I admit it. For the first time in 10 days I truly feel like I bit off more than I could hew. 37 degrees with the humidity and 7 straight hours of asking in the sun. We hadn’t been in the city more than 3 hours before I already started worrying about all the things I wasn’t going to see.  And so I started a list of things I would come back for – because great places are worth visiting twice (or more…).  I must note, the things I did get to see came at great personal pain.  The large amount of walking on cement sidewalks led to shin and leg pain for both of us.  I got heat stroke in the 37 degree heat, as well as severely dehydrated.  We managed 12 hours at the National Mall, and a short trip to Arlington Cemetery the following morning, followed by a return to the mall to see a few more sites.  All-in we had 2 days in DC to see what we could.  Here’s what we got ‘Done’:

1. Toured the Capitol building
2. Listened to the Dalai Lama speak in the park (from a distance)
3. Toured the National archives.
4. Saw the original bill of rights, constitution, and declaration of independence
5. Saw the White House
6. Saw the National Christmas tree
7. Ate lunch in the Reagan building
8. Saw numerous government buildings
9. Learned the Statue of Liberty could fit with room to spare inside the dome of the Capitol
10. Learned it is a crime to sit on the floor of the Capitol building (considered protesting without a permit)
11. Went to the top of the Washington monument (made entirely of stone)
12. Went to the US Holocaust museum
13. Went to the Lincoln memorial
14. Went to the Vietnam war memorial
15. Went to the Korean war memorial
16. Went to the WWII memorial
17. Were disappointed to see the reflecting pool isn’t there (being upgraded/replaced)
18. Overheated
19. Wandered past an Indonesian Music Festival
20. Ate dinner at a Southern Rib joint. Should have ordered and shared 1 meal
21. Took an insane amount of photos
22. Ate the world’s best fried onion
23. Visited Arlington Cemetery
23. Saw the Changing of the Guard
24. Smithsonian Air and Space Museum
25. Saw Apollo 11 Command Module.  Fan Girled.
26. Visited Smithsonian Castle
27.  Visited the American Indian Museum
28.  Visited Museum of Natural History
29.  Saw the Hope Diamond
30.  Hung with some Dinosaurs
31.  Visited Museum of American History
32.  Checked out Julia Childs Kitchen
33.  Hung with C3P0

On the other hand, we missed any sort of art, the reflecting pool, the unfinished Martin Luther memorial, Library of Congress, National Geographic, the Cathedral, the Zoo, and a half a dozen key exhibits in the museums we did see.  We also didn’t get to day trip to Annapolis, visit Mount Vernon, or take a ride on the Potomac.  And though it’s the wrong season, we missed the cherry blossoms that I would one day love to see.  But that’s okay.  Next time.