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.