4 October Parliament and planes

Day 2 is dedicated to a tour of the Capitol building and just one of the many Smithsonian museums; the National Air and Space museum.



It was a beautiful autumn day with clear blue skies as we approached the impressive dome topped parliament building.  Our tour guide took us through the main public spaces including the one under the dome.  On the inside it has an large fresco.  
Dome fresco

Every state has given two statues of the people they consider to have contributed the most to America.  California has Ronald Reagan as one of it's two statues.
Biggest library in world

Adjoined to the Capitol by an underground tunnel is the Library of Congress, another wonderful architectural magnificence with stained windows by Tiffany, a copy of one of the last three Gutenberg bibles, and marble upon marble.  No time to linger too long we still have the plane museum to 'do'.
Linberg's Spirit of St Louis



Smithsonian air museum

And we did it top to bottom, side to side, not an under carriage or a wing missed, a guided tour which focused on the Wright brothers achievement in first manned, powered flight through to space travel.
Apollo Soyuz mission



Practice landing craft

Four hours of flight and we were ready to take flight ourselves.  Exhausted we only had to cross the road and wait for the next bus back to Annapolis.   The return journey was quicker and we made it back to Polly and Jackster before the sun set.  I Know Polly was pleased to see us, Jackster probably was too.