A Dream Realized - Washington D.C. Again

Gorgeous spring flowers for sale.

I have always wanted to take Lyndsey to Washington DC because of her

love of history, government and America.

 Then a so much better option came along when Kim and Steven planned a trip there with their children and allowed us to come along. It was terrific. I love DC and I especially loved being with them. 

We spent the first Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in April with them, 

staying at the Marriott Residence Inn in Vienna, Virginia.

Union Station where we started our double-decker bus tour.

Columbia Circle in front of Union Station.

Kim and Wayne at the Jefferson Memorial, our first stop, then we walked and walked.

The cute Parker family with me invading the photo.

The great Thomas Jefferson in his beautiful domed monument.

Jefferson Memorial

Perfect timing. We thought we were too late for the cherry blossoms
because of the extra warm spring, but not so.

We walked over to the Lincoln Memorial.
It was school break so there were a lot of people visiting the nation's capitol.

Abraham Lincoln in his memorial. 

With the wonderous Austin.

Lincoln Memorial

The water features all along the mall were being refurbished and everything

was torn up so I didn't take photos from here showing the Washington Monument in the distance. 

Korean War Memorial

Viet Nam Memorial - More impressive in real life than in photos.

The stunningly beautiful Hayley.

Washington Monument
When I was 18, I walked all the way to the top, barefooted.
You can't do that now.

The marvelous Parker family - where's Jacob?

Museum of American History, a fascinating place to visit.

After the monuments we spent a lot of time in the National Museum of American History.

They had a great American flag exhibit sponsored by Ralph Lauren.

I especially enjoyed the First Ladies Exhibit showing their dresses and other items.

We ate lunch from the street vendors. Fun times. 

We got on the tour bus again, rode past the Ford Theater, then to Union Station where the boys caught the metro back to Vienna while the girls explored the Post Office Museum.

Kim and Austin

National Archives

The boys went to the hotel so Lyndsey Kim Hayley and I toured the Postal Museum.

Postal Museum

Postal Museum Mail Boxes

Enjoying an Exhibit

We bought Commemorative Stamps of the Cherry Blossom Centennial.

They show the Washington and Jefferson Memorials surrounded by cherry blossoms by the tidal basin.

Lyndsey will use these Forever stamps on her wedding invitations.

I love stamps and have collected far too many.

Commemoration of Two Disasters in Movies

Lyndsey Kim and Hayley waiting for the bus to the metro after a marvelous day.

Day Two, or is it Three - Arlington Cemetery

Arlington Cemetery was beautiful, inspiring and indeed sacred.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

The Cherry Blossoms were spectacular.

Arlington House or the Curtis-Lee Mansion.
The small, neat headstones in rows are provided by the U.S. Government.
The large headstones are provided by the families.

Endless fields of fallen soldiers who preserved our freedom.
Some from the Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korean Conflict, Viet Nam War,
Desert Storm, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan among others. It is indeed sobering.

On to the Air and Space Museum

I was especially fascinated by the dreams of achievement shown in the Early Flight Gallery.

The explanation of the various parts of the La Minerve Balloon.

"In 1804 a French physics professor, E.G. Robertson, proposed building an 80-ton balloon. [...] Fantasy and good sense are all mixed up in his design. The gondola has seminar rooms and labs. Lady observers ride in a small separate gondola where they won't distract the scientists [!]." The giant chicken on top, incidentally, is supposed to house an observatory. 

A nice resting space.

In a busy city in a busy museum, a quiet spot for some mother-son time.

We ate at the world's biggest McDonalds and saw the world's smallest McDonalds.

Then the Parkers were off to the Holocaust Museum, much walking.

We decided to go to the World War II Memorial, not as much walking.

We had fun. We sat on the lawn and enjoyed a Cherry Blossom Festival Concert on the way.

Washington Monument under renovation circled by flags.

World War II Memorial
The war in the Pacific is commemorated on the left, the war in the Atlantic on the right.
Lincoln Memorial in the distance.

ON OUR OWN
Kim, Steven and family have gone on to New York for the rest of the week.
We are staying in DC at the Crystal City Marriott. This hotel links to the metro station underground.
It is right by Reagan National Airport and we will fly out from there.
I stayed here with Chantel one time long ago.

We had an amazing complimentary breakfast at the hotel then we were on our way.

National Archives

 We started out at the National Archives, waited in line for an hour and a half to get in then it took another hour to get to the main exhibits. A lot of waiting for minimal impact because we weren't allowed to take photos inside. The people in line were interesting though and the documents are the basis for our free society.

Katelyn (fourth from left) and friends.

What are the chances. We ran into Katelyn who was touring DC with the Bountiful High School choir.  They had just finished touring the National Archives. They had amazing experiences in DC.

I'm so glad Katelyn was able to do this and we were both so excited to see each other.

At the fountain in the park near the Archives.

National Gallery of Art

There were many special exhibits, including this one.

 I know I shouldn't post all of these, but I took so many pictures and want to share at least a few.

Wyeth

American Street

Still Life - That's all I know, but I love it.

Winslow Homer

National Gallery of Art

Samuel Morse Painting done at the Louvre in Paris

This painting took my breath away because I just finished reading 

"The Greater Journey - Americans in Paris" by David McCullough.

This painting was featured in the book.

I completely enjoyed the book because I so admire McCullough's writing and I love Paris.

Renoir's Pont Neuf Paris

 And this painting is on the cover of McCullough's book. What a joy to see the original.

 The National Archives took all morning and the National Gallery all afternoon

so we took the metro back to our hotel to look at the underground shops and get some dinner.

Friday the 6th, our last full day.

Masonic Temple in Alexandria, Virginia

 I was happy to see this on our way to Mount Vernon. It was by our Church when we lived in Virgina. Many good memories.

We took the metro to the end of the line then had a taxi take us on to Mount Vernon.

It wasn't too expensive this way and it was very convenient.

A few panels from a large stained-glass mural in the visitors' center.

Everything is so much nicer than it was so very many years ago.

Lovely replica of George & Martha Washington's home.

No wonder George Washington liked it here so much.

Mount Vernon from the back.

This is where Katelyn's choir performed.

Their best performance was of "Danny Boy" at Arlington Cemetery. Wish I had been there.

Wayne enjoying the view of the lawns and the Potomac River.

Claudine and the river.

Beautiful Mount Vernon

Female Slave Quarters

This was their lovely outdoor bathroom. Awesome!

The dogwood was in full bloom.

Tar and feathers on the Liberty Pole.

Washington at Valley Forge

Washington's Inaugration

There were some really excellent historical videos at Mount Vernon.

I loved the metro. So easy to use and so easy to get anywhere you wanted to go.

Wayne was tired of walking so he went back to the hotel.

I still wanted to see more. So away I went.

Library of Congress

I had always wanted to see the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court.

Here was my chance. Perhaps my last chance.

Library of Congress

Library of Congress

Supreme Court

Supreme Court

It was closed, but at least I can say I have been there.

Fountain by Supreme Court

Incredible cherry blossoms.

Flowering dogwood

U.S. Capitol Building

So many lovely spring flowers in bloom.

 April 7th, we fly out this afternoon.

Arlington National Cemetery

 We enjoyed Arlington so much the first time we decided to come back

for our last day in Washington DC and see things we hadn't seen before.

Kennedy's Grave

Tomb of a Civil War Soldier and Family
The last a young man of 18 - a boy of sweet promise.

Tomb of a Revolutionary War Soldier by Arlington House

Wayne on the steps of Arlington House

It was nice to be able to ride this little tour bus.

Challenger Memorial

Iran Rescue Mission Memorial

Crew of the US Space Shuttle Columbia

Remember the Maine

Memorial Theater by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Flying Home from Reagan National Airport

Flying into Salt Lake City, Utah

Wonderful trip, but so good to be home. 

Thanks Kim & Steven. We never would have done it had it not been for you.