WASHINGTON DC, THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES
The Capitol, the legistrative government of the United States
On 2nd October 2018 Eugene (Sifu Eugene Siterman), Idamar Jorge (Idi), Chris (Sifu Chris Didyk), Mariangela (Sifu Mariangela Aime), Brian Boldt and I took a road trip in two cars from New York to St Petersburg in Florida. The journey took four days.
We had breakfast at Brooklyn Bridge Bistro, which was downstairs from Eugene Hotel. We went past a few towns and arrived at Washington DC to have lunch at Tabard Inn, the oldest hotel cum restaurant since 1922.
Brian told me that he lived in Washington, which I thought was this city. It turned out that he lived in Seattle in the state of Washington in the northwest of the United States, which are many hours by plane from this city of Washington in the District of Columbia.
We started our sight-seeing from the Washington Monument. The Washington Monument, built to honor George Washington, the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and first president of the United States, was an obelisk or pointed pillar just over 555 feet high. It was situated at the start of the National Mall, which was a large national park.
At the other end of the mall was the National World War II Memorial. There were two parts, the Atlantic and the Pacific, with 56 pilings representing the 56 states and territories, overlooking a large reflecting pond with numerous fountains. There were some veterans of World War II. I talked to one on a wheelchair.
"Thank you for your great sacrifice to bring world peace," I said. We were emotionally touched.
Behind was a large rectangular pool with trees and walkways on the sides. Lincoln Memorial could be seen in the distance.
The Lincoln Memorial was in the form of a Greek Doric temple and contained a large seated sculpture of Abraham Lincoln. It had an inscription of his famous Gettysburg Address, one of the best-known speeches in American history, starting with "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."
At the side of the Lincoln Memorial, Idi picked us up in a large car and drove us to the White House. We passed the Treasury Building where "Alexander Hamilton" joke started.
The White House, in neoclassical style, was the official residence and office of the President of the United States. We then drove to the Capitol Building, which was the home of the United States Congress and the seat of the legislative branch of the federal government.
We retired for the night at a luxurious hotel by the Wharf, which was a posh development area with many restaurants by the Potomac River. On the other side of the river was the state of Virginia. We had a sumptuous dinner at a waterfront restaurant. Then we walked along the Wharf with some artistic fire.Eugene told me that his father was developing the other side of the Wharf. Eugene had to come here often to supervise some development work.
Wong Kiew Kit
25th October 2018, Sungai Petani.
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