Our Family Travel Logs: Washington DC - Obamarama at the Smithsonian.

We had 3 days in Washington and loved it. We got caught up in the preparations for the 57th Presidential Inauguration for Barak Obama, the very topical debate around gun control and the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jnr's birth.

Having not been aware of much of America's history and not understanding their patriotic fervour I now get it. Already an Obama fan we met some of his campaign workers in the Capital building who were there celebrating his re election, I love his considered world perspective - he kind of has an outsiders view of America which is healthy for the rest of us.

We learnt a bit more about Martin Luther King Jnr's influence - what a courageous giant of a man! stood on the steps where he gave 'I have a dream', and choked up reading his timeless holy like words about justice on the granite walls behind his monument - all spoken at a time in the 50's when American blacks were being segregated and persecuted.

Walked into the Lincoln memorial with its Greco Roman columns and serenely sitting sculpture of the man, again inspired by his words and actions to stop slavery. How fitting then for Luther King and Obama to follow in his wake.

The gun debate that was on every form of media was interesting, Australia was mentioned for its post Port Arthur gun control - something to be proud of. The majority of Americans feel they should be able to have arms and that it is not to be regulated by Government. Confronting when you hear about all the massacres and the assassinations of great leaders like above! (excluding Obama)

One of the main reasons for going to Washington was to see the Smithsonian. Established in 1846 the Institution is a group of museums (19) and research centres administered by the US Government and originated from a bequeathment from James Smithson (1765-1829), a British scientist who left his estate to the United States to found 'at Washington, under the name of Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge' even though he had never set foot in America. We had an amazing time at the National Air and Space Museum.

The Smithsonian Institution Castle.

Amelia Earhart's plane which she flew in 1932 across the Atlantic - first solo female flight.

Lots of dogs and monkeys were sacrificed for the advance of space travel.

Lunar Module 2 built for the Apollo missions.

A cluster of rockets left over from the Space Race with Russia.

5 huge F1 rocket engines were needed to lift the 30 story tall Saturn V Moon rocket off the launch pad, these were at the base of the rockets first stage.