W A S H I N G T O N   D . C .   -   D A Y   # 4

Friday, October 29, 2004

Now this is really odd. A tree nearby is dropping these strange seed casings that look green monkey brains.

I've finally arrived at the U.S. Capital Building.

The U.S. Capitol Building is home to the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives. The centerpiece of the Capitol Complex, the U.S. Capitol has passed a number of phases, including being built, burnt, rebuilt, extended, and finally restored. Believe it or not, this is not the first, but rather, the fourth building to serve as the U.S. Capitol.

Click here for more detail and pictures of my tour of the U.S. Capitol Building.

Not far from the U.S. Capitol Building you'll find the United States Botanic Garden. Do you enjoy browsing around mini-botanic ecosystems? If yes, you've come to the right place.

Established by Congress in 1820, the United States Botanic Garden is the oldest botanic garden in North America. Approximately 4000 plants reside within the premises, together representing a variety of mini-ecosystems, including jungle, forest, and desert. Unseen by visitors, a fully automated climate control system works behind the scenes to monitor the outside weather and to adjust the inside conditions for optimal plant health via misting, shade cloth, heating, fans, air-handling equipment, and window venting.

Click here for more detail and pictures of my tour of the United States Botanic Garden.