I was standing on Potomac Plaza at the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, MD when I took this picture.  High on this elevated, immense open space taking in the expansive view of the Potomac River ahead and Washington, DC to the north will make anyone feel like Queen or King of the mountain.  Being on the Plaza feels a bit Zen-like compared to the commotion less than 10 miles away in the Capital.

The twists and turns of the highways seem like a feat of traffic engineering reminding me of a child’s plastic car track set crissing and  crossing.  The roads are the Capital Beltway circling Washington and Route 95 which runs along the entire eastern seaboard. There are express lanes and local lanes.  In the close up photo below is the 12- lane Woodrow Wilson Bridge heading into Alexandria, VA.

It’s worth a stop at the MGM (parking is free) for the view alone but you can also gamble, have lunch, a drink, a cup of coffee and visit a few shops.  A very short drive away is the National Harbor with lots of shopping and dining options.  Here’s the Woodrow Wilson Bridge looking at it from National Harbor.  Beyond the bridge and up the Potomac is Washington, DC.

 

As we drove back and forth across the bridge I was surprised to encounter traffic lights smack dab in the middle. According to Wikipedia, the drawbridge is opened about 260 times a year.  Thankfully the lights were green on my travels.