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Why I don't do these updates right after my trips I am not sure. 7
months later I am making this update. Possible reason I didn't write a
whole lot.
The plan was to go back to Phoenix and do more filming for Jeff's video
series we are working on. The night before I went to do the usual
looking at flights to list on for the trip. Well there was a
problem...this would was the weekend before New Years eve, kids are out
of school and apparently everybody and their mother decided to fly
Southwest airlines (a good thing of course). If we are going to travel
somewhere in the winter we would like it to be warmer than it is in
Chicago. Finding a flight to somewhere traditionally warm proved to be
an impossibility. I was able to find limited availability to one place
that I was interested in going to and the weather forecast was for
unseasonably warm weather...D.C. I had never been and had wanted to go
for many years. This was my opportunity. So after hours of searching and
even considering paying for a flight on a different airline we decided
on Washington. Yes it was a little stressful thinking that I had time
off work and would have to just stay home in the cold weather but it
just adds to the overall adventure we have traveling.
Our first stop was the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum-Udvar-Hazy Center
right by Dulles airport. It was fun seeing pieces of history like the
Enola Gay, the
SR-71 (if you have seen the 2nd edition of the
Transformers movie there
is a scene shot in this museum of the SR-71 transforming) and the
Concord.
The next morning we moved hotels to one within walking distance of
the Capital Mall (Ok I'm ignorant but I first thought this was a
shopping mall until I looked it up). The weather was just cool enough
that a light jacket was needed but the ears still got a little cold after
walking a few miles.
The Capital building was off limits due to preparation for the
presidential inauguration in only a few weeks. A reason to return plus
this was a short trip to see it all anyway. We didn't make it to the
Supreme Court or the Lincoln memorial either.
    
1) Geeking out with my new Garmin 850 GPS 2)
Famous view of the FBI Building
3) At the entrance of the FBI Building 4) Capital Building 5)
Closed for the inauguration |
There's a lot to see and do. We had to pick only a few places to
see...The National Archives building where the Constitution, Declaration of
Independence etc...are. Flash photography was not allowed here so the pictures are not so
good. We of course had to go to the original
Smithsonian
National Air and Space Museum too.
    
1) National Archives Building 2)
Inscription 3) A Predator 4) The Wright Brothers first
successful airplane
5) 1 of 5 F-1 rocket engines of the 1st stage of the
Apollo/Saturn 5 launch vehicle
     
1) Archives chamber 2) Me 3) Looking at
documents 4) "We The People" 5) Painting 6) Ceiling |
It was fun to see the new home of Mr. Obama. We asked an officer if
President Bush was in town and were told that they couldn't give out
that information but if we really wanted to know just check the news.
Turns out he was not. It was interesting seeing all the security
surrounding the building. We even saw an agent walking on the roof top.
    
1) Washington Monument 2) In front of the
White House
3) White House
4) Security patrol atop the White House 5) Me Not being arrested
by the secret service!
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We spent New Years Eve dining at the hotel restaurant. They even gave us
party favors to celebrate with. Since we are not partiers we sat in our
hotel room tapping away at the keyboard and surfing the internet.
 
1) Celebrating New Years Eve with my
bottles (of water) 2) Jeff working on his usual projects |
A fun trip to be sure especially for only 3 days.
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