We barely made it...HOME

It was time to end our Fabulous 17th Anniversary trip...so we packed up our bags, got an uber, and headed to the airport.  As we headed to the Reagon airport, we got stuck in traffic, we were a little nervous but were grateful the airport wasn't too far away and we had left early to allow ourselves a little cushion of protection.  Little did we know how much we would need that cushion... We were momentarily relieved when we arrived at the airport and had an hour before our flight took off.  But our relief turned to fear when we got to the ticket counter and they couldn't find our reservations.  Clay brought them up on the phone to confirm our flights and they said, "oh...you are at the wrong airport."  You need to go to Dulles.  WHAT??? How did we not know???  Well, how far is the other airport?  About 35-40 minutes on a good day... oh no.  We had just been on the freeway and knew the traffic was bad.  Oh holy smokes.  We booked it back outside, grabbed another uber and prayed we would make it...it would be close.  The uber was young and SLOW...oh goodness...and then Clay started talking to him and he went even slower...Laura gave Clay "STOP TALKING" eyes and said in hushed tones...don't talk to him...let him drive and get us there!  We did a "Home Alone - Run Rudolph" stunt through the WA DC Dulles airport and rushed through security and got to the gate just as they were boarding the B group.  We had missed our "A" group assignment, but we didn't care, we were just happy we made it on the flight in ANY group!!! Whew....that was close.  What would the kids say if didn't make it home on our flights?  Julie had to head home to work, so Sophie had taken over the day with the kids - watching Erica, picking up from school and feeding them dinner...thank you Sophie!!! Luckily we didn't have to ask her for a slumber party too...

Smithsonian Art and Portrait Museum

National Portrait Museum - this was a treasure to find.  We just kind of stumbled into the museum having an hour or 2 to burn before we had to head back to the Airbnb and head to the airport.  This museum was full of portraits and a little plaque next to it telling you about the person.  I felt like I went back into history and met all these people!!  People I have studied or learned about and now I get to see a "picture" of them!  How fun is this...I would have loved to stay here all day, but unfortunately, we ran out of time...we ran upstairs and looked at the presidential portraits before we left...each president of the United states was there!  

 

Ford's Theatre

We were trying to decide what to do for our last day in DC.  Finally we decided to go to Ford's theatre where Pres. Lincoln was shot.  It seemed fitting since we went to the Lincoln memorial earlier that morning!!!  Right when we arrived at the theatre a school group was also arriving. So we were sandwiched in with the school group in the line to get in.  As we went in, they usered us into the theatre...where we enjoyed a 2 man play about the night that Lincoln was shot by  John Wilkes Booth...and how he was known in the theatre - he had performed there and therefore wasn't a suspicious character for any of the people there that night.  It was a very well done, entertaining and informative performance.   It's a shame the incident actually tainted the theatre and Ford had to shut down the hall where it was used as a warehouse and office bldg.  Just in 1968, 103 years after the assassination, Ford's theatre was renovated and reopened as a theatre and National park service location.

Sunrise Bike/ Run

6:00 am - 4.5 miles each way

Being the last day of our trip, We were exhausted from our adventures but the desire to  watch the sun rise on the steps of the Lincoln memorial - overseeing the National mall was a greater pull then our comfy bed!!  So we woke up wicked early so we could grab a bike from the bike share and pedal ourselves through the mall to the Lincoln Memorial.  It was sooo worth it!!!  It was calm, peaceful, breathtakingly beautiful.   This was the perfect way to say goodbye to Washington DC!  After our morning cliff bars - we decided to skip the bikes and  jog back to our Airbnb to get ready for our last day and travel home.

  

National Monuments @ Night

The National Monuments were beautiful by day, but stunning by night.  It was a different experience during the day and another experience at night.  We were glad to be able to do both!

Holocaust Museum

We heard the Holocaust museum was a lot of people's favorite museum...not for the entertainment factor, but the reality factor.  The humbling, educating, and eye opening magnitude of the Holocaust.  It was definitely a place we will both remember.  It is a very somber museum.  We spent about 2 hours here and could have spent many more.  When we first got there we were confused.. we didn't see many displays or educational things, so finally we asked and realized we needed tickets to the other levels... they said check the front desk -- they only permit so many people every hour.  We lucked out and they had two tickets for right then...so we got in immediately!!  

Arlington Cemetery

Arlington Cemetery was across the river from the national mall...and we thought, sure we could ride our bikes over there...and Clay took us a different way then we went before so we could go somewhere different and also so we could pass by the Pentagon.  We were excited, as we passed the Pentagon we stopped and watched a helicopter land and take off!  Then, we continued on our way to Arlington...well it was hot and the way was LONG.  We had gone the longest possible way.  We finally made it to a bike share, and then started walking to the cemetery...which we couldn't find the entrance - so now not only had we biked forever we were now walking forever and we hadn't even stepped foot into the HUGE cemetery yet...oh we are getting our exercise today!!  We finally found an entrance - turned out to be a workers entrance, but they let us in anyway...thank goodness they didn't make us walk all the way around...that would have been death.  After Clay got patted down (high security everywhere...every national bldg or monument) we were in!!

There is a symbol on the tombstones that represented the individuals' faith. This was the symbol (Angel Moroni) for those of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  It was a HOT gorgeous day. The grounds of the cemetery are beautiful and vast - Hill after hill of white tombstones with a view that overlooked Washington DC.  While we were enjoying the grounds a woman approached us and asked if we could help her find a specific tombstone; William (Bull) F. Halsey.  We searched and searched.  She ended up leaving to go find other help, but we were determined we used pictures on the internet as clues, and eventually Clayboy found him! 

We made our way to the center of the cemetery where  the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier rests.  This was a quiet, reverent spot... people spoke in whispers if they needed to speak at all.  Since 1937, the tomb has been guarded 24 hours a day 365 days a year...through rain, snow, hurricanes, heat, etc. 

 

Smithsonian Air and Space Museum

We knew Clay was going to love this stop!!!  As much as Laura was looking forward to the art museum..Clay was looking forward to the airplane museum!  Unfortunately a lot of the museum was closed and under construction (I guess that means we will just have to come back!!)  The parts that were open were pretty neat and impressive - lots of airplanes and space  - Clay was in Heaven!!! 

Capitol Tour

This crypt in the basement of the capitol, 2 stories directly under the rotunda, was designed and made for the remains of George Washington.  However, the capitol was still under construction in 1799 when Washington died and he was buried at Mt. Vernon and was never moved.  Therefore the capitol crypt will forever remain empty.

"Freedom" sits at a lofty place in Washinton, as she stands with the best view in the city on top of the nation's capital. From atop the Captiol's dome, the statue of Freedom has had an almost unobstructed view for more than 140 years.  Although the 19-foot, 6-inch statue looks like a mere hood ornament from the ground, up close it is an imposing figure whose defiant glance stares east, with her right hand resting on the hilt of a sheathed sword and her left on the shield of the United States. She faces this way so that, symbolically, the sun never sets on the face of freedom."

National Archives

This was  a cool building to go inside...however, there is absolutely NO PHOTOGRAPHY allowed inside...so the inside pictures are stock pictures from the internet....but it was cool to see the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights up close and personal!  No..we didn't breathe too close to the glass to trip any alarms (National Treasure), but it was very crowded and long lines, but so worth it!  We even bought Christmas presents for the family...because, hey, they were too good to pass up!

The White House

Laura really wanted to go inside the white house.  But, because we weren't able to plan far enough in advance (like 6 months), we weren't granted tickets...bummer.  Laura was disappointed, but we did so many other things on our trip, she hardly had time to be sad!  It took us a few tries to get up close to the white house.  We went at night and from the front you can't get very close- very expansive lawn; the next day, security had blocked off the grounds; so the last day we went to the backside, which found out is the best place to be!  You can get up close and see the house (not so expansive of a lawn!!)  When we were there they cleared the area because they said Mike Pence, the Vice President, was either coming or going from the white house!  So exciting!!

Washington Monument

The Washington Monument is a beacon that you can see from all over the National Mall.  You could see if from both ends and it is a beautiful monument.  I think these pictures show just much fun we are having on this adventure together!! Yipee.

Smithsonian Museum of Natural History

This was like an indoor zoo.... Washington DC's very own stuffed zoo...filled with all kinds of exotic animals!!  Laura's favorite part were the mummies and the stories about them.

Smithsonian Museum of Art

Museum of Art (2 of them..the large and the small) These were Laura's happy places.  She could have spent a whole day at each location, but unfortunately there was too much to see in Washington DC to afford Laura that kind of time... so we had to do the speed version...but it was so worth it!  There was an underground tunnel connecting the 2 museums; with the large BLUE rooster on the roof!  There was a lot of naked bodies - which felt odd...and even odder to take a picture of it, so thankfully we don't have any proof of it... yowzers.   This interactive light art display was fun - changes when you touch it.