Monuments!

It's official -- we've finally (FINALLY) had our first bona fide spring weekend in DC.  After yesterday's warmish, blustery day, today dawned fresh and bright, full of sunshine and flowering trees trying oh-so-hard to break out of their wintry slumber.

We took our time getting up and then made our leisurely way over to meet Hugues at Mintwood Place for brunch.  The air was still too cold to sit outside comfortably, so instead we found a sunny spot inside.  The food was as delicious as ever.

Roasted half chicken with scrambled egg and green beans,
with a blueberry pancake on the side

Feeling full and happy, we sent Hugues home to do some classwork (he's doing a Masters degree in public policy at Georgetown) and then set out to see the monuments.  Starting at the foot of the Washington Monument, we worked our way around the National Mall in one big loop.

Washington Monument

World War II Memorial, with the Lincoln Memorial in the distance

WWII

WWII with Washington Monument

Vietnam War Memorial

Vietnam War Memorial

Lincoln Memorial

Mr Lincoln himself

View from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial

Korean Memorial

Martin Luther King Jr

FDR

Cherry blossoms around the tidal basin

Jefferson Memorial across the tidal basin

Jefferson Memorial

Thomas Jefferson (and Vanessa!)

 
It was wonderful to spend time outside soaking up the sun and revisiting the monuments.  It has been years since I've done the complete tour like this -- and I won't be doing it again before I move to Seattle -- so this was a good reminder of what a special place this is.

After seeing the monuments I left Vanessa to visit some of the museums and went home to work on travel plans (Japan! Korea! NORTH KOREA!).  By the time the museums closed and Vanessa got home, we were both starving and ready for some good Southern comfort food at Southside in Alexandria.  Yum!

Fried pork chops with peel-on mashed red potatoes and green beans