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Who wants to make an atmospheric movie of Olde US where time has stood still and the hillbillies predominate? Cape Charles on the banks of the Chesapeke Bay (Virginia) is just such a place. We popped in to the hardware store looking for an esoteric type of screwdriver for John W….. this is what we found!

A short 45-minute drive from the middle of Washington DC will find you in Annapolis. A smallish town, very historical with bricked houses and walking malls, Annapolis is also the  headquarters of the US Navy Academy. The Academy has over 6,000 members at any one time on a four year course and consequently, the town has a clean, naval feel about it.

Dave and his wife Chris, some of the Admiral’s lieutenants took us out in their boat for sunset drinks, a tour of the various waterways and a ogle at the waterside properties of the well-heeled.

Our tour took us to the seat of Government – the Capitol. An imposing Romanesque building ‘on the hill’. We were ushered through to the Office of the Minority Speaker – Nancy Pelosi (until recently, Obama’s chosen Speaker). An enthusiastic Communications Director took us under his wing and soon we were marching down long marble passages lined with flags of states and Old Glory herself.

The House of Representatives’ Members have their offices stretched over three buildings flanking the Capitol so it was a short, hot and humid walk to the main building. Apparently there is a maze of tunnels and a train service which ferries Members underground back and forth but we went above ground. (Note to South African Government ANC members – don’t get ideas!).

Although it is a comparatively young country, Americans have a great sense of history and you can feel this inside the Capitol with statues, mementos, artefacts and other symbols dotted around every corner of what is an immaculately clean and well kept building.

The little tourist bus took us from Arlington Cemetry and then we jumped off a the Lincoln Memorial for a short walk towards the Capital and Pennsylvania Avenue where we had heard that the Newseum was well worth a visit. We passed the Washington Memorial which has been closed until further notice due to he recent earthquake.

We stopped off at The Source by Wolfgang Puck for a ‘light lunch’ (if that is possible in the USA), the table agreed that Puck’s twist on a Kobe burger was a great hit and suitably replete we entered the Aladdin’s Cave that is the Newseum. A relatively new addition to the Washington Museum landscape, the Newseum stretches for six floors and comprises some incredible exhibitions and artefacts.

We enjoyed a 4-D movie on historical events that had made headlines, viewed the 9/11 newspaper headlines from around the world, artefacts from the Berlin Wall and famous FBI cases, and copies of all the Pulitzer prize winning pictures since 1975.

An afternoon is too short for the Newseum. You need a day to fully appreciate what is billed as ‘the world’s most interactive museum’. It really is.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances

Extract from the US Constitution which greets visitors outside the Newseum.

The US National Gallery

The imposing facade of the US Supreme Court

Chatham to Providence, Rhode Island by road; Providence to Baltimore airport by South West Airlines and then by car to Washington DC. We were under the very safe wing of the Admiral and BA. We were taken into the lap of luxury at the Park Hyatt Hotel on the edge of Georgetown in Washington and a welcome respite from the searing humidity and heat.

Our first stop on our elite guided tour of the USA capital, after a rather sumptuous lunch (Madame gorged on the marrow bones), was a short stroll through the picturesque suburb of Georgetown. Highlight was a pop into Dean and de Luca – THE food emporium and they stocked Marmite!

The morning dawned hot and humid and off to the Abraham Lincoln Memorial and then Arlington Cemetry.

Described as:

“A Place of Honour

A Place of Valor

A Place of Remebrance”

Arlington defies description. Graves as far as the eye can see and a place of huge respect and emotion. At present there are between 27-30 burials there a day – qualification for Arlington? Originally the resting place for 16,000 soldiers killed in the Civil War, now space restrictions mean that only service members killed on active duty, recipients of gallantry medals, senior officers, past Presidents, and the victims of 9/11 can be admitted. There are many memorials dotted around the 1,100 acres, in particular, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier where a moving Changing of the Guard Ceremony is held hourly.

The Lincoln Memorial

Martin Luther commemoration plaque at the Lincoln Memorial

The great man himself - Abraham Lincoln

Our Tour Guide - Bud alights the Arlington tour bus

One of our guides - bursting with character

Originally, all grave stones were made the same

JFK and Jackie Kennedy Memorial and tomb

Pictures that simply have to be published!

It was a scene right out of the Great Gatsby. A mansion bordering one of the Chatham ponds, a wide curved driveway, a 1930s Ford convertible in the garage, a white marquee complete with flags, exotic cocktails, French champagne, a slick Boston band, and the movers and shakers of this well-heeled Cape Cod town.

The dress theme was black and white. In keeping with American tradition of eating dinner before the sun goes down, the invitation specified a 18h00 for 18h30 start and was a prized asset in the town’s social whirl.

Over 100 guests arrived in a procession fitting of the movies to be greeted in the reception area by the host and hostess Admiral Bud and Mrs BA Flanagan. The occasion? Erica’s 60th! Guests came from far and wide.

The main fare was a choice (or all) of Lobster Newburg, Veal or Roast turkey accompanied by some delicate greens. Fine wines accompanied the food.

Chatham, Cape Cod. Who needs Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard when you have Chatham?

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