Historical Tour Day 8

It was 64 this morning when I walked the dog! WOOHOO!! It was really nice. I left here about 8:15 with my trusty map and directions. BUT let me be the first to tell you that DC needs better signage!! I missed North capitol Ave. and had a hell of a time getting back to it. Probably broke a million traffic laws going around the police station! Then I finally got to Union Station but could not find the public parking - they need signage! Finally went up this ramp which said rental car return and low and behold when you go to the top there was a P for parking too! So - finally parked and ready to go... Union Station is really nice - a beautiful building and lots of shopping and places to eat. I bought my 2 day pass on Tourmobile and headed off. They have a route that they follow with 19 stops and I can get off and back on at any of them. I stayed on until Arlington Cemetery - I wanted to see the Tomb of the Unknown. Got there in time to see the end of the changing of the guard and there were 2 laying of a wreath ceremonies. It was really good. Quite moving when they played taps during the laying of the wreath ceremonies. Then I got off at the Lincoln Memorial and walked to the VietNam Memorial and the WWII Memorial. All three places were wall to wall people - I think I want to come back in the dead of winter - maybe the crowds would be less. Since it was well past lunch time after the VietNam Memorial, I stopped at a stand and had a Dove bar and a diet coke on my way to the WWII Memorial. Unlike the VietNam Memorial that lists all the dead from VietNam - the WWII Memorial has a field of 4000 stars that each stand for approximately 100 dead. It was a really beautiful monument but way too crowded. Got back on the tour bus - well, it was really open cars - and headed back to Union Station. Of course, you still get to see all of the things you are passing and there is a tour guide who is pointing out all the sights. The first guide this morning was really good - wasn't that impressed with the others. Then of course on the way out of the city the need for signage once again reared its ugly head!! After going around a few blocks I finally got on 50 east and headed back to Breck and the motorhome.