Registered accompanying persons are invited to the congress social events as well as to the following 2 half-day tours.
Both tours will depart from the lobby of the Renaissance Washington D.C. Hotel at 09.30. Approximate time of return is 13.30 hours.
Friday 21st June 2002
Welcome to Washington!
This tour is designed as an introduction to the city of Washington,
DC. You will travel down the parade route of Pennsylvania Avenue passing
the Federal Triangle government buildings, the FBI Building, the landmark
Old Post Office Pavilion and the U.S. Capitol Building. Here you will
circle the magnificent U.S. Capitol Building, whose dome dominates the
city and is considered perhaps one of the most architecturally beautiful
structures in Washington.
Before leaving Capitol Hill you will have the opportunity to view two
buildings where many important decisions have been made over the years,
the Supreme Court and the Library of Congress. Proceeding to the nearby
mall area you will pass the many buildings belonging to the Smithsonian
Institution as well as the National Gallery of Art. Passing the towering
Washington Monument you will soon arrive at the Lincoln Memorial where
you will stop to admire the tall and brooding statue of Abraham Lincoln.
A short 5-minute walk from the Lincoln Memorial brings you to the powerful
and moving Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The names of the men and women killed
or missing as a result of the Vietnam War are engraved on the somber,
polished black granite walls.
Next, you will proceed to Washington's newest veterans memorial, The Korean War Veterans Memorial, a moving tribute to the Americans and people from other nations who sacrificed and served for the cause of freedom and the defense of the Republic of South Korea. Your tour will continue past the Jefferson Memorial, a temple-like structure dedicated to our third President. The memorial sits beside the Tidal Basin, home of the world famous Japanese Cherry Blossom Trees. Nearby you'll stop at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, the newest and the fourth monument to an American president on the National Mall. The memorial, a landscape of four outdoor rooms with granite walls, statuary, inscriptions, water falls and thousands of plants, shrubs and trees, invites visitors to walk through and contemplate an artistic narrative of history from 1933 - 1945.
American sculptors, whose work in bronze bas-relief and sculptured figures
relates memories of the man and his times, portray each of Roosevelt's
four terms in office.
Time permitting, your final stop of the day will be the John F. Kennedy
Center for the Performing Arts, the only monument to the late President
Kennedy that is located in our Nation's Capital. You will be awed by its
splendor and magnificence, as well as by the view from atop the Terrace
where the city, the Potomac River and the Georgetown waterfront all stretch
out below. This will conclude a fabulous look at what Washington, DC has
to offer with regard to panoramic views, and unmatched architecture.
Saturday 22nd June 2002
The National Cathedral, Embassy Row And Georgetown
The Washington National Cathedral, consecrated in 1990 after 83 years
of construction, is one of the outstanding examples of Gothic architecture
in the United States and the sixth largest cathedral in the world. Guests
will enjoy the Presidents and Our Cathedral Tour that highlights the roles
our presidents have played in the history of the Cathedral. Since Theodore
Roosevelt, present at the laying of the Cathedral foundation stone in
1907, all American presidents have visited or worshipped at Washington
National Cathedral. The tomb of Woodrow Wilson, the only president to
be buried in the District of Columbia, lies inside the Cathedral's walls.
Docents relate accounts of our presidents as they and their families have
journeyed to Mount St. Alban over the years. You will have time to stroll
through the tranquil Bishop's garden and Herb Cottage as well as browse
the gift shop.
Next, you will travel through the international area of Embassy Row. Here, you will ride past beautiful embassies, chanceries and residences representing nations throughout the world. Pass the Vice President's residence and the many embassies, ambassadorial residences and missions that have given this neighborhood its name. Wind into Georgetown, Washington's loveliest and liveliest historic district.