Washington and Maryland

Here is a short preview with a few pictures concerning our Fall-break week-end in Washington, DC. There are several significant monuments in this city amongst which are the White House, the Washington Monument, the Capitol, the Supreme Court as well as several large museums on both sides of the National Mall including the Air & Space Museum.

The White House still hosting George Bush and his guest Silvio Berlusconi that day

The White House is one of the major place in Washington as so much political power is concentrated in this single monument. The house is home to the President and his family and a selected number of people may visit the place. Although we could not actually visit the inside, it is possible to walk around the house and its properties from a distance. Above is a glimpse of the South side of the White House.

One of the other iconic landmark is the Washington Monument that looks surprisingly similar to an Egyptian Obelisk.


Standing more than five hundred feet high, it was built in 1884 in honor of George Washington who led the country to independance and then became its first President.

The Monument standing alone during a nice and shiny morning...

The next monument on our agenda was the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial body and leads the federal judiciary. It consists of the Chief Justice of the United States and eight Associate Justices who are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Once appointed, Justices have life tenure. Speak about job-security during these uncertain times....

Supreme Court at night

Last but not least concerning was the most easily recognized building of all. The Capitol stands alone on Capitol Hill and is the highest building of the city since no other building that is higher than the Capitol shall be built in Washington. As a result, the Capitol is seen from miles away and has become Washington's most iconic landmark. It is the meeting place of the United States Congress, the legislature of the federal governement of the United States. It sits at the Eastern end of the National Mall.

The Congress was initially set up in Philadelphia until 1783 when it had to flee to Princeton and New York City following some unrest in Philadelphia.

In 1790, the Residence Act paved the way for a permanent capital and it was decided that it would be set on the banks of the Potomac River.

In 1792 and 1793 following a design competition proposed by Thomas Jefferson, the current Capitol was designed and built according to the plans of architect Thornton.

The Capitol, here at night, is the highest monument in Washington.

The trip headed next to the East toward Annapolis, home of the US Navy academy and to the states of Maryland and Delaware on the Cheasapeake Peninsula. After an overnight in Ocean City, we visited Assateague Island on the Atlantic seahores.

Ocean City resort station

Assateague Island National Seashores is a place created by ocean waves and winds which have formed a maze of sandy beaches, salt marshes, maritime forests and coastal bays. Assateague is most famous for its wild horses that graze on the island. These horses are actually feral animals being descendants of domestic animals that have escaped -probably during some ship wrecks off the Virginia Coast - and reverted to a wild state. Tough enough to survive the scorching heat, abundant mosquitoes and poor quality of food, they have strived and formed a unique wild horse society on Assateague.

Assateague Island salt marshes are infested with mosquitoes...

The next day we drove back to Washington and more precisely to Alexandria and then to Washington Reagan airport to catch our Delta Boeing 757 flight to Atlanta. A trip report that takes the form of a short movie is available here. Please enjoy!

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