Saturday, June 27, 2009
Finally home!
Today we got up early and flew home from Cleveland. We arrived safely at 10:30 am PDT and were picked up at LAX by Dave and Cathy (Kirsten's parents). We are exhausted, but so blessed to have been able to take this trip. It was really the chance of a lifetime. God is so good!
All the hours we spent researching and preparing for this trip really paid off. We only had a few things fall off the agenda due to running out of time, and none of those were a huge disappointment.
We have a lot of people to thank for their assistance with this trip. Thanks to Linda Bitto for helping us out with our Marriott hotel stays and getting us a discount. Thanks to John and Nancy Abbott again for their hospitality in using the condo in Alexandria and their home in Middleburg. Thanks to Mike, Becky and Katie Moshenek for joining us at the Orioles game in Baltimore, then sharing their home with us for the night. Thanks to Laura for joining us for the majority of the trip. I hope we didn't tease you too much. Thanks to Laura's friend, Kent, for making the long trip back east to join us, if only for a few days. It was great to meet you. Thanks again to Dave and Cathy for the transportation to and from the airport. We hope you all enjoyed following along with our journey; it was fun for us to share it. Thanks for being our friends.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Cleveland rocks!
Kirsten here. Well we certainly took our time this morning. We weren't up until 9, and didn't leave our hotel until 11. Haven't been that lazy in two weeks! We decided to get out of downtown Pittsburgh before finding breakfast, which meant it was pretty near lunchtime. We found a bakery/deli/produce store and had a breakfast of cinnamon rolls, chocolate chip bread, and strawberries. We had our choice of buying California strawberries, or locally grown. I figured I could have the Calif ones anytime, so we bought the other, and they were the sweetest, freshest strawberries I've ever had. Granted, they weren't huge, as Calif ones often are, but they also weren't grown to be tough enough to withstand being trucked across the country. Anyway, they were delicious.
We arrived in Cleveland at nearly two, and checked into our hotel - the Ritz Carlton Cleveland, thank you very much. We ate lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe, but were not able to visit the Rock & Roll Museum. The tickets are pricey, and since we were going to the game, we wouldn't have been there long enough to justify the price. So we came back to the hotel and let the kids swim a little.
The Cleveland Indians game was a blast. I don't know how many the stadium holds, but it felt somehow small, in a good way. It wasn't imposing, or overly impressive, it was just clean, friendly and hospitable. The fans were enthusiastic, and enjoying the game. The hot dogs were great (gotta love that Cleveland Stadium mustard! If you'd like to try it, you can get it at Jerry's Dogs in Ladera Ranch; right Thorneys?) and we had frozen custard for dessert. It's mostly ice cream, but made with eggs, and creamier. You had to eat it fast - it was melting in a hurry!
The Indians beat the Cincinnati Reds 9-2, and the game was followed by some spectacular fireworks. A beautiful and fitting ending to our trip. We have to be up bright and early to catch our plane. I know there's a dog and a cat eager for us to be home!
We arrived in Cleveland at nearly two, and checked into our hotel - the Ritz Carlton Cleveland, thank you very much. We ate lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe, but were not able to visit the Rock & Roll Museum. The tickets are pricey, and since we were going to the game, we wouldn't have been there long enough to justify the price. So we came back to the hotel and let the kids swim a little.
The Cleveland Indians game was a blast. I don't know how many the stadium holds, but it felt somehow small, in a good way. It wasn't imposing, or overly impressive, it was just clean, friendly and hospitable. The fans were enthusiastic, and enjoying the game. The hot dogs were great (gotta love that Cleveland Stadium mustard! If you'd like to try it, you can get it at Jerry's Dogs in Ladera Ranch; right Thorneys?) and we had frozen custard for dessert. It's mostly ice cream, but made with eggs, and creamier. You had to eat it fast - it was melting in a hurry!
The Indians beat the Cincinnati Reds 9-2, and the game was followed by some spectacular fireworks. A beautiful and fitting ending to our trip. We have to be up bright and early to catch our plane. I know there's a dog and a cat eager for us to be home!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
4 States in an hour and a half!
After driving through Shenandoah National Park on Wednesday, we spent a very nice evening with family friends, John and Nancy Abbott, at their home in Middleburg, VA. They have a lovely home on 3.5 acres in an area where a lot of people have horses. John and Nancy also let us spend five nights in their condo in Alexandria, VA while we were running around in DC. We are so thankful to them for their generosity. They really helped make our trip special and affordable.
As Kirsten mentioned, Bodie and Julianna loved the Abbotts' home, because 1.) they have a pool, and 2.) they were able to spend about an hour running around their yard catching fireflies with their bare hands. We had seen fireflies a few times on this trip, but never in the quantities we saw last night.
This morning it was time to say goodbye to Laura. She headed back home to Utah today after spending two weeks with us. We so enjoyed sharing this trip with her and getting to meet her friend, Kent. Laura, we're so glad you came with us on this adventure. We love you.
Once we had left the Abbotts' house, we hit the road running. After stopping at Starbucks for my morning coffee, we began working our way towards Pittsburgh, PA. In the process we traveled through four states in the span of about an hour and a half. Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. We always make a big deal about crossing state lines in the car, so the kids really had to keep their eyes open today.
The only thing on our schedule for the day, before getting to Pittsburgh, was to find Shanksville, PA and visit the Flight 93 temporary memorial. Flight 93 was the plane that went down in a field on 9/11, after the passengers battled with the terrorists in the cockpit who had hijacked the plane. The memorial is temporary because they had an open call for design ideas and they have finally decided on one. They hope to have it completed by 9/11/2011, the 10-year anniversary.
At the temporary memorial, as you can see from the picture, people have brought their own contributions, and rangers from the National Park service will answer your questions and tell the story about what happened that day and the plans for the permanent memorial. You cannot get close to the crash site now, but you can see it in the distance, marked by an American flag, and you will be able to walk up to it when the memorial is completed. It is a very moving place to be. The battlefields we've seen commemorate events that happened so long ago, but this was still fresh in my mind, so it took some effort to fight back the tears.
We arrived in Pittsburgh around 3:30pm and it was considerably hotter than any place we had been recently. The thermometer in the car said 95° and it was also very humid. We had originally planned to take a tour of Pittsburgh in the DUKW amphibious vehicle that many of the big cities have, but we arrived too late, so we just decided to start walking towards PNC Park a little sooner than we had planned. Our hotel was just across the Allegheny River from the park, so we got to walk across the famous Roberto Clemente Bridge, that you can see from the park. 
The area surrounding the ballpark is a really nice riverfront walk and we probably would have walked around a bit more, but it was so hot and sticky that nobody wanted to do much of anything except sit in the shade and wait for the park to open. Once it did, we immediately bought some ice cold water, which didn't last long between the four of us. Bodie and I went down to the outfield fence to watch the Indians take batting practice and try to catch a ball. We got close a couple of times, but all we came away with was a nasty scrape on my leg that I got while leaping for a home run ball and coming down on a bleacher bench. After batting practice was done, we made a beeline for the team store, so we could get into some air conditioning.
For dinner, I continued trying major league hot dogs, and I can say that they have some pretty good ones in Pittsburgh. Kirsten tried the pierogies and she was very pleased with them.
I had really been looking forward to visiting PNC Park ever since ESPN.com reviewed it as the best overall park in the Major Leagues. While we were pretty pre-occupied with the heat, I will say that it is a really nice place and I was not disappointed. Except for the thunder and lightning and a few raindrops that started right before the game began, the game itself was a bit of a yawner for most of it, 2-2 going into the top of the eighth. That's when it happened. A foul ball off the bat of Jack Wilson came looping high in my direction. I was following it all the way; it was coming right to me. I had to move a bit to my left, probably encroaching on the space of the guy next to Bodie, but all's fair in love and foul balls, right? As it was coming down, I knew it was going to be close, and that I could get it for sure if I really wanted to be a jerk, but I decided not to plow the guy over. I reached up and our gloves banged together, and for a moment, I thought I might actually have it. But then I looked in my glove and ... it wasn't there. So close, and yet so far. The guy was a very pleasant-looking dad and could have very well been me, sitting with his little family. He said it was the first foul ball he had ever caught, at age 40, so I didn't feel so bad. I have actually caught one before at an Angels game.
The game ended in the bottom of the ninth with a dramatic rally by the Pirates, which sent everyone home happy; except for the thousands of Indians fans that had made the two hour trip to the game. As soon as we got outside the park, it began again with the thunder and lightning, and then came the downpour. We walked the three blocks back to the hotel getting dumped on. By the time we arrived, we were soaked. Good thing the game didn't go into extra innings.
Today is our last full day of the trip. We are driving to Cleveland for one more game tonight and we will probably visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
At the temporary memorial, as you can see from the picture, people have brought their own contributions, and rangers from the National Park service will answer your questions and tell the story about what happened that day and the plans for the permanent memorial. You cannot get close to the crash site now, but you can see it in the distance, marked by an American flag, and you will be able to walk up to it when the memorial is completed. It is a very moving place to be. The battlefields we've seen commemorate events that happened so long ago, but this was still fresh in my mind, so it took some effort to fight back the tears.
We arrived in Pittsburgh around 3:30pm and it was considerably hotter than any place we had been recently. The thermometer in the car said 95° and it was also very humid. We had originally planned to take a tour of Pittsburgh in the DUKW amphibious vehicle that many of the big cities have, but we arrived too late, so we just decided to start walking towards PNC Park a little sooner than we had planned. Our hotel was just across the Allegheny River from the park, so we got to walk across the famous Roberto Clemente Bridge, that you can see from the park. 
The area surrounding the ballpark is a really nice riverfront walk and we probably would have walked around a bit more, but it was so hot and sticky that nobody wanted to do much of anything except sit in the shade and wait for the park to open. Once it did, we immediately bought some ice cold water, which didn't last long between the four of us. Bodie and I went down to the outfield fence to watch the Indians take batting practice and try to catch a ball. We got close a couple of times, but all we came away with was a nasty scrape on my leg that I got while leaping for a home run ball and coming down on a bleacher bench. After batting practice was done, we made a beeline for the team store, so we could get into some air conditioning.
For dinner, I continued trying major league hot dogs, and I can say that they have some pretty good ones in Pittsburgh. Kirsten tried the pierogies and she was very pleased with them.
I had really been looking forward to visiting PNC Park ever since ESPN.com reviewed it as the best overall park in the Major Leagues. While we were pretty pre-occupied with the heat, I will say that it is a really nice place and I was not disappointed. Except for the thunder and lightning and a few raindrops that started right before the game began, the game itself was a bit of a yawner for most of it, 2-2 going into the top of the eighth. That's when it happened. A foul ball off the bat of Jack Wilson came looping high in my direction. I was following it all the way; it was coming right to me. I had to move a bit to my left, probably encroaching on the space of the guy next to Bodie, but all's fair in love and foul balls, right? As it was coming down, I knew it was going to be close, and that I could get it for sure if I really wanted to be a jerk, but I decided not to plow the guy over. I reached up and our gloves banged together, and for a moment, I thought I might actually have it. But then I looked in my glove and ... it wasn't there. So close, and yet so far. The guy was a very pleasant-looking dad and could have very well been me, sitting with his little family. He said it was the first foul ball he had ever caught, at age 40, so I didn't feel so bad. I have actually caught one before at an Angels game.
The game ended in the bottom of the ninth with a dramatic rally by the Pirates, which sent everyone home happy; except for the thousands of Indians fans that had made the two hour trip to the game. As soon as we got outside the park, it began again with the thunder and lightning, and then came the downpour. We walked the three blocks back to the hotel getting dumped on. By the time we arrived, we were soaked. Good thing the game didn't go into extra innings.
Today is our last full day of the trip. We are driving to Cleveland for one more game tonight and we will probably visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Kirsten here. Wednesday had us waking up in Charlottesville, and the first thing we did when we checked out of our hotel was to buy lunch. We were headed into the Shenandoah National Park to drive along Skyline Drive, so we brought our picnic with us! Skyline Drive is in the north of the park, the Blue Ridge Parkway in the southern half, and together they have been called the most scenic drive in America. It took us about three hours, including stopping for our lunch, and we saw incredible views. At the overlooks, you could see for miles and miles. I wished I knew how far we could see! We also saw hundreds of butterflies, blue jays and robins and sparrows in and among the trees, and hawks circling overhead. We saw many deer, and even a young black bear! We also saw hikers and walkers and bicyclists galore.
From there, we drove to West Virginia, to see Harpers Ferry National Historic Park. This town has a storied history, most famous for its role in the Civil War. Here, in 1859, John Brown and his gang of fellow abolitionists raided the federal armory, hoping to start a rebellion that would end slavery. Instead, he was captured, tried for treason, conspiracy, and murder, and hanged in nearby Charles Town. The town changed hands during the Civil War, eight times. After the Civil War, the town tried to come back to life (with the armory, a major source of employment, having been destroyed during the war) but the flooding of the Shenandoah River pushed out those residents who had returned after the War. What remains is a beautiful historic down, with a few destroyed buildings, but also a few full time residents even today!
After Harpers Ferry, we drove back into Virginia, to stay at the home of friends. Nancy and John are the owners of the condo in Alexandria, and they live in Middleburg, VA. My mom and Nancy met when my family moved to Virginia, and they have been friends ever since. They now live in a beautiful home in a fairly rural part of Middleburg, surrounded by horse properties. We had a wonderful dinner with them, then chatted while the kids swam, and caught fireflies! It was wonderful to see their house, and fun to spend time with them.
From there, we drove to West Virginia, to see Harpers Ferry National Historic Park. This town has a storied history, most famous for its role in the Civil War. Here, in 1859, John Brown and his gang of fellow abolitionists raided the federal armory, hoping to start a rebellion that would end slavery. Instead, he was captured, tried for treason, conspiracy, and murder, and hanged in nearby Charles Town. The town changed hands during the Civil War, eight times. After the Civil War, the town tried to come back to life (with the armory, a major source of employment, having been destroyed during the war) but the flooding of the Shenandoah River pushed out those residents who had returned after the War. What remains is a beautiful historic down, with a few destroyed buildings, but also a few full time residents even today!
After Harpers Ferry, we drove back into Virginia, to stay at the home of friends. Nancy and John are the owners of the condo in Alexandria, and they live in Middleburg, VA. My mom and Nancy met when my family moved to Virginia, and they have been friends ever since. They now live in a beautiful home in a fairly rural part of Middleburg, surrounded by horse properties. We had a wonderful dinner with them, then chatted while the kids swam, and caught fireflies! It was wonderful to see their house, and fun to spend time with them.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Historical Tuesday
Williamsburg is part of what they call America's Historic Triangle. Today we visited the second part of that triangle: Jamestown. The third part is Yorktown.
Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in the new world. 104 English men and boys first arrived there in 1607. What we saw was a recreation of that settlement, a neighboring Indian village and three ships like the ones the settlers came over on - the Susan Constant, the Godspeed and the Discovery. This was also the settlement of Captain John Smith, John Rolfe and Pocahontas from the history books (and the Disney movie).
We were really kind of unsure if we would have time to visit Jamestown, or if we even needed to since we just saw Williamsburg, but we are glad we did. It was very hands-on for the kids and there was a lot of cool stuff to see. Plus, the "settlers" were giving constant musket firing demonstrations, so they kept us on our toes with loud booms every few minutes.
After we were done with Jamestown, we got in the car to drive the two hours to Charlottesville, VA to tour Thomas Jefferson's home, Monticello. Because we had to make a couple of stops and we were slowed by some road work, we just barely made it in time for our 3:30pm tour. Actually, we missed the beginning of it and the guides were unsure of which tour group to put us in, but it all ended up working out. In fact, the supervisors of the tour guides actually went out of their way to make sure that we heard the whole tour by letting us stand in with another group for the two rooms we originally missed. They were emphatic that we NOT take any photos inside the house and NOT TOUCH ANYTHING, but they couldn't have been any more enthusiastic about sharing the history of the house with us and answering any questions we had. It was a wonderful tour. Almost everything we saw in the house was actually owned by Thomas Jefferson and he did some amazingly innovative things in the construction of the house. It is an architectural wonder. It was pretty awesome to be so close to so much history.
The grounds are just beautiful. Bodie said he wished we had a lawn that big because it would be a great place to play baseball. Yes it would, but I wouldn't want to mow it. The view from the home is incredible. It is no wonder why he chose to build his home here. Except for the large hill behind the house, you can see for miles in every direction. If you are ever in the Charlottesville area, you must go to Monticello and take a tour. It is really cool!
We were really kind of unsure if we would have time to visit Jamestown, or if we even needed to since we just saw Williamsburg, but we are glad we did. It was very hands-on for the kids and there was a lot of cool stuff to see. Plus, the "settlers" were giving constant musket firing demonstrations, so they kept us on our toes with loud booms every few minutes.
After we were done with Jamestown, we got in the car to drive the two hours to Charlottesville, VA to tour Thomas Jefferson's home, Monticello. Because we had to make a couple of stops and we were slowed by some road work, we just barely made it in time for our 3:30pm tour. Actually, we missed the beginning of it and the guides were unsure of which tour group to put us in, but it all ended up working out. In fact, the supervisors of the tour guides actually went out of their way to make sure that we heard the whole tour by letting us stand in with another group for the two rooms we originally missed. They were emphatic that we NOT take any photos inside the house and NOT TOUCH ANYTHING, but they couldn't have been any more enthusiastic about sharing the history of the house with us and answering any questions we had. It was a wonderful tour. Almost everything we saw in the house was actually owned by Thomas Jefferson and he did some amazingly innovative things in the construction of the house. It is an architectural wonder. It was pretty awesome to be so close to so much history.
The grounds are just beautiful. Bodie said he wished we had a lawn that big because it would be a great place to play baseball. Yes it would, but I wouldn't want to mow it. The view from the home is incredible. It is no wonder why he chose to build his home here. Except for the large hill behind the house, you can see for miles in every direction. If you are ever in the Charlottesville area, you must go to Monticello and take a tour. It is really cool!
Monday at Busch Gardens
Monday was our second amusement park visit. This time we were at Busch Gardens Europe in Williamsburg, Virginia. This is the park where Kirsten and her family visited when they used to live out here, so it was a bit of a homecoming for Kirsten and Laura. Instead of Fantasyland and Tomorrowland, like at Disneyland, the different sections of the park are themed after different countries in Europe: England, France, Italy, Germany, Scotland and Ireland.
The day was just beautiful; partly cloudy, but lots of sun, and not too hot. Being the first Monday of the summer season, there were hardly any lines, and none longer than about 20 minutes. I'm sure by this weekend the lines will all be really long. Even though they had come here as kids, Kirsten and Laura hadn't been to Busch Gardens for 25 years, so much of the park was new to them as well. One of the first rides we went on was called Roman Rapids, and it was new to all of us. It was one of those circular raft rides where you are guaranteed to get wet. We tried to watch it for a while to see how wet riders were getting, but it had just opened, so it was hard to tell. We finally decided to go on it and now Laura is never going to let us forget it. We all got pretty wet, but she was in the seat that goes directly under four little waterfalls in a row. When we were done, she looked like she had just showered with her clothes on. Right outside this ride is a big dryer booth where you can, for $5.00, stand and try to dry yourself off. It helped a bit, but she was still damp for much of the day. While borrowed from the internet, this photo should give you an idea.
The Loch Ness Monster was the roller coaster that Kirsten has been telling me about since we were in high school, so we needed to ride that one. I think we rode it three times during the day and Bodie and Julianna rode it two more times right before we left the park. It was a pretty fun coaster and has the distinction of being the only roller coaster with interlocking loops. At least that's what they told us, but I could have sworn there were others. Maybe it was the only one at the time it was built. 
More of a theme park than Hersheypark is, Busch Gardens Europe has five main roller coasters (Laura and I rode all of them), but also many shows and rides that are not so death defying, and everything is themed to the country it's in.
(Kirsten's nickel) - Well, that was one of my favorite days on this trip. This vacation has been mostly about giving Julianna and Bodie a glimpse into American history. Monday was about a glimpse into my history! It was a step back in time. The park looked much the way I remember it, and I enjoyed the Loch Ness Monster just as much as I did as a youngster. Busch Gardens is a clean and friendly place. Lush with trees and flowers, and appropriate music piped in to every country! You knew you had gone from one country to another because the music changed! Lunch was a highlight. We were in Germany, where you can eat while watching a show at the Fest Haus. Choices like bratwurst and roasted chicken, or delicious BBQ ribs, with sides like sauerkraut and german potato salad. It's a very celebratory "raise your glass and sing with us" kind of atmosphere - an oompah band, and dancers in dresses or leder hosen. It's the strongest memory I have of visiting as a child, and it was so much fun to share it with my kids. Beth, and Mom & Dad, we really missed you!!
The Loch Ness Monster was the roller coaster that Kirsten has been telling me about since we were in high school, so we needed to ride that one. I think we rode it three times during the day and Bodie and Julianna rode it two more times right before we left the park. It was a pretty fun coaster and has the distinction of being the only roller coaster with interlocking loops. At least that's what they told us, but I could have sworn there were others. Maybe it was the only one at the time it was built. 
More of a theme park than Hersheypark is, Busch Gardens Europe has five main roller coasters (Laura and I rode all of them), but also many shows and rides that are not so death defying, and everything is themed to the country it's in.
(Kirsten's nickel) - Well, that was one of my favorite days on this trip. This vacation has been mostly about giving Julianna and Bodie a glimpse into American history. Monday was about a glimpse into my history! It was a step back in time. The park looked much the way I remember it, and I enjoyed the Loch Ness Monster just as much as I did as a youngster. Busch Gardens is a clean and friendly place. Lush with trees and flowers, and appropriate music piped in to every country! You knew you had gone from one country to another because the music changed! Lunch was a highlight. We were in Germany, where you can eat while watching a show at the Fest Haus. Choices like bratwurst and roasted chicken, or delicious BBQ ribs, with sides like sauerkraut and german potato salad. It's a very celebratory "raise your glass and sing with us" kind of atmosphere - an oompah band, and dancers in dresses or leder hosen. It's the strongest memory I have of visiting as a child, and it was so much fun to share it with my kids. Beth, and Mom & Dad, we really missed you!!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Happy Father's Day! – Part 2
We finally had a little more relaxed day today. We ate breakfast on the go, then drove a couple hours down to Colonial Williamsburg. We had a pretty good lunch in a colonial tavern, then spent a beautiful afternoon visiting 18th century Williamsburg, including the blacksmith shop, the milliner (hat maker), a shoemaker, a weaver, the courthouse (complete with stocks for the criminals!) the bookbinder, a silversmith, wigmaker, etc.
The people in the town and the individual buildings are all dressed in period costume, and tell you all about their trade, and answer your questions as if they are living in the 1700s. The weather couldn’t have been nicer. Sunny, blue skies, but with giant puffy white clouds for the sun to hide behind.
We arrived at our hotel during daylight hours – we haven’t done that in days! Had a delicious dinner, then to bed for a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow – Busch Gardens Williamsburg and our second festival of roller coasters and water rides!
I gotta get me one of these for the house.
The people in the town and the individual buildings are all dressed in period costume, and tell you all about their trade, and answer your questions as if they are living in the 1700s. The weather couldn’t have been nicer. Sunny, blue skies, but with giant puffy white clouds for the sun to hide behind.
We arrived at our hotel during daylight hours – we haven’t done that in days! Had a delicious dinner, then to bed for a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow – Busch Gardens Williamsburg and our second festival of roller coasters and water rides!
I gotta get me one of these for the house.
Saturday in DC
Happy Father's Day! For real this time. I've checked several calendars and I can confirm that today is Father's Day.
Saturday was our last day in Washington, DC and it started out with a bang…of thunder, and a flash of lightning. We had purposely not scheduled too much for today, so we could do anything that we had missed or not had enough time for.
We were going to go to the National Archives to see the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution a few days ago, but we didn’t have time for it that day, so that was our priority. The minute we left the condo to drive into the city, it started raining. We parked near the Air and Space Museum, so we made a quick trip over to there to see a few things that we hadn’t already, and then walked across the Mall to the Archives. By the time we got there, to wait in the 45+ minute line, the rain was really starting to come down. Then came several loud crashes of thunder and flashes of lightning. At this point, the kids were begging to go home, but we pressed on…and got soaked! There was even a vendor in a van parked 50 feet away selling ice cream (at 9:30 am) and umbrellas. So I bought one to go with the one Laura had, but by then, we were pretty wet. It was amazing to see the number of people willing to wait outside in a thunderstorm for a chance to view the documents. 
They are a lot more strict at the Archives than they were when we were here 16 years ago, but it is still amazingly cool to see these historic documents. The Declaration is very faded and barely legible anymore, (really, all you could read was John Hancock’s famous signature!) but the Constitution is still very readable. The Rotunda also houses a copy of the Magna Carta, and documents having to do with the Louisiana Purchase, the 14th Amendment, the Women’s Suffrage movement, the Articles of Confederation, and more.
By the time we were done, the sun was out and it was starting to get hot and humid outside. We had a nice lunch at a café in the National Sculpture Garden on the Mall, then it was back to the car to go over to Arlington National Cemetery. Kirsten has some great-grandparents who are buried there, so we were actually able to get a pass to drive way into the cemetery. After visiting their graves, we used our pass to park close to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers and walked up to see that. We got really lucky, because they actually did the changing of the guard ceremony while we were there. Very impressive, and so precise with their marching. We also walked over to see the grave of President John F. Kennedy, which is nearby. 
After the cemetery, we drove over to the Marine Corps Memorial, also know as the Iwo Jima memorial. Almost everyone has seen this one in pictures or on TV. It’s a very neat memorial and even bigger and more awe-inspiring up close.
We then decided to go see some of the memorials on the Mall in the daylight, since we had only seen them at night when we took the tour a couple of days ago. It took us a while to find a parking spot, but we eventually did and started our walk to the Mall. There were several events going on there today, so there were tons and tons of people out enjoying the sunshine. We went back to see the World War II memorial and many people had their feet in the water to cool off. 
From there we walked to the Washington Monument, only to find out that the day’s tickets were gone, so we couldn’t go up inside it. We got some cool pictures of it though. By this time the wind had kicked up considerably, which was welcome in the heat. After that it was the Lincoln Memorial and the Korean War Memorial. Finally, we were starving and ready for dinner, but not before I managed to drive for 15 minutes only to end up going 10 miles in a complete circle while trying to get back to Alexandria. Did I mention that the road signs leave a little to be desired here? Man, it’s making me crazy!
Today, it’s south to Colonial Williamsburg.
(Kirsten’s nickel) Our time in Washington DC has been wonderful. We feel very blessed that the weather has been mostly cooperative. And with the exception of the fact that people really like to honk their horns here, the people have been wonderful too. Security personnel and other employees are friendly and chatty, and all the tourists are so respectful of each other. Every time you try to walk ten feet in a museum, or in a monument, you realize you are about to walk through someone’s picture taking - or else you’re the one trying to get a picture between walkers! – but everyone is gracious: “no, you go ahead” “no, it’s fine”, etc. Plenty of smiles and thank you’s and excuse me’s. Every line you stand in, you can hear conversations around you that are not in English, a reminder that this is not just important for Americans.
Two other things I wanted to share: yes, singing the National Anthem at the Nationals game was just as goosebump-provoking as I suspected it would be. There are plenty of military folks in the area, too, so you are very aware of those who keep us free. The scoreboard TV at the park got a shot of some soldiers from Walter Reed Army Hospital attending the game, and the crowd gave them a standing ovation.
The other thing that struck me was the fact that we were visiting Arlington National Cemetery at the end of our time here. Washington DC is a mix of monuments and government buildings – reminders of our history, and how we got here, alongside the businesses of those who make it all work today. And visiting Arlington, and especially the Tomb of the Unknowns, is a reminder of those who have fought to give this nation a chance, and those who fought to keep it together, and those who fought to protect it from threat, and those who fought to give others the same freedom we enjoy. For those who have worn the uniform, and for those who wear it now, I am more grateful than ever.
Have a blessed Sunday. Thanks for checking in!
They are a lot more strict at the Archives than they were when we were here 16 years ago, but it is still amazingly cool to see these historic documents. The Declaration is very faded and barely legible anymore, (really, all you could read was John Hancock’s famous signature!) but the Constitution is still very readable. The Rotunda also houses a copy of the Magna Carta, and documents having to do with the Louisiana Purchase, the 14th Amendment, the Women’s Suffrage movement, the Articles of Confederation, and more.
By the time we were done, the sun was out and it was starting to get hot and humid outside. We had a nice lunch at a café in the National Sculpture Garden on the Mall, then it was back to the car to go over to Arlington National Cemetery. Kirsten has some great-grandparents who are buried there, so we were actually able to get a pass to drive way into the cemetery. After visiting their graves, we used our pass to park close to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers and walked up to see that. We got really lucky, because they actually did the changing of the guard ceremony while we were there. Very impressive, and so precise with their marching. We also walked over to see the grave of President John F. Kennedy, which is nearby. 
After the cemetery, we drove over to the Marine Corps Memorial, also know as the Iwo Jima memorial. Almost everyone has seen this one in pictures or on TV. It’s a very neat memorial and even bigger and more awe-inspiring up close.
We then decided to go see some of the memorials on the Mall in the daylight, since we had only seen them at night when we took the tour a couple of days ago. It took us a while to find a parking spot, but we eventually did and started our walk to the Mall. There were several events going on there today, so there were tons and tons of people out enjoying the sunshine. We went back to see the World War II memorial and many people had their feet in the water to cool off. 
From there we walked to the Washington Monument, only to find out that the day’s tickets were gone, so we couldn’t go up inside it. We got some cool pictures of it though. By this time the wind had kicked up considerably, which was welcome in the heat. After that it was the Lincoln Memorial and the Korean War Memorial. Finally, we were starving and ready for dinner, but not before I managed to drive for 15 minutes only to end up going 10 miles in a complete circle while trying to get back to Alexandria. Did I mention that the road signs leave a little to be desired here? Man, it’s making me crazy!
Today, it’s south to Colonial Williamsburg.
(Kirsten’s nickel) Our time in Washington DC has been wonderful. We feel very blessed that the weather has been mostly cooperative. And with the exception of the fact that people really like to honk their horns here, the people have been wonderful too. Security personnel and other employees are friendly and chatty, and all the tourists are so respectful of each other. Every time you try to walk ten feet in a museum, or in a monument, you realize you are about to walk through someone’s picture taking - or else you’re the one trying to get a picture between walkers! – but everyone is gracious: “no, you go ahead” “no, it’s fine”, etc. Plenty of smiles and thank you’s and excuse me’s. Every line you stand in, you can hear conversations around you that are not in English, a reminder that this is not just important for Americans.
Two other things I wanted to share: yes, singing the National Anthem at the Nationals game was just as goosebump-provoking as I suspected it would be. There are plenty of military folks in the area, too, so you are very aware of those who keep us free. The scoreboard TV at the park got a shot of some soldiers from Walter Reed Army Hospital attending the game, and the crowd gave them a standing ovation.
The other thing that struck me was the fact that we were visiting Arlington National Cemetery at the end of our time here. Washington DC is a mix of monuments and government buildings – reminders of our history, and how we got here, alongside the businesses of those who make it all work today. And visiting Arlington, and especially the Tomb of the Unknowns, is a reminder of those who have fought to give this nation a chance, and those who fought to keep it together, and those who fought to protect it from threat, and those who fought to give others the same freedom we enjoy. For those who have worn the uniform, and for those who wear it now, I am more grateful than ever.
Have a blessed Sunday. Thanks for checking in!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Friday in the DC Area
Today we were out early and off to see George Washington’s Mount Vernon. The day almost took a really ugly turn as we were pulling into the parking lot there. Trying to find where to park, we came to a roundabout that led to the main lot, but as we came around the circle, a brand new white BMW came out of nowhere, honking his horn and scaring us all half to death. I swerved a bit and started to break hard, then he went around me and was gone. It was only a close call and we were all shaken for a few minutes. Poor Julianna spilled her smoothie on the floor of the minivan.
I think that I have a pretty good sense of direction and that I am a pretty good driver, but I’m telling you that the streets around here are just crazy. They don’t seem to make any sense; they run in every direction; and they are very poorly marked with signs. And, several times I have been following signs telling you how to get somewhere when I got to a “T” or a fork in the road, and the signs were gone, leaving you to guess which way to go. It’s maddening!
If you have never been to George Washington’s Mount Vernon, you are missing a real treat. The whole area is just beautiful and sits along the shores of the Potomac River. There was a bit of a crowd, but not too bad. We toured the main house, which is in wonderful shape, and saw most of the grounds. While George Washington lived there, Mount Vernon had so much going on and was almost completely self-sufficient that it was practically a village unto itself. We also saw the tomb where he and Martha are buried.
After the main tour, we went on the National Treasure Tour. This tour takes visitors on a special behind the scenes trip through areas at Mount Vernon that most people never get to see. If you have seen the movie National Treasure: Book of Secrets, you’ll remember that Nicholas Cage’s character, Ben Gates, crashes a party for the President that is being held at Mount Vernon. We got to see a hidden basement below the mansion and some places behind it that you can usually only get to by boat on the Potomac.
This view is from the back side of the mansion and down by the river.
When our tour was done, we went into Historic Alexandria and had lunch at Gadsby’s Tavern, a place where George Washington and other Founding Fathers are known to have frequented. Food was very good, but for some reason, we were pretty much by ourselves eating there, except for the private party that was going on in the dining room above us.
After lunch, we drove into McLean, Virginia to show the kids the neighborhood and house where Kirsten and her family lived for about ten years, during the 1970s and early 80s. We found some former neighbors who still lived there and talked with them for a bit, then went to the Whitneys' old house and knocked on the door. A very nice lady, named Laura, answered the door and graciously let us come in and see the house and the backyard. Many things had changed, but much was still the same.
This is the creek behind their old house. The kids liked walking around here.
The evening was spent at a baseball game at Nationals Park, between the Washington Nationals and the Toronto Blue Jays. This one year-old ballpark was beautiful, even though we had to pay WAY TOO MUCH to park close to the stadium. But, it’s a good thing we did, because the game went into the 11th inning and ended after 11:00pm. They do have other places to park in the surrounding neighborhoods, but it isn’t a place where we wanted to go wandering around that late at night. Because the game went so long, they cancelled the fireworks show that they usually do on Friday nights, but we did get free beach towels as a promotional giveaway.
Saturday is our last day in Washington, DC, so we are going to try to get to all the things we have missed or didn't spend enough time on.
After the main tour, we went on the National Treasure Tour. This tour takes visitors on a special behind the scenes trip through areas at Mount Vernon that most people never get to see. If you have seen the movie National Treasure: Book of Secrets, you’ll remember that Nicholas Cage’s character, Ben Gates, crashes a party for the President that is being held at Mount Vernon. We got to see a hidden basement below the mansion and some places behind it that you can usually only get to by boat on the Potomac.
This view is from the back side of the mansion and down by the river.
When our tour was done, we went into Historic Alexandria and had lunch at Gadsby’s Tavern, a place where George Washington and other Founding Fathers are known to have frequented. Food was very good, but for some reason, we were pretty much by ourselves eating there, except for the private party that was going on in the dining room above us.
After lunch, we drove into McLean, Virginia to show the kids the neighborhood and house where Kirsten and her family lived for about ten years, during the 1970s and early 80s. We found some former neighbors who still lived there and talked with them for a bit, then went to the Whitneys' old house and knocked on the door. A very nice lady, named Laura, answered the door and graciously let us come in and see the house and the backyard. Many things had changed, but much was still the same.
This is the creek behind their old house. The kids liked walking around here.
The evening was spent at a baseball game at Nationals Park, between the Washington Nationals and the Toronto Blue Jays. This one year-old ballpark was beautiful, even though we had to pay WAY TOO MUCH to park close to the stadium. But, it’s a good thing we did, because the game went into the 11th inning and ended after 11:00pm. They do have other places to park in the surrounding neighborhoods, but it isn’t a place where we wanted to go wandering around that late at night. Because the game went so long, they cancelled the fireworks show that they usually do on Friday nights, but we did get free beach towels as a promotional giveaway.
Saturday is our last day in Washington, DC, so we are going to try to get to all the things we have missed or didn't spend enough time on.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Mount Vernon
Today we're at Mount Vernon, George Washington's home. Today is a gorgeous, sunny day. While we're here we are touring the house and the grounds, then we are taking an additional tour which will show us the sites shown in the movie National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets.
Long May It Wave
Good Morning! Kirsten here. Another full and fun day in DC yesterday. Started off cloudy, and then the sun came out in the afternoon. Not too hot. And somewhat less walking!
Our day started at Ford's Theater, and then the Petersen House, where Lincoln died. The tour at Ford's Theater has changed a lot since I was here last. They have built a "lobby" and gift store next door, and they only do Park Ranger-led tours. They line you up, and then the whole group goes in and sits in the theater seats. Mr Ranger talked for a half an hour or so, basically telling the story of the night that Lincoln was assassinated. He was very well informed, but I was disappointed that we are no longer able to go upstairs and see the room, as we used to be able to. You can see it from the theater seats below, of course, but it doesn't give the same feeling as being upstairs, seeing the President's box, and visualizing that terrible night. Then we went across the street, and lined up for the Petersen House. After Lincoln was shot, a doctor that was in the theater knew as soon as he saw him, that the wound was mortal, so they looked for a place for him to be comfortable and the owner of the Petersen House beckoned them in. This I was glad to still be able to visit. The rooms are so small, and the bed in which Lincoln died is, too, especially for someone 6'4". As you walk through the front parlor, and the back bedroom, you can just imagine Lincoln's wife and son, and his advisors clustered, sitting or standing, weeping, or talking in low voices.
We left there and walked down the street to the Smithsonian American History museum. We saw Judy Garland's ruby slippers, Kermit the Frog, and Carol Channing's dress from "Hello, Dolly!". One of their largest exhibits right now is called "The American Presidency; A Glorious Burden". This was very thorough, examining the job from the aspects of Commander in Chief, diplomat, husband and father, and chief "morale officer" for the country. There was a section on children in the White House, weddings in the White House, and a section on those who were killed, or died, in office, and how the nation responded, as far as the funeral ceremony, etc. We also saw some of the First Ladies' gowns, although there were fewer of them than we had hoped for.
There was also a giant "America At War" exhibit which told the stories and housed many artifacts from every American war. It was very interesting and we could have spent hours just in that exhibit alone.
The most special thing we saw there was the American flag that had flown at Fort McHenry, that inspired Francis Scott Key to write what would become our national anthem. Having just been at Fort McHenry two days ago made it especially cool to see the flag, and visualize that story we all know so well. One of the other amazing things about this trip is that when we were in Philadelphia, we visited Betsy Ross' house, and then that night, sang the national anthem at the Phillies game. In Baltimore, we visited Fort McHenry, then sang at the Orioles game. And tonight - the day after seeing that flag, we'll go to the Nationals game, and sing it again!
After the American History museum, we walked next door to the Natural History museum. We must have visited this a lot when I was a child, because much of it was familiar to me, starting with the African bull elephant in the main rotunda. We saw the insects (everyone loved studying the bees and their hive), insects, dinosaurs, mammals, Ocean Hall, with a giant whale suspended from the ceiling. We saw the Hope Diamond, whereupon Bodie said, "That's it? It's not that big!" But I think he felt better when he discovered the interesting history of the diamond. It was interesting for Julianna to see the mummies after studying Egyptian history this year.
Our day ended with a very lucky "coincidence", which is to say the fact that the movie "Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian" happens to be out this summer, and they are showing it at the Imax theater in the Smithsonian. It was absolutely surreal to see things in the movie that we had just visited. Movie was pretty good - kids enjoyed it immensely, and we all enjoyed two hours of sitting! :)
Today: Mount Vernon, and the town were Laura and I grew up. "Look, kids! George Washington's house! Look, kids! Mom's old house!" :)
Have a good day - thanks for checking in on us!
More photos to come.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
American History
This is Abraham Lincoln's hat, on display at the National Museum of American History. We've been here for about three hours and there is still so much to see. There are tons of people here, including LOTS of school groups.
Ford's Theater
We're back in Washington, DC today. Ford's theater is first on the list. This is where Abraham Lincoln was shot.
First Day in DC - Full Report
Wednesday was another full day, this time exploring Washington a little. The weather is cloudy, and a little cool, but we're grateful it's not hot, and that it's not raining on us!
If you've ever seen the show "Amazing Race", it will give you a glimpse of our day. We let ourselves sleep in a little at Mike and Becky's, then had a nice home cooked breakfast at their house, but we didn't leave ourselves quite enough time for the drive in to Washington. We had tickets to tour the Capitol, and you're supposed to be there 20 minutes early to go through security. We parked the car at Union Station and then ran, literally, to the Capitol. We got in the security line at the time we were supposed to be in line for our tour! Fortunately, things run a little slow there - either that or they were holding up 200 people, waiting for us! :) The tour starts with a 13 minute movie that teaches both about how our system of government works, and about the history of our country that led to the Founding Fathers setting up this system. It was very well done. After that, you are grouped with your tour guide, and led through the Rotunda, Statuary Hall, and the Crypt (so named because it's a lower room with columns to support the rotunda, not because there is anything buried there.) Our guide was very good - nice loud voice, because there are several tours going on at once time - knowledgeable, and a little entertaining. After that, we moved to a different line, for our visit into the House of Representatives Gallery. They are even stricter with security there, so we went into a room where we left our cameras, hand sanitizer, and umbrella with an attendant. Then upstairs to go through a metal detector, right before going in the gallery. The House was in session, although not very well attended. The gentleman from New York and the lady from Florida were disagreeing on an amendment that, if passed, would have an effect on other amendments. That's all the info we could garner from our short time sitting there. The room is beautiful, but there was no one to tell us about it, like the paintings on the wall, or what the designs meant, etc.
After the Gallery, we went back to the Visitors' Center. This is a brand-new building, completed less than a year ago, and I must say, I was very impressed. It's beautifully done, and in many ways mirrors the Capitol building, i.e. the stone, and style. They have moved some of the statues over from the Capitol building (each state has two), so it feels like part of the Capitol building, not just an afterthought. There are two parts - Emancipation Hall, and the Exhibition Hall. The Exhibition Hall has, yes, you guessed it, exhibitions. A giant 3-D model of the Capitol dome, from the inside and the outside, to closer study it. Small replicas of DC through the years provide a visual of how the area has changed. There are also documents and objects from our history, such as the table next to Lincoln during his second inaugural address: "With malice toward none, with charity for all; with firmness to do the right, as God gives us to see the right..." One of the ten great speeches of our country - look it up online and read it for yourself, I'm sure you'll agree!
Emancipation Hall is where room where we lined up for the tour, and also houses the dining room. This was probably our best lunch of the vacation - the food in there is amazing. We're not talking hot dogs and pizza here. Laura had "American Bounty" which was turkey, cabbage and cranberries with cornbread. Tony, Julianna and Bodie had the salad bar, and I had a softshell crab sandwich with a side of buttermilk mashed potatoes. And all of that meant saying no to the pastas, pizzas, burgers, American hot dog selection (Chicago, New York, Fenway, etc) and the International selection of the week: India.
From the Visitors' Center, you can walk through a tunnel to the Library of Congress, where we viewed the Great Hall. From there, we walked to the most popular Smithsonian museum - the Air and Space. Apollo 11 capsule and lunar module, the Spirit of St Louis, the Wright Brothers' flyer, military planes, a small replica of an aircraft carrier... so much to see. We were getting tired by this time, but there was always something to compel you into the next room.
From there we had to run - again - this time back to Union Station, for our "Twilight Tour of the Monuments". We made it in time to pick up our tickets, but hadn't left enough room for a proper dinner. So we did the next best thing. The Godiva chocolate store next to the ticket kiosk. Oh, don't worry, it was healthy. Chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate covered almonds, and coconut macaroons. Oh, and then Laura found a place selling french fries, so we had our veggies, too! :)
We had a wonderful tour guide for our trip. She told us lots about the buildings we were passing, and was jocular and friendly. We stopped at the Jefferson Memorial, the FDR, the Lincoln, Vietnam, Korea, and the WWII. The FDR, Korea and WWII were new to me, having been built in the last ten years, but all were stunning. Even though it had been cloudy all day, as it starts to get dark, the monuments are a beautiful sight. And, of course, the fireflies had come out! Each monument has much to study, quotes to read, and each does a wonderful job of making you think, reminding you, and giving you cause for appreciation. This is a beautiful city, indeed, and we owe our gratitude to the artists who design that beauty, the brave Americans who have kept this country free, and "ordinary" Americans who make the monuments happen, and who keep the city, and the government, working. God blesses America, indeed.
After the Gallery, we went back to the Visitors' Center. This is a brand-new building, completed less than a year ago, and I must say, I was very impressed. It's beautifully done, and in many ways mirrors the Capitol building, i.e. the stone, and style. They have moved some of the statues over from the Capitol building (each state has two), so it feels like part of the Capitol building, not just an afterthought. There are two parts - Emancipation Hall, and the Exhibition Hall. The Exhibition Hall has, yes, you guessed it, exhibitions. A giant 3-D model of the Capitol dome, from the inside and the outside, to closer study it. Small replicas of DC through the years provide a visual of how the area has changed. There are also documents and objects from our history, such as the table next to Lincoln during his second inaugural address: "With malice toward none, with charity for all; with firmness to do the right, as God gives us to see the right..." One of the ten great speeches of our country - look it up online and read it for yourself, I'm sure you'll agree!
Emancipation Hall is where room where we lined up for the tour, and also houses the dining room. This was probably our best lunch of the vacation - the food in there is amazing. We're not talking hot dogs and pizza here. Laura had "American Bounty" which was turkey, cabbage and cranberries with cornbread. Tony, Julianna and Bodie had the salad bar, and I had a softshell crab sandwich with a side of buttermilk mashed potatoes. And all of that meant saying no to the pastas, pizzas, burgers, American hot dog selection (Chicago, New York, Fenway, etc) and the International selection of the week: India.
From the Visitors' Center, you can walk through a tunnel to the Library of Congress, where we viewed the Great Hall. From there, we walked to the most popular Smithsonian museum - the Air and Space. Apollo 11 capsule and lunar module, the Spirit of St Louis, the Wright Brothers' flyer, military planes, a small replica of an aircraft carrier... so much to see. We were getting tired by this time, but there was always something to compel you into the next room.
From there we had to run - again - this time back to Union Station, for our "Twilight Tour of the Monuments". We made it in time to pick up our tickets, but hadn't left enough room for a proper dinner. So we did the next best thing. The Godiva chocolate store next to the ticket kiosk. Oh, don't worry, it was healthy. Chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate covered almonds, and coconut macaroons. Oh, and then Laura found a place selling french fries, so we had our veggies, too! :)
We had a wonderful tour guide for our trip. She told us lots about the buildings we were passing, and was jocular and friendly. We stopped at the Jefferson Memorial, the FDR, the Lincoln, Vietnam, Korea, and the WWII. The FDR, Korea and WWII were new to me, having been built in the last ten years, but all were stunning. Even though it had been cloudy all day, as it starts to get dark, the monuments are a beautiful sight. And, of course, the fireflies had come out! Each monument has much to study, quotes to read, and each does a wonderful job of making you think, reminding you, and giving you cause for appreciation. This is a beautiful city, indeed, and we owe our gratitude to the artists who design that beauty, the brave Americans who have kept this country free, and "ordinary" Americans who make the monuments happen, and who keep the city, and the government, working. God blesses America, indeed.
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