Washington DC - 24 September 2013

Today we caught the Metro into DC from West Falls Church which is about 15 mins by Shuttle from our hotel in McLean, Virginia. We started at Capitol South station, and walked up past the Library of Congress, Supreme Court, around the US Capitol Building and down onto the National Mall. We spent a few hours at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum which was amazing. The boys loved all the space exhibits from the Saturn, Mercury and Apollo missions, as well as SkyLab. The Wright Brothers exhibit was also very informative and included and original of Leonardo Da Vinci's flight codex!

After a quick bite to eat out on the Mall we headed to the National Natural History Museum to visit the Butterfly exhibit - a purpose built pavilion with live butterflies in the hundreds if not thousands - a few of which hitched a ride with Hamilton and Stuart.

The Smithsonian Institution Museums are amazing - all being free! A change to the expense of New York City.

We then wandered up to, and around The White House, Lafayette Square, Scott Circle to see the Australian Embassy and on to Dupont Circle and the amazing Kramers Bookstore on Connecticut Avenue.

A Metro ride back into suburban Virginia with a Nachos and Salad Dinner provided as a freebie at the Staybridge Suites.