Alexandria old town

As Katy had been in her stroller for much of the morning, it was time for a bit of Katy fun in the hotel pool! Stretch her legs!! Bit cold but Katy didn't seem to mind behind the grin!!

Only a quick dip then warm up and a wander down the main street (kings street) to the waterfront. We likened Alexandria to an American Tenterden, or lanes of Brighton. Lots of quaint (and expensive) shops, restaurants of all sorts, and interesting sights.

A man playing a wine glass orchestra, paddle steamer boats on the river, and everywhere decked out for halloween! Even the boats on the river!

A brisk breeze a-blowing, so instead of walking back we took the free tourist trolley bus back up kings street to our current abode. Great sunset!!

King street trolley bus

Our suite!

A couple of crowded metro trains later and we arrive at our next home. Embassy suites, Alexandria. Very comfortable and Katy approves of the huge bed! Pity she has her cot eh!?

Georgetown

Enough monuments for one day.

We headed up to Georgetown. First a wander thru the blocks that house the many university buildings. Then over to the town area for a bit of a look around and to grab som well earnt dinner! Georgetown is one of the older areas and we even cane across a quaint canal and locks before finding the main highstreet.

Ended up in a lovely restaurant called 'Clydes'. Accommodated the stroller and even had lobster on the menu to make stu smile. (Don't worry we didn't actually put the claw on katy's nose!!! It just looks like that!)

Katy enjoyed being out of the chair, and was smiling at everyone and going crazy with her arms and legs! Yummy food.

Fed and watered we put Katy in her sling in preparation for a bus ride back across town. (strollers have to be folded and young ones carried!) but on our way we exited the restaurant into a small shopping centre and saw a massive line of people queued along the mezzanine. Turns out it was a Q waiting to get into a Halloween shop! People were Q'ing for up to an hour just to get in! Crazy! Didn't look anything more special than what we can get at asda!!

Onto the bus and Katy ran out of steam. She has been a good girl yet again bless her. Appears to love it, and has melted so many American hearts. We have list count of the people making nice comments about her.

Korea Memorial

Another moving place. The memorial to honour all those involved, injured, killed or lost in the Korean action.

Statues of soldiers walking through the greenery with a refection wall on one side with images from all aspects of the conflict shown by engraved images. Lots of visitors. This monument to the south of Lincoln complementing the Vietnam monument was to the north side. Again, thought provoking, especially when Korea still split and half is still ruled by controlling extremists with a huge military arsenal!

Vietnam memorial

Another moving sight. The memorial in remembrance to the Vietnam conflict. A simple black marble wall cut into the bank, tapering from one end from the direction of the Lincoln monument to a right angle then back out up towards the Washington monument. I think it 35,000 names, one for every soldier killed or lost, engraved in the wall in the order they fell.

There was a park police ranger on hand to make a rubbing of a name for any relative who comes and locates their loved ones name in one of the big listing books located at one end. Books list location as tablet, and line. (Ie West 36, line 28) No Hoads, only Hoadley's, but several Connor's.

Lincoln Memorial

We were starting to regret some of our clothing choices, as the sun hid away behind the ever gathering clouds, and the westerly blew harder! (stu in his shorts and my thin trousers!) But we wrapped up as best we could and ignored it! Katy was wrapped up better than anyone there and just slept, and slept and slept some more!

Up to see Lincoln after having just seen Obama, the most recent. Alas the elevator was broken so couldn't get the stroller up all those steps, so took it in turns to look at the view. The sun did make an appearance from time to time. If you look hard enough u can see a bit of the Washington monument reflected in the reflection pool too!