This is an outdoor sculpture at a sculpture park adjacent to several Smithsonian museums.

This is the Jefferson Memorial with an American Airlines plane flying into it. I mean, behind it.

Another statue from the sculpture park.

A closeup of SpaceShipOne inside the Air and Space museum.

SpaceShipOne in the Air and Space museum. I didnt' even realize this was housed here, so seeing it prominently displayed in the entry area got my geek fluids circulating.

A statue commemorating women in the Vietnam war. The women are supposed to represent the womenly virtues or some such.

The Korean War Memorial. There's something really creepy about the statues. It took a bit to figure out what it was, but the body part ratios are out of whack.

The National League of Cities.

A superbly creepy statue in the sculpture park.

This was a bizarre light installation in the Hirshhorn museum, a modern art display. You wouldn't believe how badly that many flourescent bulbs messes with your head when you go back into regular light.

The entrance to the National Air and Space Museum, which was freaking awesome.

A cool statue in the National Gallery of Art.

This is the White House. Please notice the nutter in the tent with their nuclear weapons doomsday placards. Also note the strong police presence and additional barriers to try to keep people from hopping the fence. The Washington Monument can be seen in the background.

Washington DC is known for its cherry blossoms, which bloom for a very short period in the spring. We got very lucky that our trip coincided with the blooming. In the background is the Potomac river.

Washington DC is practically swarming with armed and armored people. This is apparently a bank protection officer, whatever that means.

This is a sculpture on the groups of the National Museum of American History.

Supposedly a horse saddle or something. Looks like a vagina. It's in the sculpture park as well.

The US Treasury building, directly adjacent to the White House.

A picture of the World War II Memorial.

Brutalism architecture is evident in quite a few federal buildings around DC.

Another statue near the Vietnam War memorial. The detail is actually very impressive.

This is the Capitol, where the Senate and House of Representatives meet to laugh at the proletariat and smoke cigars while sipping on cognac. It's currently going through a restoration.

These statues were outside the Hirshhorn museum. Potato sack people races, I think.

This is a picture of the Mall from the stairs of the Lincoln Memorial. To the left is the Vietnam memorial, to the right the Korean War memorial, with the World War II memorial straight ahead and the Washington Monument thrusting into the sky. The reflecting pool was unfortunately drained for restoration or something.

This is a guard armed with an assault rifle on the White House grounds. The question is, who are the bars keeping safe?

The stairs of the Capitol were off limits, though if it is to thwart terror or to keep people from getting hurt by the restoration work, who knows. These guys were up in part of the out of bounds area. If you look closely, the one on the right has an assault rifle.

The secret service patrolling with dogs on the park just outside the White House. Shortly hereafter, the dog takes a crap on the lawn. It's hard looking tough when you're picking up dog shit, gun and bullet proof vest notwithstanding.

This is a picture of the Mall from the other end, standing at the base of the US Capitol. You can see there's more restoration work going on toward the Washington Monument. The Lincoln memorial can be seen behind it. The castle on the left is the Smithsonian Castle, which mostly serves as an information center and Cafe.

A predator drone displayed among other drones in the Air and Space museum. The addition of two hellfire missiles is a nice touch, I think. I'm not sure what all the silhouettes on the other drone on the left signify, but judging by the open weapon bay, they probably signify somebody having a very bad day.

The Ulysses S Grant memorial. I like the part where people with no respect for history are taking pictures of their children climbing on our national heritage.

Another statue I very much dug in the National Gallery of Art.

Shiny posing next to the Human Rights Campaign sign. Their building was right across the street from out hotel. The HRC lobbies for gay/bi/trans rights.

Satis and Cynii. Please notice I'm double-fisting the beer. Because I'm from Texas.

A picture of the US Capitol from further down the Mall.

Another image of the World War II memorial. If you notice the tents on the right side, they were set up around the Washington Monument for an Earth Day celebration which included a large number of bands we didn't bother to go see.

Proudly penetrating the sky with its rigid shaft.

Thomas Jefferson was a pretty cool guy. His memorial is pretty neat too.

I suspect if this guy were alive, he wouldn't be too happy with the state of things.

An exhibit of the moon lander in the National Air and Space museum. Behind it through the doors is a McDonald's. America!

Shiny and Cynii in front of one of the Smithsonian museums.

Actually a tortoise. Cool photo.

This is the J Edgar Hoover building, headquarters for the FBI. The fact it's Brutalist architecture is amusing and appropriate.

From the American History museum, which contains quite a few neat objects from American history. Apparently Einstein's pipe is somewhere in there as well, though I failed to notice it.

And if it becomes more than you can bear, there's a porta-potty handily available.

The Lincoln Memorial. It's a pretty imposing structure with an excellent view of the area.