Mayfield Gardens

Washington Monument

Monet's Bridge

Us

Pretty impressive

Croquet Lawn

Wisteria Walk

Amazing

Water folly

You can walk under the water

Chapel

Exit to one of the secret tunnels

Chook palaces

Todays adventure starts with a car trip 200km west of home. Up and over the Blue Mountains, then out to Oberon. We are at Mayfield Gardens a private garden that is open for two weeks in spring and autumn.

We start at the water garden and which has a spire just like the Washington Monument, ringed by fountains and tall cypress trees. Onwards around the lakes and colourful azaleas and we discover Monet’s Bridge. I like this place. We turn around and look behind us and there is a big waterfall under a bridge. This place is amazing and we have only walked about 200m. There is 130 acres all up to explore. 

Following the stone paths, snapping photos we go this way and that. Over the hill a Chinese pagoda that leads onto the secret gardens. We explore the croquet court, surrounded with wisteria, go down another path and find the aviary, climb to the top to the chapel and descend to the amphitheatre. Even the chook houses are little palaces. The description of the garden in the brochure is very apt, a blend of follies and features across a stunning landscape.

Thanks to my brother Peter for the birthday tickets!

Home sweet home

Pretty clouds somewhere over America

So good to see that QANTAS sign

My home from LA to Sydney

Do I look the part with my
Orioles Fedora?

How sexy am I?

Final leg on the train home

After a few skype chats and then a long sleep in. Its time to get up and get moving. How am I going to fit all this stuff into two bags? Pack some, change my mind, pack some more, how can I get this Orioles cup home in one piece? Oh, oh I forgot the Christmas decorations are fragile, repack. Finally getting there.

What’s that noise? A helicopter, is it him? It has a white stripe, there are other helicopters flanking. I think we can assume Obama flew by to wave goodbye to me before I go home! (Checking on his schedule later I am even more convinced it was him)

Lets take a break and log in to QANTAS to see what is happening with the flight. Yes, I have been upgraded to business class from LA to Sydney! The final packing is done and in the end I only have a very restrained extra 15kg of shopping.

Now lets hop in taxi and go to the airport. Finally I get to see the Pentagon, the only landmark left in Washington. Tick. Washington to LA, 5 hours, done.

Lets get into the rarefied air of business class. There is my seat, with mattress, blanket and pillow. What a great way to spend 15 hours at the end of a big holiday in a personal cocoon.

Would you like a champagne, oj or water? Can you fill out your breakfast request? What would you like for supper? This is such an experience. I lap it all up. Then the hot towels come to wash your hands, now the pj’s with QANTAS logo and the Kate Spade toiletries pack. Getting really tired now so its time to setup my bed and get some rest. The cabin is dim, everyone is quiet and off to sleep I go.

Somewhere over Fiji there is turbulence, it must be a big storm to rock an A380. But back to sleep I go to awake to the sounds of breakfast being made. Breakfast arrives on a tray with a white linen cover. I could so get used to this.

We land on time. Walking out of the gates is the best bit at the end of a trip. Where is he, there he is! YEAH!

Nature and art

Natural History museum

Hope Diamond

Sculpture park, the fountain
 is turned into an ice rink in the winter

Tunnel between buildings at National Art Gallery

Someone has to use her glasses
 to read the map

Dogs in many different painting

Alberto's pizza in Dupont Circle the slices are jumbo sized

Its my final full day in Washington, so I better get out there and make the most of it. It’s so hot out already, going to be another steamy day.

First stop is the Smithsonian Natural History, it feels good just to be off the street and back into air-conditioning. Lets escape all these kids hanging around the elephant and go upstairs to the gems collection.

Well there it is, the most famous diamond in the world - the hope diamond and it even has a diamond necklace to go with it. It is displayed in a cabinet made of bullet proof glass and the pedestal revolves around every 30 seconds so everyone can get a good look. Now onto the rest of the collection, this is even better than going shopping at Tiffany’s, so much sparkle.

Onto the rest of the museum, I really like the insect zoo with live insects. Now there is a big exhibition of Australian animals with a koala and platypus. Our animals do look really strange next to all the others. Finally let’s move onto bones and human evolution. One visitor comments to his friends, I wonder what the creationists think of all this science.

Now back out into the furnace to walk the few steps to the National Gallery of Art. I am in the West building and make my way slowly through, lets start with a Raphael, there’s a portrait of Napoleon, my mate Lippi, an angel, oh, the only da vinic in America. Someone on the board of this place likes dogs they are in paintings everywhere. The exit through the gift shop is particularly good, Jane would go nuts here.

One more museum, this time its Newseum A new place that focuses on journalism, favourites here are the view of the Captiol building, the presidents dogs and the 4D movie with the scary rat movement at your feet.

That’s enough a few final shops and lets call it quits. What the National Portrait Gallery is directly in my path. Ok I just have to check out the American Presidents room. Tick. Enough.

Back to Dupont Circle and the place is pumping, there is a line several hundred people long to get into a bar called Buffalo Bills. I learn USA is about to play Ghana in the FIFA world cup.

As it is my last night its pizza from Alberto’s tonight and when USA scores a goal the whole street roars. Everyone must be watching. USA finally win.

All American gal

My first American hot dog,  yummy

The beer was good to

A sea of orange for the Baltimore Orioles

How close are we!

Do you like my hat!

The National Anthem

Sue and Bruce

The day I have been waiting for has finally arrived!

Bruce and Sue arrive to pick me up and we are off to get to the game. Our destination is Baltimore about an hour away.

Some background to this day, Sue and I met through work and when she heard I was coming to America and her home town a plan was hatched to catch up. Her husband Bruce is a long time Baltimore Orioles fan and as they say the rest is history.

We are in the car chatting and before I know it we are here at the home of the Orioles. I start to get an inkling we are in for VIP treatment when we pull into the car lot next to the stadium. Across the road we go and merge into the sea of orange. I so picked the right t-shirt to wear and Bruce has given me my very own Orioles cap to wear.  I fit right in!

First port of call is to get in the line for a hot dog and beer. Yes, you read correctly its traditional to drink beer at the game. Mission accomplished. Now we have to go over to the sides stand and add ketchup, mustard or one of the other condiments to our hot dogs. How cool is this.

There is lots of music coming from the stadium what is going on in there. I want to see. We go through the tunnel and down to our seats, and then down some more, and then down some more. We have front row seats right behind the batters. This really is the VIP treatment.

Now we know I am not the most sporty of people however with Bruce’s explanations I get to understand some of the basics. But it’s the tactics that are most interesting to me, every part of the field has something going on. The Baltimore Orioles are playing the Toronto Blue Jays. Both named after birds I saw in Central Park with Ricki.

I learn baseball is not just hitting the ball and running as fast as you can. It’s more about the strength and skill of the pitcher to win the game. There are 9 innings and between every innings there is something happening. The crowd interaction is what makes the whole day so special.  From the little kid who is selected to run out and steal second base to the crazy games between each innings on the big video screen.

My favourite player of the day is Adam Jones who gets to second base with a magnificent slide. Then later in the game he hits a home run! Alas we did not win the game outright, but I barely noticed.

My summary of baseball is there is never a dull moment. I could have come to a baseball match by myself and I would have been in the crowd somewhere enjoying the excitement however the amazing seats and the expert commentary from Bruce made it such a unique experience.

But the day has not ended there I get a tour of Baltimore harbour, see Fort McHenry where Francis Scott Key wrote the national anthem, star spangled banner and have the best Maryland crab cakes at an authentic dinner.

A big thanks to Bruce and Sue for a day I will never forget.

[Local news article about the game]

On the buses

Me and the boating party, I should have worn
a shirt to complement the colours

Washington Cathedral

Georgetown 

I remembered to wear my hat today,
so my hair stopped flying around on the bus

Arlington Cemetery

A sleep in today as my first objective the Phillips Collection is only a few minutes walk away. The jewel in the crown of this art collection  is The Boating Party by Renoir. I arrive just as the doors are opening and there are half a dozen locals waiting and not a tourist in site. I hightail it to the top floor to see the painting and have the room to myself. As usual these long admired works are so much better in real life, so light and open when compared with dull postcards and books.

Now I hop on the trolly bus to explore other parts of Washington, first up is the Washington Cathedral. It’s massive (like everything else in Washington) my favourite bit is the space window. Michael Collins an astronaut and part of the Apollo 11 mission went to school next door and he donated a moon rock that forms part of a beautiful stained glass window designed by Rodney Winfield the window includes the sun, stars and orbiting planets.

Now its time to move down Embassy row and onto Georgetown, full of quaint little houses and lots of colour. Finally I get to see the Kennedy Centre a living memorial to President John F Kennedy. This is much better than an old statue it is a cultural centre where everyone can enjoy themselves with reasonably priced or free events.

The bus is stuck in traffic there is a bathtub derby and a protest today so some streets are blocked, but finally we make it back to change to the orange route. Then a few more blocked streets around Union Station and I am finally on my way to Arlington Cemetery.

Arlington Cemetery was set up to honour the military dead. It was created in the grounds of Robert E Lee’s home as an insult to him for fighting with the confederates in the American Civil War. I think that backfired on the man that made that decision, as it is now hallowed ground. I actually love cemeteries, not in a morbid way it’s just the fascinating stories behind the people that make up life. I visit all the main sites and then make the pilgrimage up the hill to Lee’s house. I learn a lot more about the family, the step son of George Washington who built and owned the house and even see the slave quarters.

On the way back down the hill a Blue Jay flutters in front of me on the path and many birds are calling from the trees. Surprisingly the birding is quite good here and a few people are running around with binoculars. I have had enough of buses and traffic for one day, its onto the metro and home for me.

A visit to Rome, Egypt and Greece in one day

US Capitol

US Capitol in the rotunda

With Franklin D Roosevelt's dog, Fala

The ducks like the rain

Lincoln memorial as the sun is setting

Iwo Jima, for the marines in the night

Its up and at ‘em for Day 3 of Washington, a quick ride on the metro to kick the day off with a tour of the capital building. It’s the only way to get into to see the Rotunda and a particular painting I am interested in.

Through the obligatory security screening and now I start the tour, first up is the crypt. Now shuffle, shuffle with all the other people and that is where the President and family wait before inauguration, then that is the steps he walks down. Now finally into the Rotunda which is the domed area under the capitol building, this the most impressive bit of architecture and design I have seen so far in Washington. There is the painting, it’s about 3m x 5m and one of 8 panels around the room. This place is huge, there is even a Brumidi interpretation of the Sistine chapel on the roof with Washington surrounded by 13 ladies representing the initial states that formed the union. Our guide Paul is a legend, pointing out interesting bits and telling funny anecdotes.

Each state can donate 2 statutes of important people to the building. Paul has an encyclopaedic knowledge of all the statues and gets the Americans to call out where there are from and then he explains who there statue is and always has some funny bit about the person to share. Fascinating. My favourite is the astronaut, Jack Swigert. You can even see the dome of the capitol building reflected in his helmet.

What’s that, sunshine? Yes, onwards to the monuments I go. Hop on one of the cute little trolley buses and head towards the Jefferson memorial. As the bus goes around the tidal basin the memorial, comes into view, that’s big and beautiful. Hop off and explore all around, it is based on the Pantheon in Rome. Next stop is FDR memorial, which even includes his wife Eleanor and more importantly his dog Fala. The ranger tells me a whole lot of sorties about Fala a Scottish terrier who got into lots of trouble and was even was included in a speech.

These Republican leaders have not been content with attacks on me, or my wife, or on my sons. No, not content with that, they now include my little dog, Fala. Well, of course, I don't resent attacks, and my family don't resent attacks, but Fala does resent them.

I could stay and chat to this ranger all day, but alas it is time to move on and met the newest addition, Martin Luther King. Now onto the Korean memorial, so real and finally Lincoln Memorial based on a greek temple this is extra big and impressive.

Time for a break under the trees, it looks like it is going to rain so will just hang nearby Lincoln memorial so I have somewhere to get out of the rain. Well the rain hits and it is torrential, not enough time to get up the steps to the memorial and thankfully I end up under the eaves of a shop with a bunch of kids from Mississippi and a tourist from Bath. We chat and get wet and have a excellent time. 45 minutes later and it is still raining, we valiantly decide to move on and keep exploring in the rain. I am heading for the Washington Memorial the great Egyptian style obelisk that can be seen from all over. The ducks are enjoying the rain. Alas when I finally get there the memorial is shut because of the weather. There is a lift right to the very top but not much to see under these rainy skies. Now to get back on the bus and rest these weary legs. This trolley bus driver is excellent and his narration of the different sties as we travel along is enjoyable, a pleasant hour. Time to find some dinner and rest up for tonight’s event.

Its 7:30pm and I am back on the bus for a night tour, back around the monuments with the lights on. Iwo Jima is the best. Its pretty eerie seeing a little bit of Arlington Cemetery in the dark with rows and rows of white headstones. Final trip for today in a taxi the driver, originally from Ethiopia tells me Australia lost in the soccer today.

Everything is big

Library of Congress, also includes
Thomas Jefferson's books

American Indian Museum,
 great indigenous food in here

American and Russian spacesuits side by side

Me on the moon

Found my first castle in America, looked out of place
with all the other buildings on the mall

Michelle Obama's inauguration gown
and Jimmy Choo shoes from 2013

The Love symbol, 3 cities and counting

I wake up to grey skies but no rain, so out I go to explore. Hop on the metro to Union Square and I am walking down towards the Captiol building and get my first glimpse of the dome. It’s big. Get there and it’s even bigger. First visit is into the Supreme Court, TV cameras out the front there is going to be an indictment announced today so everyone is in a tiz and nothing much to see here, move on. Lets cross over to Library of Congress, this is big, but dull grey on the outside after wading through hordes of school kids to get in its, much, much better on the inside. Amazing architecture, ornate staircases and painted roofs but only two books, I suspect the books are hidden out the back away from tourists.

Its still grey with spots of rain so decide I will stay in the museums for the rest of the day. We will not go through a blow by blow account of the amazing encounters with past and recent history that occurred today. Here is the very short version.

American Indian was a compelling building I just had to go in, lots of design and colour in all the pieces, from mittens in Alaska to baskets in the south. Great café with American Indian traditional food from different areas set beside a waterfall. Best place along the museum strip for lunch.

Air and Space be still my beating heat, finally I am here. Planes, space stuff, did I mention more space stuff. I want to be like the little kids and put on an astronaut suit and run around. To think everything in this museum was invented in the last 100 years, from the Wright brothers plane through to drones, we really have accomplished a lot. The most striking thought is many of the astronaut stories I have read talk about how everything was held together with gaffa tape and tin foil. Well when you see them up close that is right! How they ever got to the moon and back in some of this equipment is amazing.

American History, not on of my favourite topics (except civil war) and in my opinion often has a narrow viewpoint. Well this museum is superb, highlights included the March on Washington in 1963 for civil rights and the First Lady dresses. I even saw the star spangled banner the flag that inspired their national anthem. Alas I missed out on finding Michael Jackson’s glove.

The day summary is big streets, big statues, big buildings and big ideas. After all that sensory input, so tired now must get back to the circle, for tomorrow is another day.