Friday, March 17, 2023 at 10:54 AM
- ☁️ 14 °C
- Altitude: 8 m
- United States Guardianship Sculpture 38.892187, -77.02323938°53’32” N 77°1’24” W
National Archives
March 17, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
Next stop was the National Archives, no pictures were allowed, but it is here that the original versions of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights are on display. More importantly though it was here that Gates stole the Declaration of Independence in Disney’s 2004 film National Treasure.

The Archives also had a 1297 version of the Magna Carta, I found this more fascinating that the other documents, many couldn’t believe it was actually from 1297 😂.

I also visited the Archives info centre that showed how they secure and keep the constitution in good condition, this was also in Disney’s 2004 film National Treasure when Gates steals the Dec of Independence.Read more
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JHarwood East Coast USA, 2023
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- Day 8
- Friday, March 17, 2023 at 1:38 PM
- ☁️ 14 °C
- Altitude: 17 m
- United States Major General Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben Statue 38.898553, -77.03656738°53’55” N 77°2’12” W
The White House
March 17, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
One of the surprises of the trip so far was seeing the White House and just how small it is. I really was expecting a larger and grand building, but this was small, elegant and almost lost in amongst all the other buildings in DC.

It was however, fascinating to see all the same, made more so that when I’d reached the back I was able to see President Biden and his motorcade come by.Read more
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JHarwood East Coast USA, 2023
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- Day 8
- Friday, March 17, 2023 at 3:03 PM
- ☁️ 12 °C
- Altitude: 18 m
- United States Lincoln Memorial 38.88932, -77.05007238°53’22” N 77°3’0” W
Lincoln Memorial
March 17, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C
This was far bigger than I had imagined. What makes it fascinating is the fact he looks out over the Capitol down a 3.6km straight line to the Capitol.
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JHarwood East Coast USA, 2023
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- Day 8
- Friday, March 17, 2023 at 4:34 PM
- ☁️ 13 °C
- Altitude: 16 m
- United States Thomas Jefferson Memorial 38.881374, -77.03656438°52’53” N 77°2’12” W
Tidal Basin
March 17, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
To finish the day, and with the train easing off I had a walk around Tidal Basin. The park was covered in cherry blossom with beautiful views out over Washington DC. The Basin’s walk ways also included a number of impressive monuments:

• Martin Luther King
• Korean War Memorial
• Franklin D Roosevelt
• Thomas Jefferson MemorialRead more
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JHarwood East Coast USA, 2023
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- Day 9
- Saturday, March 18, 2023 at 9:55 AM
- Altitude: 49 m
- United States Little River 38.895392, -77.07123738°53’43” N 77°4’16” W
The View of DC
March 18, 2023 in the United States
Starting today with a free observation deck that looks out over Washington DC. It had fantastic views and I couldn’t believe that it was free and that I was the only one there! I think the pictures speak for themselves but the views spread across to the Capitol building, Lincoln memorial, Washington monument, pentagon, and many more spots.Read more
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JHarwood East Coast USA, 2023
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- Day 9
- Saturday, March 18, 2023 at 11:51 AM
- Altitude: 57 m
- United States Arlington House National Memorial 38.881195, -77.07237238°52’52” N 77°4’21” W
Arlington Cemetery
March 18, 2023 in the United States
Next stop today is Arlington Cemetery, the US national cemetery. It included the grave of John F Kennedy, the tomb of the unknown soldier, and memorials for the challenger disaster, Pan Am flight and the Pentagon 9/11 attack.

The most interesting part was the exhibition that went with the unknown soldier. Unlike other countries, the US continued to place an unknown solider for all the war post-WW1/WW2. However, with advancements in medicine it is possible to identify the soldiers. So a few years after the Vietnam war, the unknown soldier from that war was exhumed from their tomb and identified.Read more
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JHarwood East Coast USA, 2023
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- Day 9
- Saturday, March 18, 2023 at 2:43 PM
- ☀️ 11 °C
- Altitude: 24 m
- United States The Court of Neptune Fountain Sculpture 38.88908, -77.00579738°53’21” N 77°0’21” W
The Library of Congress
March 18, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C
Next stop is the Library of Congress. This is the largest library in the world, and the oldest US central government institution, established in 1800. It includes over 173 million titles including one of a few Gutenberg Bibles.

After the library was first established during the 1812 war it was destroyed by the British. After the war, Thomas Jefferson offered to sell his large personal library as a replacement. Congress accepted his offer in January 1815, appropriating 23K to purchase his 6,487 books.Read more
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JHarwood East Coast USA, 2023
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- Day 9
- Saturday, March 18, 2023 at 5:24 PM
- ☀️ 12 °C
- Altitude: 10 m
- United States Jefferson Recreation Center 38.879445, -77.02554538°52’46” N 77°1’32” W
The Wharf
March 18, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C
Finishing the day at the Wharf with some St Patrick day celebrations.
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Trip end
March 20, 2023