To the capital

I walked down to Columbus Circle to look at the breakfast options at the Whole Foods Market and discovered that they had an excellent breakfast bar with some unusual offerings such as nice frittatas and breakfast pizza.

After packing I checked out of the hostel and made my way to the subway. There were lifts down to the platforms which made dragging my case rather easier. It was just as well I had left plenty of time as I mistakenly went one stop too far and had to come back again! I eventually got to 42nd St station which is linked via ramps, walkways and escalators to the Port Authority Bus Terminal. I was booked on the 1.30pm bus to Washington and had been told to get there an hour early. As it was 12.15 I joined the queue and within 5 minutes I was on a bus and leaving the terminal! They had put me on an earlier one.

The journey was pleasant although there was some heavy traffic in some places. It went through New Jersey and bypassed Philidelphia before crossing a huge bridge over a river into Delaware where the driver sensibly came off the freeway to avoid a jam. A short time later the bus crossed into Maryland and back onto the freeway. There were good views of Baltimore as we went past and we got to the Bus terminal in Washington at about 4.45. I jumped into a taxi which took me to my hotel, Club Quarters, which is just two blocks from the White House.

After a bit of a rest I went down to the White House to take some photos in the evening light and walked around to the other side. There was heavy security at that side and it wasn't possible to get very close although I could see some people out on the lawn - Barack and Michelle maybe?

I walked up to the Washington Monument and took some pictures down the National Mall of the Capitol at one end and the Lincoln Memorial at the other. In contrast to New York with its buildings crammed together there is an amazing feeling of space in Washington - the National Mall is much wider than I had imagined.

I had dinner at a bar/restaurant and was served a gigantic steak - and that was apparently the smaller of the two options!