Washington DC - the Second Visit

First Stop: Pentagon

Through Howard's cousin working in the Pentagon, we got to have a personal tour within the building. Security is tight, but the process was smooth. Civilian employees were in business attire and the rest are in military uniforms (army, airforce, and navy).

The interior of the building is very 60's...with some parts of the building having the modern look, especially the portion where the airplane crashed into during 911. There was even a seating plan showing the path of the plane and names of those who died.

The morning of our visit, there was a welcoming appreciation time for wounded soldiers who have just returned from Iraq. It was hard to watch as I saw young men in the early twenties (some late teens) with amputated legs and arms. However, I can see the appreciation in their eyes as people shook their hands and thanking them for their courage and sacrifice.

We then had lunch at the center courtyard of the pentagon shaped building. The courtyard was 5 acres large and is the largest exterior place where military personnel do not need to salute each other.

No photographs were allowed as soon as we got out of the subway station. So, all I got was this as I was leaving:



Second Stop: Newseum

The Newseum just opened this past April and is a very fascinating place. Thanks to my ICOM membership, I was able to get in for free!!! The exhibits were informative about some of the greatest news in history.


Neweum Exterior

Newseum Interior Lobby with a full size news chopper

Something that is very personal to me is the 911 gallery. They had the actual antenna tower from one of the Twin Towers in NYC that collapsed. They also featured a memorial of a photographer, Bill Biggart, who died when the tower collapsed over him on the street, but his digital camera was retrieved. The chronological images that he obtained was very moving...


Antenna of the Twin Tower with Front Page Headline on 9/12 from all over the world...

We only had a limited time before closing, but I think I could have spent all day here...


Top of Newseum overlooking toward the Capitol