Day 6 - Washington DC

On our 6th day, we left the bustling metropolis of New York by train towards Washington DC. From the nearby Pennsylvania Station, the ride on the AMTRAK took a little over 3 hours. 

At first, we were surprised that at the train station in New York, there were no signs indicating which platform our train was departing from. In the US, this information is only announced a few minutes before departure. So we eagerly waited with all the other travelers in the large hall in front of the departure board until we finally found out where our train was waiting. 

We didn't regret choosing the train over a flight for this journey. It allowed us to avoid the lengthy check-in and check-out procedures and also enjoy the beautiful landscape of the East Coast. On our way, we passed through the cities of Philadelphia and Baltimore. 

There is a difference like day and night between Washington and New York. Here in the capital, everything is much more relaxed, people are friendlier, and everything is full of beautiful green parks (I suspect that Washington is a mecca for landscape gardeners!) and everything is very manageable. But we quickly adapted and, after our arrival at the hotel (just a few minutes' walk from the White House), we set out to explore the capital. 

The absolute must-see in Washington is the picturesque old town of Georgetown, which is now inhabited by many students from the university of the same name. The district was founded in 1751 by the English and is thus almost 40 years older than Washington itself. The influence of the British is hard to miss in the architecture. 

We ended this exciting day with a delicious dinner at a steakhouse in Georgetown.