Oct 27th, it rained hard all night so we were lucky that we got two good days in for touring NYC. We met a couple from Australia who are touring North America for a year, Sandy and Kerry. We spent a couple days with them and then we met them again at Greenbelt State Park outside of Washington DC, $16.00 a night here, it is about a 25minute walk to the subway that takes you right into downtown Washington DC.
Oct 28th we started our two days of Washington DC, first stop was Capital Hill, very impressive, then we walked the 16 blocks along the grass way down to the Memorial Monument, stopping at the Smithsonian Castle along the way. All of the Smithsonian Museums are in this area called the "Mall", they are on either side of the grasswalk where you can look down one way and see Capital Hill and the other to see the monument. Over to the White House, but you cannot get too close, it is all gated off.

The Smithsonian Institute was founded by James Smithson an English scientist who never stepped foot in the USA. He devoted his life to research in chemistry, mineralogy and geology. He bequeathed his estate to establish in Washington DC an institution for the increase and diffusion of knowledge. In 1903