Exploring Washington D.C.

That Saturday morning, my friend and I took a bus going to Madison Square Garden. We alighted there and walked going to the bus stop where the bus was heading for Washington D.C. Since we were early we ate at Bagels and Schmear for breakfast.

New York to Washington D.C.

The bus arrived and we were traveling to the Capital of the United State of America. It was a long journey. I wasn’t sure about the roads but I saw some bridges and rivers along the way. In Philadelphia, the bus also changed drivers.


Somewhere in Baltimore, we were stuck in the road for almost an hour before the bus took a U-turn and found another road going to Washington D.C.
It was already 3 in the afternoon when we reached the bus stop which is Washington D.C. Union Station.

Union Station

The Union Station is the central station in Washington D.C. It is a terminal for buses and subways. We went outside and took a picture in Columbus Circle, the Union Stations’ plaza with a fountain.

United States Capitol

We walked going to the Lower Senate Park with different tres and trimmed grass and a beautiful walkway. We then went to the United States Capitol. The United States Capitol is an iconic domed shaped classical building of the US Senate and House of Representatives.

Library of Congress

The Library of Congress is one of the remarkable National Library in Washington with beautiful interiors and architectural design.

We also went to tour the area of the United States Capitol and went to see Garfield’s statue. You can also see Union Square. From the left side, there’s a Botanical Garden which was already closing at that time.
We went back and tried the Hop-on-Hop-off Bus at the bus stop in the Garfield Memorial/Botanical Gardens.

Hop-on-Hop-off Tour Loop

It was the last tour of the Day Tour Bus. We decided to try the tour loop without going out of the bus to explore the landmarks and scenery of Washington D.C. Here are the landmarks for the tour loop: Air Space & Space Museum/ Bible Museum; Washington Monument/Bureau of Printing & Engraving/Holocaust Memorial Museum; Museum of American History; Museum of Natural History; Newmuseum; Chinatown/National Law Enforcement/Memorial & Museum/Capital One Arena/ Madame Tussauds/Grand Hyatt; Hotel Harrington/Ford’s Theatre; White House/The W Hotel; African American History & Culture Museum; Jefferson Memorial; M.L.K and F.D.R Memorials, Lincoln Memorial & Vietnam; Shuttle Bus to Arlington National Cemetery; WWII Memorial; White House Visitor Center; National Archives/U.S. Navy Memorial; DC Wharf. The Hop on Hop off One Day Pass is 42USD.


When the bus maneuvered going back to the trail, we decided to go down at the White House.

White House

The White House is the official residence of the president of the United States of America. We went to the famous view were people took a picture with the backdrop of the White House.

Washington Monument

Crossing the street in Constitution Avenue, we walked to the German-American Friendship Garden with the view of Washington Monument. The Obelisk was built to commemorate the first President of the United States, George Washington.

World War 2 Memorial

From the Obelisk, we went to World War II Memorial. The World War II Memorial is a memorial for the Americans who served in the armed forces as civilians during World War 2.

There are 56 granite pillars for the 48 states in the USA, the District of Columbia, and 7 other territories. A striking pillar dedicated to the Philippines which was under the USA during the war.


The memorial is also surrounded by a square and fountain. You can also see the view of the reflecting pool and the Lincoln Memorial.

Lincoln Memorial

We headed to the Lincoln Memorial via the long stretch of reflecting pool. The Lincoln Memorial is built in honor of the 16th USA President Abraham Lincoln.

The architecture of the building is a Greek Doric temple with a large seated sculpture of Lincoln. Inside the building is a museum.

From the Lincoln Memorial, we went to Constitution Ave near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and waited for another friend to go to Virginia. We ate first at Taco Bamba in Falls Church, Virginia. After eating we drove to check the Pentagon, before going to her house in Virginia where we will be spending a night.

For Washington D.C. tours click here

New York City Central Park

The whole Thursday was spent in the GSA Summit in New York Academy of Sciences. On Friday, July 25th, I decided to explore the more of New York City, and this time I started early in the morning.

Central Park is a very famous landmark in New York City. It traversed from the Upper to Midtown Manhattan both in the East and West Side.

South GateHouse

I skipped the Vanderbilt Gate and the garden inside. I entered the Engineer’s Gate and walked towards the Jacquelyn Kennedy Onassis Reservoir. I walked to the Bridle Path going to the middle of the reservoir and went to South Gate House. The South Gate House is building with the equipment used for the reservoir. There were lots of people walking, jogging and cycling along Bridle Gate.

The Obelisk

From the South Gate House, I walked to the East Drive and saw the Alexander Hamilton Monument and the Obelisk. Alexander Hamilton is one of the founding fathers of the US. The Obelisk was erected in 1881 with Egyptian hieroglyphs which is one of Cleopatra’s Needle originating from Egypt.

Belvedere Castle

I looked at the street signs in Central Park when I passed thru the 79th St Transverse Road. There was an arrow going to Belvedere Castle. The castle is a folly with an exhibit room and observation deck. It is a mix of Gothic and Romanesque architecture built-in 1869. Belvedere means beautiful view.

It is set on a Vista Rock which is the highest point with the park views. The castle is free for everyone to explore. There’s a great view from the top of the castle. Be careful with the steep and small stairs but the view is really spectacular.

From the Belvedere Castle, there’s a view of the Turtle Pond.

The Ramble

After navigating the Belvedere Castle, I went inside the Ramble. The Ramble is a 38-acre woodland in Central Park with rustic trails that will lead you to the lake viewing area and to the Bow Bridge. There’s a falls with a rock formation in the Ramble.

The Lake and Bow Bridge

From the Ramble, you will see the lake viewing area, a nice place for photoshoot with the backdrop of the skyscrapers from the West Side of Manhattan. Tourists and locals can ride a boat with a fee and explore the lake.

There’s a nice spot called the Wood Chip Vantage Point to have a great view of the Bow Bridge. The Bow Bridge is a pedestrian bridge going to the other side of the lake.

Bethesda Terrace and Bethesda Fountain

I went to see the Cherry Fountain and headed to the Terrace Drive going to the famous Bethesda Terrace. The Bethesda Terrace is overlooking the Bethesda Fountain and the southern lake.

The Bethesda Fountain with the Angel of Waters bronze statue is one of the iconic landmarks in the middle of Central Park.  From the fountain, you can walk to the underpass with a decorated ceiling. The whole terrace and the underpass has a very nice architectural design.

From the stairways, you can see the Mall, the Skate Circle and the Naumburg Bandshell.

Sheep Meadow

I took a left turn from the Mall and entered the Sheep Meadow. The Sheep Meadow used to be a place for the sheep. As of today, it is a wide-open space with a perfect backdrop of huge buildings.

Strawberry Field

Before I leave Central park, I made sure that I get to see the Strawberry Field. From the sheep meadow,  I went back to the west side of Central Park to see the spot. Famous for the title of the song, Strawberry Field’s was a tribute in memory of late Beatle member, John Lennon.

From the memorial, I went outside Central Park and took a photo of the building called The Dakota where John Lennon was shot.

I went out from Terrace Drive at the Central Park West Street and crossed the street to ride the subway from 72nd Street station.

Museum of Natural History

From my Central Park tour I went to another famous museum in New York City. I alighted at the 81st Street Station and went to the Museum of Natural History. There were visitors at the front of the museum. It was already past 4 in the afternoon and I didn’t go inside because they were closing at 5PM. I just took a picture of the Franklin Theodore Roosevelt statue and the façade of the museum.

When I go back to New York again, I’ll spend a day in the museums I didn’t have the chance to explore and one of them is the Natural History and the nearby Science Museum.

I went to buy snacks along the road and ate the pretzels before going to the Brooklyn Bridge.

For New York City tours click here

For Biking tour click here

One of the best parts in Central Park was my close encounter with the squirrel.