Washington DC and New York

On the first Monday of half term 37 boys, 30 girls from St. Margarets and 7 staff set off for the USA. With flights via Heathrow, we arrived in Dulles Airport in Washington DC.

Our first excursion was to go up the Washington Monument, the tallest obelisk in the world, and, although our views were somewhat obscured by the poor weather, it was quite an experience. After this we went to the National Aeronautical and Space museum, the largest one of its kind in the world. Here the computer buffs enjoyed playing around on the flight simulators and going to an incredible IMAX show. We then visited the National Archives (with its amazing collection of documents, including the Magna Carta, Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence and the Constitution) and the Natural History Museum. After lunch we set off for a long and very damp walk to Arlington Cemeterywhere the most impressive two sites are the graves and eternal flame to John F Kennedy and family and the Changing of the Guard at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

More walking saw us go to the Marine Corps Memorial, modelled on a photo taken during the siege of Iwo Jima, the subject of a new Clint Eastwood film, ‘Flags of our Fathers’, which the Lower Sixth were lucky enough to see while we were out there. We then went on to Georgetown, where we were able to take in the sights of the town that predates Washington by some 70 years.

The following day temperatures reached a steamy 26 °C and walking down the Mall of Washington DC, with its mighty buildings was very impressive indeed. Our first stop was a tour of the Capitol and the twin chambers of Congress. A tour of the Rotunda, the Old Senate House and the old Supreme Court was particularly interesting. A view of the new Supreme Court, with its glowing white symmetrical perfection, was followed by a tour of the Library of Congress, the biggest library in the world.

In the afternoon we set off for more walking round the grand Lincoln, Vietnam Veterans, Korean War and Second World War monuments. The most impressive one was the Lincoln Memorial, where many famous speeches have been made, most notably of all, Martin Luther King’s ‘I have dream Speech’ in 1963.

On our final day in Washington we had our much anticipated White House visit. Also that day we went to the Holocaust Memorial Museum, a brilliantly done display that grabbed all our attention. In the afternoon we walked round the tidal basin to view the beautiful Jefferson and Franklin Delano Roosevelt memorials. In the evening we all went to take in some of the latest movies.

Friday saw us drive in two coaches up to New York, via Philadelphia. In Philadelphia, capital of the USA between 1790 and 1800, we saw many of the revolutionary sights, including Independence Hall, The Liberty Bell and the old Congress building. Best of all was the run up the steps of the Philadelphia museum of art, immortalised in ‘Rocky’.

In New York, the first evening saw various visits to the Skyride and up to the top of the Empire State building for the Lower Sixth, and some free time for the Upper Sixth round Time Square.

Over the next two days both groups were able to go via the Statue of Liberty to the Immigration Museum at Ellis Island where more than 14 million immigrants came through to reach America’s ‘golden shores’. Both groups walked across the Brooklyn Bridge, visited Wall Street and Ground Zero, the Flatiron building, and ate food in the sprawling China Town. Central Park and the grand Metropolitan Museum of Art were also taken in. Finally both groups had plenty of free time to shop in Macys, the world’s largest department store, Abercrombie and Fitch and all the other incredible shops.

On the final day we went to the United Nations for a tour. After a few last hours of free time in this constantly buzzing city we were off to JFK airport for the long trip home.