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We met Jen Stakes on the train from Penn Station to D C as prearranged and it was National Poetry Day here in England so Jen had brought some Simon Armitage along – LOVE Simon Armitage! However there are only two things that occupy the mind of three Brits far from home…

1. Bristol v Swansea past/present/future
2. and crucially – The persuit of a cup of good tea

A cup of good tea is not to be found at Union Station… (however it is a great source of sticky buns and has a staircase that made me really wish I was Ginger Rogers.) I had the bright idea of going to an Indian stall but that was CHAA – tea boiled with milk and sugar UGH! Divvin’t gan there!

 
We had come to see the National Archive. I didn’t realise D C was such a purely administrative facility. No building higher than Congress. It is a showpiece of democracy. It sparkles. It shines.

It is decorative
                               impressive

monumental

and the underground is straight out of Metropolis  Also – I got some tea with lunch in the sculpture gardens

my favourite was this silvery tree

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and we walked along the Mall between the Smithsonians which broke my heart to be honest but we were headed for the Library of Congress   

and Jennifer promised I’d love it. So the way I see it – I’ll just have to scedule another visit.

 Inside, a marble staircase leads into the gallery of the research library, surrounded by statues and symbols of art, science, literature and law – an inspiring place to study I would imagine.

I was impressed.

as close as I got to the seat of government

Noel seemed born to the task 🙂 and we were both most impressed with the range and size of the Jefferson library collection – a room on its own.

My advice is go see it for yourself. It’s a great pity one is always so tired out on holiday but as you see – we had a great day in DC and THANK YOU JENNIFER x