Day-9 .. DC - Museums & discovery ..

It's only appropriate that, on TAX day, I visit our nation's FEDERAL streets, buildings, and museums.

First, another sumptuous breakfast!   crepes, fruit, yogurt, OJ, coffee ..

A very blustery, windy day!   And, the temperature is about 15-dag. cooler than it has been.   Noticed many shivering tourists as they thought they'd be comfortable in shorts and T-shirts!   Hats and debris were flying everywhere!  Most of you have been on the Oregon coast in the winter.   Many of the broad mall walkways are made of gravel and sand.   The wind gusts were so powerful that the sand hit you with the force of a sandblaster!   It cleared up !!  :

On my way to the Smithsonian castle 

a good place to start .. lots of info. on all of the Smithsonian museums

Air & Space museum next .. I found out what it feels like when 48-states of spring-break school field trip children visit the museums in DC. OMG !!!    They were everywhere !!  AND .. to listen to languages from all over the world!  Very interesting.  Like London, this must be a major destination for families. I reveled at being absorbed in their excitement. It was like this all day long!

In Air & Space, I really enjoyed the exhibits on the development of telescopes for the exploration of the skies and space, starting in The Netherlands, then improved by Galileo.   Isaac Newton built the first reflector telescope.  I will come back to this museum.

Then it was off to the National Museum of the American Indian for lunch at their famous Mitsitam Cafe, offering meals and snacks based on the indigenous foods and culinary traditions of the Americas.   The menu features traditionally prepared dishes along with conventional items infused with Native ingredients, often bought directly from tribal companies or co-ops.

impressive entrance area and architecture, 4-levels of exhibits

Earlier in the year I read a book about the legendary football coach Pop Warner.  Early in his career he worked at the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania.   This was a school set-up to 'immerse' Indian children into our 'civilized' communities.   They were made to wear uniforms like that above.

This museum really emphasizes 200 years of broken treaties and agreements.   Another sad and shameful chapter in our history.   I sure hope we're learning from our mistakes.

On my Florida trip in Oct., I was on this trail, south of Kansas City.

the story of .. Pocahontas, daughter of Powhatan, who saved John Smith

I needed to take a break from all of the reading.  It was time to become a bike wanderer.  And .. wander I did.   Down to the Washington Monument, up to the United States Capitol ..

and over to Constitutional Avenue and points north.   Lots and lots of Federal buildings and agencies.   Then .. I came across this little museum, tucked away on the 3rd floor of an inconspicuous building :

These were the rooms where Clara Barton lived and worked during the Civil War.   She was an extraordinary woman.   Go on-line and see this office's story.

An interesting first day's start to my quest for DC experiences.  More .. tomorrow !