Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Our Edu-vacation in Washington DC.

We made our long awaited trip to our nation's capital!

Thanks to my niece for a fabulous place to stay that was within walking distance of a park, a pub, and both the Capitol South and Navy Yard metro stations!

Many firsts for the kids:
- First metro/subway rides.
- First "big city" experiences: Lots of traffic and really crazy drivers!
- First time using Uber.
- First time in Washington DC, visiting the Smithsonian, touring the national monuments.
- Daily meals out of food trucks.
Scott is crushing the Capitol building, ala Kids in the Hall.
Throughout our visit we toured and walked and walked and toured, averaging around nine miles a day on foot for four days straight.

The Smithsonian museums were favorites, in particular the American History Museum.

Here are some pictures from our wanderings through the Smithsonian buildings as well as monuments and other points of interest.



Will taking a peaceful moment at the Lincoln Memorial.
They touched the top of the Washington Monument!
Paying their respects.
Hello Mr. Lincoln.

Standing where MLK Jr. stood for his I Have a Dream speech!
I dared EG to take a swim.  For a second I thought she was really doing to do it!
You can only imagine how many people we heard shouting, "Forrest!" and "Jenny!" Including us :)



Will getting zen again.
This is as close to the White House as we got. And that's with a zoom lens from a bus on the street.
We visited the Spy Museum.
Learning to decode messages.
We had fun at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum.


EG hanging out with Rosa Parks.
Will is ready to introduce Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Eliza Grace flying with the Kennedys.
Will taking a space walk.
Ah, Ronaldus Maximus.  Sure wish he were still around.
W.
The kids were mortified that I tried to give George a smooch.
Capt. Jack Sparrow.
Ford's Theater tour - box where Lincoln was shot.
Lincoln's deathbed in a house across the street from the theater.
The Crime and Punishment Museum - really cool and highly recommend!
The Capitol building. 
Air and Space Museum.
Hanging out at Garfield park down the street from where we stayed.
Finally, every day included a stop to do this:
I so glad that we got to spend this time together in our Nation's Capital.