The Washington Monument looked like a giant pencil stuck in the ground, blindingly white. We queued to go in and take the elevator; my ears were ringing as I went up. Looking out the window, the plaza's pool and Lincoln Hall looked like tiny squares. An old lady pointed into the distance, saying that was her state, but I couldn't really see anything. My legs were a little weak as I came down; walking around the base, I noticed the stone's color varied from top to bottom, darker above the waist. People were lying on the lawn sunbathing, and kites floated gently in the sky.

The National Mall is just a vast expanse of grass, the cobblestone path in the middle crunching underfoot. The Monument stands out in the distance, Lincoln Hall perched at the other end. Runners pant past, children chase pigeons. I find a bench, sit down, and nibble on a sandwich, the wind blowing the crumbs away. Every few steps there's a museum, rows of red brick and gray walls, but I don't have the energy to visit them all. As the sun sets, the lawn fills with people, watching the sky gradually darken.

The White House is just a big white building, its lawn a striking green. Outside the iron fence, crowds of people are taking photos; tour guides wave small flags and shout instructions, while tourists crane their necks to see. A child, perched on his father's shoulders, points to a window and says he sees people, when in fact there's nothing there. Walking halfway around, the large trees in the backyard look older than the building itself. An old man stands across the street holding a sign, but no one pays him any attention. After ten minutes, my neck aches from the sun, so I turn and leave. Looking back, the building sits quietly on the lawn, just like in the postcard.

The Capitol Building is a magnificent structure with a massive white cast-iron dome topped by the Statue of Liberty. It houses the offices of the U.S. legislature (Senate and House of Representatives), and many laws that have influenced the United States and the world were enacted here. Visiting the interior requires advance booking through the official website. We found the visitor center; security was very strict, and liquids were prohibited, so we had to discard all the hot water in our thermos flasks. Inside, we first watched a 10-minute historical documentary in a small theater, then were divided into groups and given headphones for guided tours. The interior was filled with ornate paintings, exquisite reliefs, and numerous statues of historical figures. The guides enthusiastically explained the furnishings and stories of the historical figures, and we also toured the Senate and House meeting rooms and members' offices.

The steps of the Lincoln Memorial were packed with people, the marble columns so tall you had to crane your neck to see them. The statues were larger than I'd imagined, hands resting on the railings, eyes gazing into the distance. The inscriptions on the walls were so deep they seemed embedded. An old man stood there silently for a long time before moving on. Looking back from the bottom of the steps, the crowd looked like ants, swaying back and forth across the square. The pool reflected the distant obelisk, which seemed fragile enough to shatter in the wind. The sun made the ground scorching, but sitting there for a while brought a sense of coolness.

One of the most beautiful Natural History Museum. There are a lot to see.

Inside the National Air and Space Museum, airplanes hung from the ceiling. The Blackbird reconnaissance plane was long and thin; you couldn't touch it, but it looked pretty cool. The Wright brothers' old wooden airplane hung in a corner, smaller than I imagined. The Apollo lunar module was pockmarked, dented as if it had been hit by stones. Children crawled into the simulator and pressed buttons randomly, the screen flickering. There was a display case with a lunar rock, a small, dusty piece, indistinct through the glass. After walking around, my neck ached. Nearby, someone was selling astronaut-themed ice cream, frozen solid, and one bite filled my mouth with a powdery taste.

Located in an old town in Washington, Georgetown is the main campus of Georgetown University. Walk through the old town and climb the mountain to Georgetown University. The old town is mainly a shopping district with various boutiques and restaurants on the street. The buildings on the street are also very distinctive and full of historical charm.

The white Capitol building sits atop the hill, visible from afar. Walking around to the back lawn, squirrels scurry under the chairs. A tour guide holds a small flag, recounting history, while tourists gather around, some yawning. The statues on the dome are too small to see clearly; standing for too long makes your neck ache. The sun makes the stone steps scorching hot; you can't sit still for long. Looking back as you come down, the building appears gray and drab in the twilight, actually more pleasing to the eye than during the day.

Built in 1800, the Library of Congress is the world's largest library with over 162 million items. It sculpts the concept of "knowledge" into a breathtaking work of art, using marble, gold, stained glass, and the deepest historical significance. I was deeply awestruck; it was truly a visual feast!

Wujiaochang is located in Yangpu District, Shanghai. Its full name is "Jiangwan-Wujiaochang". It is one of the four sub-centers of Shanghai. Its southern part is one of the ten major commercial centers in Shanghai. It is named after the intersection of five divergent avenues, Handan Road, Siping Road, Huangxing Road, Xiangyin Road, and Songhu Road, in the northeast corner of Shanghai. Wujiaochang was originally planned in the "Greater Shanghai Plan" implemented by the Nanjing government during the Republic of China to break the monopoly of the Shanghai Concession in the city center. It is now divided into three major blocks, namely the southern commercial center, the central knowledge innovation center, and the northern business center.

For us who were visiting Washington for the first time, it was great to take this double-decker open-top bus to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Washington. We could see many iconic attractions such as the Capitol Building and the Reflection Pool.

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The National Gallery building is quite grand, with its marble steps polished to a gleaming shine. Upon entering, the first thing you see is the large fountain, its spray echoing throughout the hall. There was a queue in front of Leonardo da Vinci's painting; I glimpsed it from afar, but the lighting was too dim to see clearly. The Impressionist room, on the other hand, was brightly lit; the water lilies were painted indistinctly, and upon closer inspection, they were all just piles of paint. After walking around, my legs ached, so I sat down on a bench in the atrium to rest, the warm sunlight streaming through the glass overhead feeling pleasant.

This is a small memorial inside but packed with interesting items. Displays are rotated so you may see something new to you each time you go

Things to do in Braddock (2026)

Fairfax | 2026 Monsta X World Tour [The X: Nexus]

Washington Monument

National Mall

The White House

United States Capitol

Lincoln Memorial

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

Georgetown

Bonds Escape Room - Fairfax

Museums in Washington D.C.

Capitol Hill

Library of Congress

The Pentagon

Big Bus Tours Washington D.C.

National Gallery of Art

Fairfax County | Arcángel - La 8va Maravilla World Tour 20 Aniversario

Vietnam Veterans Memorial