Tuesday 4th March

As tuesday started we were beginning to forget what day it is without work to guide us from monday to friday each day of fun is blending into each other. Today was going to be muesum day and after catching the metro and viewing the whitehouse and the west wing from the north side we walked across the national mall to the national history museum which was amazing. The enterence hall was like the one off the film 'night at the museum' minus the T-Rex skeleton but with that of a giant elephant. After talking the person at the help desk we set off on our tour taking us first to the dinosaur room and housed in there were the skeletons of the mighty T-Rex, a triceratops and a stegosaurus. we spent a good hour in there reading about the many other bones/items they had and all about the terrible lizards before moving onto the ice age and the huge animal that roamed the planet then.

We moved upstairs to the photo competition area (the seal picture was corinne's favorite) and through into the diamonds and minerals area were we view the Hope diamond the worlds largest and rarest as its a unusual blue shade. Across the expanse of the main entrance was the butterfly room, a self contained 'bubble' environment with free roaming butterflies that was free on the day that we went (normally you have to pay $6 for the pleasure). After having a good look in there we went to the minibugs were they have all sorts of creepy crawlies including a black widow spider ooooooo! there was one one off the museum workers letting people hold various animals corinne was to chicken to have a go with a hissing cockroach. After a quick burrito in the cafe down stairs we moved accross the mall to the national Air and space museum.

After entering through the airport style checks which its like at all the major places of interest in DC we viewed above us all manner of air/space craft including the sputnik satalite thats on loan from the ruski's. We learnt about early flight with the wright brothers, the development of airplanes. Commercial flying in 60's when the air hostesses wore little hotpants and dresses grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr bring back them days to the planes used in WW2. They had a set-up of an aircraft carrier and an exhibit all about the battled for midway in the pacific.

We then looked at the space exhibits and they had some off the dried food they used to eat and the pee and poo bags the astronauts had to use! The golf club that was used on the moon and one off the moon craft. The other Museum that were planning to visit was the one about american history, but it was closed for refurbishment. THey had some of the best bits in the this one though including the hat the Ab Lincon was wearing when he was shot, the scarecrows costume and dorothy's shoes from the wizard of oz and the boxing gloves belonging the Mr M.Ali. We left the museum to our first rain in DC and headed back towards the Train station passed the US capitol stopping to get some pin badges from the hardrock cafe.

Once home we cooked tea played some darts which me and cookie lost and it involved a walk to the shop for some beer as the forfeit.

Wednesday 5th March

Today we had a trip to Georgetown one off the posher parts of DC famous for its university and its shopping we went for the latter. Arriving on the circulator as the residents refused a metro stop to keep out the rif-raf we immeadiatly seen our first american lady of the plastic surgeon face lift type, i don't think she could even smile or make any kind of facial expressions! We had a good look round and even went to our first mall in woo woo, Was loads of fun nearly bought a DS lite as they were only $120 how cheap! we had a hoagie and a bagel for dinner and continued on our quest, the quest for UGG boots for corinne. A short stop in the pub to watch the liverpool game was in order and for the 2nd game on the run in DC the redmen won! A few hours later and no luck with the boots we made our way back to cookies for a quick tea of pizza and wedges before heading out.

Before christmas we had noticed that matt costa was playing a gig in Dc when we were there and cookie had kindly got the tickets for us! so we left the house caught a cab joined by delphine cookies house mate and went for an evening out. The 9.30 club was such a cool venue with a raised area/balcony around 3/4 of the room, and loads of cheapish beer on tap. After some good music and beers we caught a cab home. Corinne was so drunk as after the 2 drinks she had because they didn't really measure the spirits out so it was more like a triple in each, she was dancing about like usual.

Thursday 6th March

It was time to start doing the stuff that we hadn't done and we started at the national archives which in some of the pics you might recognise from the film national treasure. We had a good look around and viewed the decleration of indepndence and the charters of freedom, read about how america's split from england came about and people involved. The interactive archives where brilliant and there was loads to do int there it was hard to drag ourselves away from the screens and bright colors, But we had to! Now the national archives are well worth a visit.

When we left we walked across the road the the sculpture gardens and round passed the ice rink resisting the temptation wanting to save it for new york in central park. Up onto the mall and down to the american indian museum. The Museum is very well fought out and the exhibits were good but there was just so much information to take in, a little to much for us after all the information we had already left. Now the highlight of the museum has to be the cafe with its collection of american indian food from different regions, we had a proper big feast including a buffalo steak and it only came to $40 so cheap for food in the US.

After we had finished we continued our quest for corinne's UGG boots checking out the shops at crystal city which was poo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! leaving the poo shops we boarded the metro and headed off to meet cookie to go climbing. After a quick belay test we hit the walls corinne really enjoyed it and reached the top of a few walls, got some bruises but really enjoyed it. Afterwards we were really tired and just headed back to bed.

Friday 7th March

After a very busy week we took the opportunity for a lazy morning around the house and didn't leave till gone 11am. Heading for the Holocaust Memorial building off the mall. Was very interesting and was definatley one of the highlights in DC. The top floor off the building started by explaining the nazi's rise to power and how they begun the terrible things they did. The second floor was very haunting with a collection of items taken from the Jews including false legs, scissors, clothes and shoes. The final floor showed the liberation of the camps by the allied forces, showed soldiers in tears and the horrific aftermaft of the 'final solution'. The whole experience was a very somber one and makes you think and remember what happened.

Afterwards we headed for the mall and continued our quest yet again, i can't wait to find these boots. please lets hope its soon. Arriving at the bigger pentagon city mall we had popeyes chicken and taco bell for dinner, before looking around the 3 floors for a shoe shop which there lots of, but none of them sold the BOOTS . We left soon as we had to meet cookie and get some food for the evenings meal with the housemates. We were cooking a traditional english job of a roast dinner. We go a big piece of beef with the roasties and mash, 3 veg, parsnips and even yorkshire pudding. I went down really well and we drunk lots of wine and talk for a while till the darts come out. With Jeff and sarah (2 of the house mates) leaving in the morning we headed to bed drunk just after midnight after saying our goodbyes to jeff and sarah as we would not see them again!

Saturday 8th March

Another liverpool game today. After wolfie went out early to get the tickets to go up the washington monument, we all met at the pub (fado's) to watch the game and for the 3rd time whilst in DC liverpool won. The pub being packed and no chance of getting food we headed off and had a sandwich in potbelly's the sarnie was good but eh milkshake was out of this world, sooooooooooooooooooo nice. Leaving we headed for the Washington monument and joined the queue. going through the toughest security yet was even worse than getting into the US with a funny guard he was hilarious. Reaching the top we had great views of the surrounding areas and the best view of the whitehouse all week. It showed pictures from different times of DC's history and it was funny seeing the changing landscapes.

Our afternoon continued with Cookie with a walk upto the libiary of congeress which has over 38 million items in its many buildings soon to be joined by tunnels. We entered into the main lobby and looked around at the smallish area that can be viewed by the public. The main hall is adorned with mosiacs and frescos, sculptures and carvings it was quite something. They also had a copy of the guttenburg bible one of the first books printed and there are only 3 known in exsistence.

After a short walk and a starbucks later we found ourselves at home getting ready to go for out for a meal with delphine to the sake club not far from the house. the sake club is a a japannesse restaurant and we agreed it was by far the nicest meal we had ever had! After a very, extremelly cold walk back to the house we cracked open the beer and wine and watched a movie

corinne and wolfie xxxx