Wow! Have my humans been doing the tour thing. I've seen very little of them since we've been in DC. They are up and off every morning and don't come back until late afternoon. Usually with very tired feet!
The first day here, they took a drive down to Mt. Vernon (George Washington's plantation home). It was a very beautiful drive on the George Washington Parkway which runs along the Potomac River.
The following day they learned to navigate the city using the wonderful Metro system. (car has remained at the RV park.) After arriving at Union Station just a couple of blocks from the Capitol building, they hopped aboard the Tourmobile, and started a narrated tour of the major sites and monuments in D.C. The tour took them to Arlington Cemetery, where they saw the grave sites of John F. Kennedy and Jackie O. Buried just over from JFK, is brother Bobby. Both are on the side of the hill just down from Arlington House.
Robert Kennedy's gravesite on lawn below Arlington House. Arlington House was the home of Robert E. Lee and his wife Mary Custis (step great-granddaughter of George Washington). The most moving part of this tour, was watching the changing of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers . This tomb is guarded 24/7 by the honor guard. If you would like to know more about the Tomb and the guard, check out this web site. Tomb of the Unknowns
The changing of the guard ceremony was very impressive. We got
two for one, as they also had a ceremony to change the wreath.
The next day they went back to spend more time at some of the major monuments - Lincoln, Jefferson, Washington, Vietnam, WWII. All of the monuments are quite impressive, and beyond verbal description. You just have to see them in person. They are so enormous, and tell a lot of the story of our country's history.
World War II Memorial looking toward the Lincoln Monument.
by the Park Service each night, cataloged, and stored.
One afternoon after touring the monuments, they hopped on another Metro train and went to Old Town Alexandria, just across the Potomac in Virginia. They visited Christ Church, the first Episcopal church in America. They saw the pew George Washington purchased for his family, and where they worshiped. This is also where the funeral service for Washington was held. Washington's town home was in Alexandria, and has been rebuilt on the lot he bought in 1763. Many of the bricks and stones from the original house were excavated from the site and used in construction of the replica.
I can almost taste that cold beer.
Another day, they made their way to Chinatown to check out a barbecue restaurant they had seen on a Food Channel special on great places for barbecue. Go figure, barbecue in Chinatown???
On Thursday, they went off to have coffee with their senator from Texas, Kay Bailey Hutchison. Since they arrived at the Senate office building early, they went to the coffee shop in the basement and had great fun watching some very well know Senators coming to work!
Sen. Hutchison was a delightful person, as was her entire staff.
John was a big hit, of course, because he wore his great Texas shirt.
Waiting to meet Sen. Hutchison.
After coffee and having a chance to chat with Senator Hutchison, and getting their picture taken with her, a member of her staff took them on a tour of the Capitol. Peggy says it gave her goosebumps to stand in the Rotunda of the Capitol where Lincoln, Kennedy and just recently Regan, had lain in state.
Ceiling of the rotunda of the Capitol. Painting is of
George Washington ascending into heaven with angels around him.
After the tour, they had passes to the Senate gallery, so they sat and listened to some rather boring speeches. It was interesting however, to see our government at work. As they were leaving the Senate building, Senator Robert Bird was coming in. John and Peggy stepped aside to let him pass, but he would have none of that. He wanted to know who they were, and where they were from. When John said from Texas, Sen. Bird, said, well that's okay, I've some friends that are from there! Peggy said even through they do not agree with any of his positions, and he can be a real jerk, he was a very personable gentleman, and was a delight to speak with. Of course, John she's a bit swayed by the fact that he called her a "pretty little thing"!
the lawn where the helicopter lands to pick up the President.
Friday found them touring the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. It is really an awesome place....they even have a piece of the moon that you can touch! After four hours and some very tired feet, they gave it up and headed back to the RV park.
Apollo lunar suit worn by one of the astronauts on the
moon. What looks like dirt is actually moon dust on the suit.
Saturday was a relaxing day. An old friend of Peggy's from Xerox, Bruce Loggie, came over and they all drove up to Baltimore for lunch. Bruce had to get back to DC, but John & Peggy took some time to walk around the Inner Harbor and see all the sights.
Peggy and her friend Bruce at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore.
John and Peggy on the Inner Harbor dock. The hill across the harbor
is Fort McHenry, whose resistance to a 25 hour bombardment during the
War of 1812, is what inspired Francis Scott Key to write our National Anthem.
