2005
Washington DC- Flashback Friday on a Sunday
I have been busy cleaning out my old things as well as completing a scrapbook for my daughter (which I should have completed several years ago) and recalled our trip to Washington DC. Aware that many of my scrapbooks will be placed in storage, and maybe forgotten for some time, I have been attempting to take photos for this blog for future visits. The pictures are taken from prints. (I think these were taken even before digital camera's- remember using film? The quality is not perfect, but the memories are real and since I never did any journaling (I am so angry with myself for thinking that I would follow up with this on so many of my scrap pages.) I also want to note that I did not take nearly as many pictures as I would now simply because one of the chaperones had taken pictures and gave all of us copies on a disk, I unfortunately cannot find the disk. I wish I had more pictures of the actual places we visited, but I am going to try and recall the experience here in the blog.
The Washington DC trip was through my daughters girl scout troop and I was fortunate enough to be invited as a chaperone. The scout leader Mariquritta (I am totally killing her name) had developed a 4 day 3 night excursion to Washington DC on a shoestring budget. (She should so be a travel planner). I want to say, I think I even got money back.
We had 10 girls in total with 4 chaperones. (sadly I cannot remember the ladies names or most of the girls that went with us.)
The 4 of us in the middle went with 2 mini vans and 6 hours of driving. Our first stop was for bathroom breaks and Dairy Queen lunch just outside of PA.
Once we arrived in the Washington area we made our way to our home away from home at a boyscouts camp about 30 minutes outside of the DC area.
Our first night was one gigantic slumber party sleeping in bunks. Each day had been specifically planned out and color coordinated (red, yellow, blue, and one day was noncoordinated as we went to Gettysburg).
Our first day was a blue day and it was fully packed with fun.
We started off our adventures at the local METRO, where we all purchased a transit card for the duration of our stay. (I simply LOVE my Girl Scout travel agent, she thought of everything.) Riding the Metro was so much fun. The girls were super excited, and I'll admit, I was too. When something like the subway is so foreign to you, it really does make it part of the experience.
We had scheduled times to tour the White House.
I'm not sure if you can even do this anymore. I anticipated something very different then what we got to see. I pictured the possibility of seeing the president (I know I'm stupid) I really expected to see the Oval office and business as usual sort of like what I had seen on West Wing. Well the tour does not grant you access to the daily going's on. Instead, we were lead under very tight security (we did see the sharp shooters on the roofs) East wing of the house to the rooms with names like the red room, blue room, china room, green room. Could they not get more creative for the big house they call white house. (Pictures we not allowed, but I borrowed a few from the internet below)
Certainly lovely, but I'll admit I was not that excited about it. Still what an amazing opportunity to actually get to go inside the White house.
We were going to attempt to inside Washington Monument, but the daily tickets were all taken. I've been to DC three times in my life and have missed this iconic tourist destination each time. I may have to go back to DC. It was a bummer, but believe me when I say we did not miss any of the big DC must do's after that.
Up next we did the National Mall.
We enjoyed The Smithsonian Museum of American History, before having a late lunch bagged lunch on the green.
I have enjoyed this museum during previous DC trips. I have also explored the National History Museum and the Air and Space Museum. I need to go to the National Zoo someday. It looks like I just might need to make another trip to Washington. BTW- they are all free admission
The day did not end there, we went to the top of the Old Post Office Tower (also free) and had an amazing view of the city.
Dinner was pizza from CeCe's. Of course this was a HUDGE hit. We ate there twice.
The next day we headed out for a cruise along the Potomac River. From this view we were able to see several of the monuments and stopped a a few outdoor resturants and shopping. I don't recall the name of the cruise we took, but the staff was very nice and accommodating.
(pictures from the internet)
We had a picnic lunch and visited the American Indian Museum. I absolutely loved the museum. After the museum we found a free shuttle (I wish I had more information on this) that took us to The John F. Kennedy Center. This was interesting. We spent a little time exploring before we headed back towards the camp and dinner.
The next day was one of my favorites, we work up early to be the first to enter the National Botanical Gardens.
We enjoyed this place rather quickly as we had scheduled times for perhaps my favorite place we visited The Capitol building. This place was really a surprise to me as I had no interest in visiting in the past. My thoughts were that it must be incredibly boring. However....it was insanely beautiful.
(lifted from the internet) Above is the art inside the dome. There is art everywhere. There is also 102 statues throughout the building gifted from each state in forms of important people though out time. Some of these include Helen Keller, Fredrick Douglas, Sam Adams, Robert E Lee, and George Washington.
Inside is Capitol building is also (although it is no longer) the geographical center of the Capitol district.
This stop is high on my list of must visits.
A quick lunch outside the capitol and we made our way to the next stop, and another one of my favorites. The International Spy Museum.
This museum does cost money and is not associated with the other museums we had visited. But so worth it. The museum has everything you could want to know to become a secret agent. Think old time spy movies: secret lipstick tubes, umbrellas that house guns, pens that eject poison, 007!
It was really really really cool. The girls had some fun becoming a part of the "inner circle".
It had been such a long day, but we had a few more activities before bed. We then took the metro to China Town where we got to view Friendship Arch before finding a Chinese place for a nice dinner.
Back to camp for a nice rest.
The last and final day in Washington:
We drove to Arlington Cemetery.
This place is quite big and we walked to everywhere we wanted to get to and it started to RAIN and RAIN and RAIN. Not recommended if you can not sustain the long distance walking.
Its a pretty amazing sight, graves stretch for miles and miles and miles.
Our first important stop was to John F. Kennedy's grave site then on to The tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Did you know that there is a guard that stand watching this site everyday, all the time 24 hours, 7 days a week. And they guys are serious about this job. We were fortunate enough to witness the changing of the guards. No quick time card punch in and out here. The changing of the guards is a long formal ritual that we watched in pouring rain.
Very impressive.
(Picture of the rain rushing down a stairway like a waterfall)
Wet, tired and ready to hit the road we got back to the vans and headed north towards home, but on the way we stopped at Gettysburg and got some more history.
It was most indeed an amazing trip that I was so fortunate to have time with my daughter and her Girl Scout members. TTFN
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