The Family Goes to DC
Our family trip (seven people) to Washington DC began early on a Saturday morning and
continued full speed ahead until Wednesday afternoon when we boarded a flight at BWI for ATL. Whew, what a remarkable few days.
At Mt. Vernon we experienced a bit of life in the days of George Washington. History
lesson…..Washington was a farmer and very progressive in seeking new and better ways to produce food crops which he shared with anyone in need. The issue of slavery was already being discussed and Washington, as a slave owner, struggled with how to bring slavery to an end.
Museums: Air and Space Museum (loved it), Museum of Natural History ( interesting but found it overwhelming), Museum of American History (loved the American exhibits), Holocaust Museum was so moving, definitely will spend more time there next visit. Spy Museum was a great break from American history for the two teenagers in the group. We did a night tour of Memorials which I highly recommend. It was so informative and just beautiful to see at night.
Arlington National Cemetery, the Changing of the Guard at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier very emotional. I left feeling very grateful for those who had given the ultimate sacrifice and fortunate to live in this great country.
Our Capitol tour became more that what we expected. Our guide of 26 years service at the Capitol found that my son in law is active army and invited us for a private tour. To walk the halls of that beautiful building, hearing not only the history of our country but the stories he had experienced during his career was the highlight of our DC adventure.
I returned with a since of pride in our great nation and a hunger for more history. I also was worn out! There is so much walking, walking and more walking. Words of advice: Book tours way in advance, some as much as 6 months. Familiarize yourself with the Metro, the only way to get around. Keep your schedule flexible so you can adjust your time at any one place. And oh, wear comfortable shoes.
