Washington and the start of the cruise

The museums in Washington are free. That's great, so the next day we went straight to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Great museum! It starts with vividly depicted stories about the conditions on the slave ships from Africa to the New World. It's actually a miracle that anyone arrived alive. From slavery to the Civil War, segregation, the civil rights movement, and Obama, the history of African Americans and the USA is depicted. Very well done. We really liked the museum, it's much better than the Indian American one. There was so much to read and see.

After all the culture, we had to have a beer and watch basketball in the pub 🏀🍻

For the next day, we had tickets to visit the Capitol. It was also very well done, and afterwards we visited the Capitol library. Super beautiful, really great. In the afternoon, a tour was offered on fighters for freedom. There were only 3 of us, so the guide managed to sneak us into a normally restricted area of the Senate to show us something there as well. Security guards everywhere, just like on TV. Suit or costume, casual looking and armed. It was awesome!

And then another museum, the Holocaust Museum. Doesn't need much explanation. This museum is also very well done, and in the end, time ran out there too.

In the evening, we went to baseball. After watching a game in the 3rd league, we wanted to see the 1st league. The ticket cost 5 dollars, so why not go ⚾️😄

The next morning was our farewell from Washington. We checked into our not cheap, but still not so great motel... everything is expensive near Manhattan. We returned the rental car that had accompanied us for so long in 3 minutes. But then we had to go to the waterfront and take a look at Manhattan. It's somehow always fascinating 🗽❤️

Then we boarded our cruise ship, the last major part of our sabbatical year. A trip from New York to Quebec in Canada. With several very nice ports that we will visit. But first, there was a sea day. Then Bar Harbor in Maine. I was there with Uli probably 30 years ago, with Sandra in November 2010. We took a bus tour to Acadia National Park in beautiful weather. It's just beautiful there. But we didn't eat lobster. The "cheap huts" that I still knew from the vacation with Uli don't exist anymore - 10 euros for a whole lobster with side dishes. When Sandra and I were there, everything was closed anyway, out of season. And now everything was expensive and didn't look so convincing.

The next day, Portland in Maine was waiting for us. Nothing worth mentioning, very good coffee. Unfortunately, it rained in Saint John. Halifax had a great museum about immigration to Canada and delicious beer from the local brewery. And now Sydney. Fantastic weather and a beautiful town with Scottish roots. Scottish music, Scottish clothing, and Scottish-inspired drinks everywhere 🎻🍻🥃