On the Move for the Monuments

I believe we ate ice cream three times today, it was hot and we put on about 12 miles of walking.  A solid urban hike.  We headed though an upscale commercial district towards the Carnegie Library and the Trump International hotel on our way to the National Mall.  The Washington monument is closed so we could not ride the elevator up but it is impressive none the less and we cooled ourselves in its shadow.  We need ice cream to help.  We saw the human price of war at the Vietnam and World War II memorials.  The Korean War memorial was presenting wreaths from nations around the world for the soldiers that they lost as well. Calling out the names of those that did not return home.  We stood in Martin Luther King Jr's footsteps from where he gave his "I have a dream speech."  Looked out at the reflecting pool and the distant expanse of the mall.  We looked out over competing protest groups exercising their free speech.  Some of the chants we knew well.  Taco trucks and gyros, burgers and fries, food trucks of all variety served as our lunch before heading towards the White House we were always in the shadow of a massive and imposing Federal Government building, the DoJ, IRS, the Mint the FDR building.  It is the Nation's Capitol, doing the work of the Nation.  We watched a young lady get handcuffed and driven away outside the White House, Police and K9 dogs but we don't know for what crime.  The Washington Hotel was hosting the Indian Prime Minister, it was well guarded  and included a wall of snow plow trucks along one side.  We were stopped on the sidewalk to allow a police escort/motorcade to rip past us.  I love the hustle and bustle with so many languages filling the air and a constant police/security presence with full automatic weapons, the girls are still not sold but are loving the sites and are appreciative of all they get to see.  We needed ice cream so we taxied over to Union Station and hit a Haagen dazs. We grabbed the metro and headed back to the hotel to cleaned up for a late dinner, making a reservation at a great restaurant (farmers and distillers) on our way back to the hotel.  After dinner it was time for some ice cream, just a little....even if it was actually gelato!