It's like a HEAT WAVE...

May 31, 2011
Millersville MD/Washington DC
Day #19

Entrance to the National Zoo

This morning we let insanity of the rush hour pass before we ventured out on the roads.  We made our way to the New Carrolton Metro station near I95, or about 2 o'clock on the circle of the Beltway.  I get short of breath just thinking about driving on the Beltway.  Thankfully, we didn't need to go on it, we came from another direction.

It was painfully HOT just walking from the parking garage to the platform.  The car we boarded wasn't much cooler, don't know if the heat was just too extreme for the A/C to keep up, or we may have had a bad system in our car.  We had to switch this time to get on another line, so the trip took a little longer and we were going farther, to the National Zoo.

I was thinking that the Metro stop would be like right outside the Zoo entrance.  I was wrong.  We had about a half mile walk...all uphill...in 97+ degree heat.  The good part was that there was quite a bit of shade.  My heart must be in better shape than I thought, or I'm sure I would have died today!

Just to prove that I have more than one shirt, and it's NOT green!

Finally the National Zoo was within sight.  The trees are huge and provide a welcome canopy over much of the walkways.  They should be mature, the park is over 100 years old.  We spent  a couple of hours there, in scorching heat. 

Sit and eat all day...what a life!

The  giant pandas were our top priority and they didn't disappoint, they were both in their inside enclosures.  Even they wanted out of the heat.  Only a few feet away from us,  we got a great look at them.  So cute so cuddly....however, from the looks of the way the female, Mei Xiang (may-SHONG), ,  was effortlessly  chewing and shredding bamboo, those teeth were to be feared.    The male, Tian Tian (t-YEN t-YEN),  was in the next enclosure playing with a toy that held treats.  The attendant told us he has a hard time figuring out how to get the treats...the female just lays on her back and shakes them into her mouth.  Female smarter....but we knew that already!

We stayed as long as we could stand it, but the heat was becoming  too much.  That and the way out was all uphill, a steep uphill at that!  Also, we were getting hungry so we headed back to the Metro station to bring us to the Federal Triangle and the old Post Office.  We had been told to visit the food court in the basement there, good  food and reasonable prices.  As with every other federal building, a pass through the metal detectors and bag search was required.  All facts of life since 9/11...

After lunch we walked the six blocks to the Newseum, a private museum dealing with the news media.  It charges a fee, but we are news hounds...that and the fact that it was COOL inside!   They have front pages of many newspapers printed from famous events, the top of the World Trade Center with part of the antenna, pieces of the Berlin Wall, film clips, famous photographs among other things.  We enjoyed it, although some things were difficult to look at, anything connected with 9/11 is still difficult.

Part of the World Trade Center's north tower antenna

We didn't time our exit from the city as well as they way in.  Rush hour was in progress as we hit the Metro station.  Whew, quite different than on the holiday weekend!  We were lucky to find a seat. 

It was another full day.  We know there is so much more to see in DC, but it's only a day's drive away and we'll be back. 

Tomorrow we go to Baltimore, a city that we have driven by probably a hundred times and never stopped to look around.   Over the years we've heard good things about their waterfront area so we'll go see for ourselves.

Oh...and DORIS, it's so nice to see you reading the blog again!