We are back from Washington DC. The train trip down seemed long. However, the train trip back home seemed to go quickly. Each trip was four and half hours.
Amtrak breaks away from the Metro North line at New Rochelle and it is a nice change of scenery. Entering New York City, you go through Pelham Park, and it is all trees. As the train progresses you slowly realize that you are in NYC.
Going over the Hells Gate Bridge into Queens you get a very nice view of the Manhattan Skyline. Once in Queens it is interesting to look down on all the backyards of the townhouses.
The train crosses the Delaware at Trenton, and you follow the river all the way past Philadelphia.
The best part of arriving in Washington DC is walking out of the train station and seeing the capital building close by.
There are lots of sights in DC. We visited most of the Smithsonian Museums in the Mall.
One highlight for me was visiting the National Arboretum. They have a nice bonsai collection. I was once a bonsai enthusiast.
This is a picture of my favorite tree there. I call it fire and ice. The tree is over 400 years old, and the snow gives it a nice look. The fire part is because this tree comes from Japan and was at Hiroshima in 1945 when the bomb was dropped.
Overall, I feel the train is the best way to travel to Washington. It is a little bit long. However, it is relaxing.
We were in Washington on probably the coldest weekend of the year. I was surprised how many tourists were still visiting the city. I imagine the city could be quite crowded in the spring and summer.
Stamford By Foot 