We have had limited opportunities to share any of our experiences due to the long days and limited access to our computer. We will provide details when we return home, but for now we at least wanted to share a few photographs from some of the places that we’ve seen. After a couple of days in Hanoi, Vietnam, we flew to Vientiane, Laos where we spent an afternoon at Buddha Park, which was amazing. Needless to say, the pictures don’t truly do it justice, but here is a brief glimpse into this wonderful site.
Jaws of TeethDifferent Styles of Statues in the ParkA Sense of CalmLooking Over the ParkReclining Buddha
We were back in Washington DC last week, which is a place that we are very familiar with. The National Mall is a park that extends between the Lincoln Memorial and the United States Capital, which is approximately 1.9 miles long. It is obviously a huge draw for tourists that visit Washington DC as the Washington Monument sits at the heart of the park and the White House and Jefferson Memorial are also very close by. There are several walking paths throughout the park and vendors are there selling ice cream, water, and other items. There are also many food trucks in the surrounding area.
Washington Monument and the Reflecting PoolLincoln MemorialLafayette Square, Andrew Jackson Statue, and the White HouseWorld War II Memorial
It isn’t just a location for tourists, but the National Mall is also a popular place for locals to come and enjoy the scenery and to walk, jog, and bike along the many paths. On nice days, you will find many families and couples out enjoying the weather and relaxing in the park. Since we have been to all of the museums and seen all of the important sites on previous visits to Washington, we decided to enjoy the park as the locals do, simply walking along the Reflecting Pool and having a relaxing day in our Nation’s Capital.
Another View of the Washington MonumentAndrew Jackson Statue in Lafayette SquareEnjoying a Relaxing DayWalking Towards the Lincoln Memorial
Many of the most important museums are located in the general vicinity of the National Mall as well, including the Smithsonian Museums. We also walked through Lafayette Square, which is on the other side of the White House and then walked passed the White House on our way to the National Mall. If you’d like to go to one of the historic restaurants in Washington, we’d recommend going to the Lafayette Square area where you can find many restaurants with a colorful history. Even if you are visiting Washington DC for the first time, it is worthwhile taking your time while you are at the National Mall and taking your time to truly enjoy it and relax.
White HouseLooking Up at the Monument Through the TreesFountains at the WWII MemorialView from Lafayette SquareOne of the Many Statues
Heroes’ Square, or Hosok tere in Hungarian, is one of the main squares in Budapest and is located next to the city park. It was created in 1896 to commemorate the 1,000th anniversary of Hungary. Sitting in the middle of the square is the Millennium Monument and the Museum of Fine Arts and the Palace of Art sit on opposite sides of the square. At the time that Heroes’ Square was created, Hungary was still part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and some of the statues in the square today replaced those that paid tribute to the Austrian Hapsburg dynasty.
Heroes’ SquareTop of the Millennium MonumentHungarian RulerStatues of the Seven Chieftains
We took the underground to the station that is across the street from Heroes’ Square, which is the easiest way to get to the square and city park from downtown. On the day that we visited the square, there was a demonstration going on advocating for peace. The colorful flags surrounding the tomb-like Memorial Stone, which is not an actual tomb, but meant as a tribute to all of those who died protecting Hungary over its 1,000 year history.
DemonstrationMemorial that Looks Like a TombOne of the Many StatuesStatue Between the Columns
There are a series of statues on either side of the Millennium Monument. On top of the columns on the left is a male statue that represents a symbol of war and on the of the columns on the right is a female statue representing peace. In between each of the columns are statues of historic figures in Hungarians history along with a mural below their statue meant to represent their major accomplishment. In addition to the columns with their statues, the base of the monument also has statues depicting the seven chieftains of the tribes who originally founded Hungary.
Representing WarRepresenting PeaceVajdahunyad Castle Near Heroes SquarePaddle Boats
Visiting Heroes’ Square is definitely fascinating on its own, but we would highly recommend that you combine it with a tour of the city park. The weather wasn’t quite warm enough on the day that we were there, but there are paddle boats that can be rented to go out onto the lake. There is also the Vajdahunyad Castle and the Budapest Zoo are also located in the park. It is also just a nice place to spend a couple of hours walking the paths and enjoying the scenery. Depending upon how much you decide to see while there, you can easily spend an entire day at the park.
