Rain Does Not Stop Play

Thursday 14 October

You would not believe the fantastic weather that we have had on our tour, so far. It would only make you jealous. Out of over 50 days, we have had less than five days with any rain, and the rest of the time, has been (largely) clear blue skies. Even the residents of San Francisco complained that it was too hot (after a very cold summer). When it did rain, we were usually travelling.


So today’s rain was the first that we have had on a “Touristy day”. Not bad after over 7 weeks of holiday. And even today, we had planned to go to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum anyway. Anyone who has been there knows that this is a truly impressive museum. It was very easy to spend a whole day there on a rainy day. It would be easy to do this on a sunny day.

A few other activities to report on our days so far in the Baltimore / Washington area.

One day touring the Washington Mall sights. The Washington Monument, the Second World Memorial, the Vietnam and Korean War Memorials. (Did you know that the girl who won the award to design the Vietnam War Memorial had previously been given a “B” for it at college in classwork. It goes to proves that there is hope for some of my work yet).

Oh yes. The Lincoln Memorial, the White House (from a distance) as well and a walk down the Mall as well, up to Capitol Hill. It really is unfair that the U.S. should have all the fantastic sights. They should share them around. No wonder that the English tried to burn down the White House in 1814. They were actually trying to steal it and take it back to Blighty.


Then one day’s cycling, again down the Mall, along the Potomac River, with a stop for two hours at the Arlington Cemetery on the way.








Plus a day visiting the Gettysburg site – yes, you really can spend a whole day there – and a day visiting a less well-known site at the Civil War site of Antietam, the horrific one day battle, the year before Gettysburg.

One day in Baltimore, to look around the Inner Harbour, and to work out that it was really impossible to get around the area without a hire car (the U.S. really does not operate like Switzerland) and there we have it.

So not much to report really. I am exhausted. I’m looking forward to a holiday to recover.