Guided Tour of the US Capitol

This tour starts at the US Capitol Visitor Center. Please be aware that security screenings are done prior to going in. You are not allowed to bring liquids (including water), food, pointed objects and other potential weapons.

It starts by watching a 13-minute film called "Out of Many, One" in one of the visitor center's orientation theaters, It shows a journey through our country's struggle to establish the world's first truly representative democracy and introduces you to the magnificent building which houses the Congress. The parts that will be visited are the Crypt, the Rotunda, and the National Statuary Hall.

The Crypt

At the Rotunda is a captivating painting on the ceiling

The US Capitol Visitor Center is the newly added building to this historic complex. It almost measures 580,000 sq. ft., considered to be the largest project in the Capitol's more than 2 century history and is approximately 3 quarters the size of the Capitol itself. This entire facility is located underground on the east side of the Capitol.

The US Capitol is considered to be a symbol of the American people and their government and the meeting place of the nation's legislature. It also houses an important collection of American art and is among the most architecturally symbolical and impressive important building in the world.

It functions as a working office facility as well as a tourist attraction visited by millions of tourists every year.

Our Guided Tour of the Pentagon

I've been wanting to visit the Pentagon ever since, so that when Rill's Bus offered the tour, I and my husband signed up for it.

It takes a while before you can get in due to security checks and all, but it was worth it! :)

The tour was approximately an hour duration with a walking distance of about 1.5 miles through all the Pentagon's corridors and staircases. So, there was a lot of walking. You need to wear shoes that are comfy.

The tour is a dynamic one; - it highlights the mission of the Department of defense, explains and shows the historical facts pertaining to each of its branches of service, and showcases numerous displays that highlight and depict those significant moments in military history.

The highlight of the tour was a visit to the memorial placed inside the Pentagon near the Sept. 11th Memorial Chapel. 

The Hall of Heroes can also be seen wherein names of all the recipients of the Medal of Honor are on it, as well as an up-close look at an actual Medal of Honor.

Take note however that what you see inside, stays inside, which means strictly no photos allowed!

Another heads up...every visitor is subject to security screening. You need at least one proper ID which must be current with a clear, recent photo, such as US passport or US passport card, DL, State ID, etc...

No large bags, pointed instruments and other potential weapons that can inflict bodily harm. Cameras and cellphones are permitted but should be turned off.

Cameras are allowed at the lobby/visitors area though, so get a good photo there ;).

We had our photo souvenir taken! :)

The Pentagon is one of the world's largest office buildings and is the headquarters of the Department of Defense.

Note:

Before taking a Pentagon tour, all visitors are required to provide their full name, address, DOB and SSN. For non-US citizens, your citizenship and the name of your country should also be provided.

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

The Basilica is one of the most visited church in Washington DC area due to its renowned beautiful sacred art and unique architecture. It is considered to be the patronal church of US catholics and America's preeminent Marian Shrine. It is also the largest Roman Catholic church in the US and in North America, and one of the 10th largest churches in the world.

In 1913, the Catholic University of America suggested building a national shrine in honor of the Virgin Mary, wherein the archbishop of Baltimore laid the foundation stones on September 23, 1920 after the building designs were completed by the two architects, - Maginnis and Walsh of Boston who were then the chosen ones as the architects of the shrine. The construction stopped when the bishop died in 1932. It was during the year 1953-54 (Marian Year) that the American Catholic Bishops started to lead a fund raising effort. It was then dedicated on November 20, 1959 as a National Shrine and was elevated as a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II on October 12, 1990.

There are numerous chapels, statues, shrines etc.that are to be seen both at the Upper Church and at the Crypt level.

Guided tours are conducted daily including group tours as well. Audio tours are also available if you prefer it more convenient. All tours are free. :)

The Grand Architecture & High Tea at the National Cathedral & Basilica-Washington DC Tour

Me 

A few years back, I remembered myself walking inside the Washington National Cathedral for a self-guided tour. It still continues to amaze me when I came back for the second time with a group tour. No major changes, except that part of the cathedral's architectural designs were destroyed by an earthquake that occurred in August 2011.

The National Cathedral is more than just a church. It always opens its doors to the public regardless of your religious background and faith.

Every year, thousands of visitors and worshippers come here to experience not only to find inspiration and peace and strengthening their faith but to witness and experience witnessing the cathedral's extraordinary art and architectural designs.

Washington National Cathedral is considered to be the 6th largest cathedral in the world uniquely designed and built with Inidiana limestone. The building has a cross-shape design with a long nave - a 10th of a mile, and characterized with 2 shorter transepts.

The architectural style is considered to be Gothic due to its pointed arches, boss stones, large windows, ribbed vaulting and flying buttresses.

Its decors such as stained glass large windows, wood and fabric art are captivating and considered to be more than just beautiful decorations. Behind them are symbols and images purposely designed to teach Christian beliefs as well as they pay tribute to the country's values and history.

There are two levels that are worth visiting inside the cathedral; - the Main level (the Nave) where you can see the "must-see" highlights of your tour and the Lower level (the Crypt).

Other areas are outdoors such as the Cathedral Close, the Bishop Garden and Olmsted Woods.

The European Union Embassy Tours

This event is the cheapest way to do a shortcut to Europe, as many would say. This tour event happens also every second Saturday of May yearly.

The European embassies' open house tour is a joint effort project of the Delegation of the European Union to the United States and the 28 participating embassies of the EU delegation as they open their doors to the public as they share their own culture, food, fun activities and more. It also gives visitors the chance to experience the cultural heritage and traditions of the participating embassies.

Some embassies require ID's for visitors coming in and security screening checks as well, but most embassies don't. Photos are allowed as well but can be prohibited in some designated locations inside the embassy.

Just like "Passport DC", visitors are given brochures with 9 empty slots for the stamps of embassies visited, but this one is free! :) So, if you happened to be visiting more than 9 embassies from 10AM-4PM, you can have as many brochures as you want. Take the chance because it's free. ;).

This event is also the same thing as Around the World Embassy Tour, except that the participating embassies are representing European countries. and other events they promote.

Around The World Embassy Tours

I and my husband finally got to experience this tour event (2015). The fact is that previously, we booked a schedule via Rill's Bus Service, but unfortunately we both got ill after we arrived from our vacation in the Philippines...so, we had to cancel it! :(.

Around the World Embassy Tour happens every first Saturday of May yearly wherein at least 40 participating embassies open their doors to the public showcasing their culture, art, food and exhibits. This is a signature event supported by Passport DC and a part of Cultural Tourism DC project. 

It's a once a year experience to take the chance and visit popular embassy open houses and witness street dance performances and exhibitions in the nation's capital.

The tour includes giving visitors a "Passport DC Souvenir Passport" to be stamped at each embassy they visit. Take note: passports are NOT free and cost $5. each. They can be bought at any available info booths in the area. They are not official passports by the way. I call them "toy passports", - only for the tour, used as remembrance. ;)

The tour starts promptly at 10AM and ends exactly at 4PM. Judging by the time length given, it is impossible to visit ALL participating embassies...perhaps one of the reasons why this event is being held every year to give ample time for visitors to complete their visits.

If you are visiting, an itinerary plan is highly recommended as to where to go first and where to go last due to time constraints. The only challenge in this tour would be waiting in long lines. Some embassies have short lines and nothing at all! Usually smaller embassies are the ones which are easy to access right away.

Brochure maps are available for free which are of good help too!

You can only get around by walking and by metro bus. Buses are readily available in some designated pick up spots which are all printed in the brochure with instructions. If you are very familiar within the DC area, you'll probably don't have any problem where to go and how to go around. Hassle-free!...except for long lines!

The Historical Washington Monument

The Washington Monument is the most prominent landmark you'll ever see when you're around the metro DC area, because its structures towers over everything considering its height which is at 555 ft. & 5.5 inches.

Some people would always call it the "big pencil" due to its obelisk shape topped with a 3,300 lb. marble capstone, covered by a 9-inch pyramid of cast aluminum which was considered to be a rare metal in the 18th century.

The monument is also one of the most visited landmark in Washington DC, although free tickets are always available for a timed entrance going up inside the monument. Take note though that the free tickets are always limited for a day. It opens daily except Christmas Day.

Visitors who want to access the top pf the monument will have to undergo security screening (just like an airport security screening) before entering. Then you will have to wait for a few minutes for the elevator going up since visitors are controlled to prevent overcrowding on top.

You will be boarding the elevator towards the top for 70 seconds (1 minute, 10 seconds) taking you to the 500-ft. level to see the sweeping views of the nations capital at the observation deck.

One level below the observation deck is a museum full of photos and other historical facts about the monument and about all vital information regarding the life and achievements and contributions of George Washington; - the first president of the USA.

Me inside the museum level of the Washington Monument

When you go down you will again board the elevator and take a slow descent while the elevator guide shares interesting  historical facts as you go past 195 memorial stones while viewing them which are attached on the monuments interior walls.

Cruising With "Odyssey" in D.C.

I and my husband had a great experience for a luncheon cruise with sit-down meal on the Odyssey in Washington DC in the early spring of 2015. We enjoyed the signature elegance and the total entertainment experience of a true luxury cruising vessel can provide.

The Odyssey provides a short-cruise designed specifically to travel beneath the historic bridges spanning the Potomac river. Cruisers will be live witnesses as it offers amazing river views of the nation's greatest monuments while enjoying their meal direct from their tables.

The Odyssey cruise recommends dressy-casual attire such as nice pants or shorts and a collared shirt. It is also requested that no casual jeans, Tshirts, athletic shoes or flip flops are worn on the cruise.

Odyssey 111, - the name of the ship has its distinctive fully-enclosed glass equipped with an open-air perimeter deck where cruisers can go out to view the sceneries up close.

The Jefferson Memorial

The 19 ft.tall bronze statue of Jefferson

Another one of the most impressive sites worth visiting in DC area is the Jefferson Memorial, a presidential memorial built in honor of the 3rd US president, - Thomas Jefferson, - also known as the American Founding Father. It is one of the most popular attarctions in DC, the fact that is is also located on the shore of Tidal Basin and surrounded by trees that becomes very beautiful and attractive every spring during the Cherry Blossom season!

One of the excerpts from Jefferson's writings

The shallow dome that can be seen above and inside the building.

The memorial is a dome-shaped rotunda, composed of circular marble steps with a round colonnade of Ionic order columns, a portico and a shallow dome. One of the best views of the White House can be seen from the top steps of the memorial as well.

At the center of the dome, is a 19 ft. tall bronze statue of Jefferson. Surrounding his statue are the excerpts and passages from his writings and from the Declaration of Independence.

Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima Memorial)

Another famous memorial in Arlington, Virginia is the US Marine Corps War Memorial also known as Iwo Jima Memorial.

The statue which is a 32 ft.-high sculpture was inspired from the iconic photo of "Raising The Flag on Iwo Jima" depicting the scene of the flag raising by 5 members of the Marines and a Navy hospital corpsman, symbolizing the successful takeover of Iwo Jima island.

At the middle of the six men is a 60 ft. flagpole from which the US flag can be seen waving up high 24 hours a day. At the base of the memorial is a Swedish granite that has inscriptions of the names and dates of the US Marine Corps members and has the engraving words; - "In honor and in memory of the men of the United States Marine Corps who have given their lives to their country since November 10, 1775."

US Air Force Memorial

The Air Force Memorial is located in Arlington, Virginia on the grounds of Fort Myer, overlooking the Pentagon, Potomac River and Washington DC.

The memorial is also very near the Arlington National Cemetery, between the street intersections of Columbia Pike and South Joyce St.

The Air Force Memorial can easily be recognized with its very distinctive design, - the three memorial spires ranging from 201-270 ft. high which appear to be soaring. This design was inspired by the Air Force Thunder birds performing their signature "bomb burst" maneuver performance in the air.

Beneath those spires is the US Air Force "star" embedded in granite.

Before the inscription wall, there are four 8ft. tall bronze statues depicting the memorial's Honor Guards. To the north of it is a glass contemplation wall, - a free standing glass panel with some images.

At each end of the central lawn are two granite inscription walls that measure 56 ft in length, 10ft. in height and 1 foot diameter thick.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial

The memorial was purposely constructed to honor members of the US Armed Forces who served in the Vietnam War. Currently, it consists of 3 parts, namely; - The Three Soldiers/Servicemen built with  life-size bronze statues, The Vietnam Women's Memorial and The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall which is the most commonly popular location visited by at least 3 million visitors annually.

The Vietnam Women's Memorial which is also nearby the 3 statues is a small memorial with sculptures of 2 women in uniform tending to a wounded male soldier while another sculpture of a woman is kneeling close to it.

The memorial black granite wall has a list of inscriptions of the chronological names of at least 58,272 Americans that were killed and went missing in action during the war. The stone used for the wall was bought from India which was chosen due to its reflective quality, so that when you look upon the wall, your reflection can be seen simultaneously with the engraved names, which is meant to bring the past and present together symbolically.

Me and my other me ;)

The strategical location of the wall is that one wall is pointing towards Washington Monument and the other one leads in the direction towards the Lincoln Memorial, which meets an angle of 125 degrees 12:

Along the base of this wall is a pathway that serves as walking path for visitors while reading and/or locating names, or just pray for them.

The Korean War Veterans Memorial

This memorial was built to commemorate those who served in the Korean War. It is situated on West Potomac Park, southeast of the Lincoln Memorial and at the south part of the Reflecting Pool on the National Mall.

The memorial's structure is in the form of a triangle intersecting a circle. As you go further in the memorial, you'll see a wall measuring to 50 meters long,8 inches thick and built with more than 100 tons of highly polished "Academy Black" granite. On it are photographic images that depicts soldiers, and other people involved in the war representing land, sea and air troops.

The granite wall also reflects mural of the faces of 2,400 unnamed soldiers with a quote - "Freedom is not free."

Behind me is the wall with mural

Partial background are the 19 statues in full combat gears behind me...

At the center of the memorial are the 19 stainless statues of soldiers representing a squad on patrol from each branch of the armed forces, facing an American flag. These statues are dressed in full combat gears and are scattered standing each in between strips of granite, with juniper bushes that represent the rugged terrain in Korea.

It's also interesting to note that on the wall's reflection, there seem to be 38 soldiers, which represents the 38th parallel. The north part of the statues is a path that forms one side of the triangle. On the path lies the United Nation's Wall reflecting the 22 members of UN that contributed or offered medical support to the Korean war effort.

Philippines was one of the UN members who offered medical support during Korean War.

There is also a Pool of Remembrance with inscriptions listing the number of people killed, wounded, missing in action, and those held as prisoners of war. A plaque close to it reflects, - "Our nation honors her sons and daughters who answered the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met."

The Lincoln Memorial

Being one of the iconic landmarks in Washington DC, the Lincoln Memorial is a US national monument built in honor of the 16th US president, Abraham Lincoln. The memorial is located on the National Mall across from Washington Monument.

Me & hubby with the Lincoln statue at the back.

Its beautiful architectural design was built in the form of a Greek temple, with structures of 7-ft. diameter columns stretching up to 44 ft. high. It has 36 columns representing the 36 states in the Union at the time of Lincoln's death. 

If you try to look up just above the colonnade, there are inscriptions on the frieze reflecting the 36 names of the states in the Union and the dates in which they joined the Union. Further above on the attic frieze are names inscribed representing the 48 states present at the time of the memorial's dedication.

At the center of the memorial is a 19-ft. marble sculptured seated statue of Abraham Lincoln, and on its walls surrounding it are inscriptions of two famous speeches of Lincoln, - "The Gettysburg Address" and the "Second Inaugural Address." The Lincoln Memorial is also notable as the site of many famous speeches such as that of MLK's (Martin Luther King, Jr.) "I Have A Dream" speech, which was delivered on August 28, 1963 during the rally in Washington for Jobs & Freedom.

This spot was where MLK stood during his "I Have A Dream " speech, and can be found on the landing 18 steps below Lincoln's statue. Engraved in 2003 in recognition of the 40th anniversary of that event.

The seated statue of Abraham Lincoln has an area of 60 ft. wide, 74 ft. long and 60 ft. high. Inside the memorial, there are 3 chambers divided by 2 rows of Ionic columns, - the north and south chambers and lying between them is the central hall where the statue of Lincoln is seated.

On the north chamber lies Lincoln's speech, - "Second Inaugural Address" and on the south lies the wall inscription of his speech "Gettysburg Address."

On August 2012, the reflecting pool, located at the base of the Lincoln Memorial steps was recently renovated. It also provides dramatic images that reflect the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and the National Mall.

The Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Memorial

After more than 2 decades of planning and construction, this memorial was finally opened to the public on August 22, 2011 which covers 4 acres of space, located on the northwest corner of the Tidal Basin, close to the Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) Memorial.

It was later dedicated on August 28, 2011, on the 48th anniversary speech of MLK; "I Have a Dream", when he delivered it from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963.

This is the most recent memorial and the first one to honor a non-president, and the first to honor a man of color in Washington DC area. It's a must-see trip whenever you're on tour in DC.

The memorial's centerpiece is a 30-ft. statue  of MLK Jr. on which on the visible side of the statue is carved "Out of a mountain of despair, a stone of hope," - based from a line on his famous speech "I Have a Dream."

Past the statue on its back stands two pieces of granite boulders that are split-up, - one which symbolizes the "mountain of despair."

Literally, in between the 2 boulders which were split up is a space where people can "pass through" which are called the "mountains of despair going towards on the way to the Stone of Hope.

Right on the entrance of the memorial, you can immediately see the 450-feet long inscription wall where 14 quotes from King's speeches are inscribed. Some of the words reflected on these quotations are also based from the Bible.