Washington DC Day 3

Today is our last full day in DC as we catch a train out of the city tomorrow afternoon.

To make the most of the day we got up bright and early, had a delicious breakfast in the hotel restaurant (included in our accomodation deal) and hot footed it to the subway station.

First stop was the box office for Ford's Theatre to reserve tickets for midday to go inside the theatre where Abe Lincoln was assassinated and the house where he died.

Once we had our tickets (for midday entry) we walked down the city to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (via starbucks cos the coffee at the hotel is terrrrible). We had heard that it would be very emotional but a must see so were both intrigued and apprehensive. Stopped at the Ellipse (general remembrance of people who serve the country monument)

Upon entry to the museum we were each given an identification booklet, assigning us each the identity of a jew who had been affected by the holocaust. We were told to read one page on each of the four levels and upon exiting the museum we were to read the last page to see if our assigned identity survived or not.
The museum was very very good, but it was also hard to stomach with some graphic exhibits and disturbing information. We learned a lot and it was really eye opening. The museum had a lot of jewish materials from the holocaust on display, like an archway from a synagogue that had been defaced, shoes of concentration camp prisoners, a casting of the entry way to Auschwitz, castings of the crematoriums and operating tables. We were shown pictures of jews being put through horrible medical experiments etc. So devastating. (We weren't allowed to take pictures in the museum). Turns out Andi's assigned identity died after 6 months of slave labour in Auschwitz but Laura's survived.
Before exiting the museum we entered the Remembrance Hall and lit a candle in memory of all of the victims of the holocaust.

Once we were done, we headed back up the city to Ford's Theatre to have a look around the area where Lincoln was assassinated and Peterson House across the road where he died.

 Gun that killed Abe

We were allowed to peek into the presidential box and go as far as John Wilkes Booth had gone when he pulled the trigger on Lincoln.

Then went across the road to Peterson House and had a look around the house and the bedroom in which Lincoln died

 (Bed is a replica - real one is at Chicago American History museum - hoping to check it out this week)

The house is now attached to a museum that had a lot of info on what happened the night Abe died and how Booth was captured and what happened to his conspirators.
Flowers from Abe's coffin

Tower of books about Lincoln

We walked back down through Federal Square past the FBI building to the Old Post Office and went right to the top of the peak for some lovely views of the city.

Then walked around the Tidal Basin to see the Jefferson Memorial, Roosevelt Memorial and Martin Luther King Jr Memorial.
Jefferson Memorial

Roosevelt Memorial

Martin Luther King Jr Memorial

Monument representing peace between Japan & USA

Pretty photos from the basin

By this stage we were about ready to collapse but trooped on and missioned to the Pentagon.

Dinner time now, then to pack ready for tomorrow before collapsing into bed and watching Californication (we're hooked) and Friends. Next stop, Chicago!