Day 17 - D.C. Smithsonian Museums

It's late and we are all so tired. We walked a lot again today. If you're following along, grab your map. Again today we rode the Metro into the city, getting off across from the Archives on 7th St. where we got on the Old Town Trolley again. It took us past Union Station and around the Capitol complex before we got off at Independence Ave and 12th St SW. We walked to the Bureau of Engraving & Printing ticket booth on 15th St just to find out that most tours were booked so we got tickets for the 6:30 tour.

Then we walked all the way back to the Jefferson Dr entrance to the Smithsonian Castle where we took a break for drinks.

After a rest we left The Castle on the Independence Ave side. Here Rich is showing our grands how to read a sundial.

From the street, I took this photo of the Parterre, or ornamental garden, with the Castle at the back of the garden...beautiful and quietly peaceful.

A tour guide had said that the best cafe in town was inside the Smithsonian's American Indian Museum so we walked east along Independence Ave. The food was fabulous and the interior space was just what we needed.

It was so hot and humid today that it was nearly unbearable so this large, circular, stunningly beautiful space was perfect for the kids to run off some steam after our typical late lunch.

We had heard that the Smithsonian's Air & Space Museum is the most popular of all, so we walked back to it along Independence Ave.

This building is enormous and contains informative displays as well as original planes, jets, rockets, space modules, etc etc.

Now we were running out of time so we walked up 7th St to Madison then west to the Smithsonian's Museum of American History. Along the way we stopped for...

another shot of the Capitol from the National Mall.

A peek inside the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden

These two magnificent pieces of petrified wood from Holbrook, AZ in front of the Smithsonian's  National Museum of Natural History.

I neglected to get this picture of the kids yesterday when we checked out the Star Spangled Banner at the Smithsonian's Museum of American History.

But the main reason we were back at this museum today was for Shelby to see the actual Ruby Slippers that Dorothy wore in the original Wizard of Oz. She was so thrilled!

In addition to other exhibits that the kids were amazed by, this huge doll house was interesting to Shelby and Dylan. They were trying to find all 25 of the pets inside this huge doll house.

We would have loved to be able to spend more time in all the museums we visited today, and there are many more we didn't even get to step inside. But, we had an appointment at 6:30 so had to walk from there back down to the Bureau of Engraving & Printing...and then it rained!

We finally found shelter at the Holocaust Memorial Museum, by then it was pouring and we were all soaked to the skin.

We were drenched when we made it to the Bureau of Engraving & Printing for our tour. It was worth it though because all three of the kids were absolutely enthralled watching money being manufactured.

After our tour we walked back up 15th St to Independence Ave where we flagged a cab for a ride back to the Metro station on 7th & D Sts. Even though we were all wearing wet clothes, our grands just had to get one last splash of the world's oceans before riding the escalator down to the train.

Dylan LOVES standing on the train.

And here we have two typical D.C. commuters...giggle!

Lovin' Life ~~ At the End of Another Perfect Day

Day 16 - Washington, D.C.

We had a full day of sightseeing! The Metro station is a short drive and parking there was great on Sunday so that's how we got into the city today.

We got off the Metro at the Archives Station. This was taken from the top of the escalator after our train had already left the tracks below...isn't it beautiful?

Since we got off the train close to it, we began our day at the National Archives and were in line about a half hour before it opened. The kids had been looking forward to seeing the original Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. They were certainly not disappointed. The rotunda where these documents are displayed provides a gorgeous setting for them.

Walking to the Washington Welcome Center to get our trolley tickets, we saw the Capitol as we crossed a street.

Our transportation in the city took two forms today...the Old Town Trolley and our own two feet! Mine are tired and my ankle hurts; we walked a lot.

We got off the trolley near the Lincoln Memorial. Here the kids are standing at the base of the stairs up to the Memorial with the Reflecting Pool and the Washington Monument in the background.

Dylan was excited to stand on the spot where Martin Luther King, Jr delivered his "I have a dream..." speech.

And we were all thrilled to see the Lincoln Memorial, the most popular of all the Memorials.

From the Lincoln Memorial we walked to the Vietnam War Memorial...The Wall. I had looked up the panel and line numbers of the two guys Rich and I knew who died over there so finding their names made that memorial more meaningful for the kids.

Leaving the Vietnam Memorial we walked to a snack shop for a break, then back across the front of the Lincoln Memorial to our next stop. I remembered this as one of my favorites from our last visit here. There is something about these life-sized soldiers at the Korean War Memorial that made a powerful and lasting impression on me.

Returning again to the base of the Lincoln Memorial, we turned and walked alongside the length of the Reflecting Pool to the World War II Memorial. They are still working on one side but most of it is completed. The kids are standing in front of the Pacific end of the memorial since that is where my dad served.

The Washington Monument is completely cloaked in scaffolding for renovation but we walked up the hill to it from the World War II Memorial. Taking a break, we noticed this view of the White House across the way.

Continuing our walk, we ended at the Smithsonian's Museum of American History where we viewed the flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write The Star Spangled Banner in 1814. Most impressive!

Our last stop was the United States Navy Memorial, where the tour guide said the fountain contains water from every ocean in the world.

The Navy Memorial was just steps from the escalator down to the train for our return to Maryland. We saw such important American History documents today, the kids had a great time, they all saw places that were meaningful to them, and there is so much more here that we would love to experience...wish we had a month here!

Lovin' Life ~~ Sharing American History With Our Grands

Day 15 - Mount Vernon

Today was a major milestone for the kids...when we drove into Virginia that became their 25th State. I think it's so cool that they have visited half of our great American States!

We were in Virginia to visit Mount Vernon, George Washington's home. I'm posting this next photo because it is so funny. Without giving it a thought, I stood at the back like I always have since I've always been taller than they, but look at them now...giggle!

Our grandkids with George and Martha and their grandkids! In this Visitor Center they show a movie about George Washington that is the best we've ever seen while visiting a historical place. The Founders of this great country did so at the risk of their lives and their fortunes. Who would do that today? Don't miss it if you visit Mount Vernon.

I was thrilled when I saw this. That stranger must be a photographer!

 Time to tour the house.

The scenes of the Potomac were perfect today. I wish I could have sat in one of the chairs on the back patio all afternoon. Here are just a couple of scenes.

This is a circa 1850 Pecan Tree...magnificent!

Lovin' everything in this scene.

Have I mentioned lately how much I love this guy?

George Washington was there today and one of the tour guides explained that, if we happened upon him while there, we should bow or curtsy. She also described exactly how to do that. In this next shot, the kids were practicing their bows and curtsy.

On our way home, Rich drove through Washington, DC. I hope we can get closer to the White House than this on a tour!

We saw many other buildings that we hopefully will get a closer look at in the next two days. This is Arlington National Cemetery which we did drive to today.

Arlington is such an awesome, sobering place.

Lovin' Life ~~ And American History