Washington, DC: Day 8

Today I really realized I only had a few days left in DC, so from here on in I was pretty hardcore at what I saw and who I met with. Looking back on it I think I crammed a lot in, especially given the weather, but the sun was shining almost the whole time, and that made a HUGE difference.

This morning I went to the Australian Embassy to meet with Dan, one of the AusTrade representatives there. We went for coffee and he showed me around our mighty impressive Embassy in DC. It’s much more substantial than I expected, and has some excellent artwork and very interesting photographs of past and present PMs with Presidents. Clearly some very important people have walked these halls. I also had the opportunity to learn more about the workings of the Embassy, and how all the various different aspects of it (Defence, DFAT, AusTrade, AusAID, Passports etc.) function. Pretty interesting stuff, actually, although I’m not entirely sure whether I could work there. It might just be too confining. I think I need to do some more field work first.

At lunch I went with Dad’s workmate Cliff to the Old Ebbet Grill right near the White House. This place just screams old money, but it does serve amazing food. I ordered the crab cakes and they came warm, soft and delicious. I have been so spoilt on this trip!! Backpacker, my arse!

For the rest of the afternoon I did some sightseeing along the National Mall, taking advantage of the fine weather and visiting the Washington Monument. The view from the top is amazing, particularly when it’s not that busy on a winter weekday afternoon. I highly recommend it! There’s a nifty exhibition on who Washington was, and his achievements, and also on the elevator down they discuss the different stone used in the construction, and the parts donated by each of the states in the Union.

Just before sunset I nipped over to Arlington Cemetery. Arlington is famous for being the resting place for JFK, Robert Kennedy, Robert E Lee and many other powerful Americans. However, it’s also the burial ground for any ex-military personnel should they request it. Thus it’s a working cemetery, with approximately 6 funerals a day. This means it’s always growing, and it’s HUGE. I only had time to walk around a small section of it, but it’s always a sobering experience and one that I won’t forget easily. That many dead – as far as the eye can see in most directions – just seems such a waste.

Tonight Jen and I had dinner at the newly-opened Whole Foods in Fairfax. This place is HUGE and awesome. Think of a Coles/Woolworths with almost entirely organic fresh produce, and a mini food court inside, selling cooked versions of the fresh food they sell. Great stuff!