Breakfast with Billions

A morning tour of the Federal Bureau of Printing & Engraving $$$ was quite interesting if not depressing. The fact that my entire life's earnings were litterly printed in front of me in the 30 minutes or so I watched the presses run during the tour. Funny it looked and smelled very familiar after 20 years in the news biz. You could find just about any money-themed Tchotchke (pronounced /ˈtʃɒtʃkə/ choch-ka [ a small toy, gewgaw, knickknack, bauble, lagniappe, trinket, or kitsch- in the gift shop including a sheet of $400 uncut $50 bills for $460. Go figure.
Arlington National Cemetery: A perfect weather day for a trek back over the Potomac for part two of the day. The Nations premier sacred site with visits to the Tomb of the Unknowns and the Kennedys. The view of DC from Arlington House was perfect! I always find it fitting that the Lee home be made a cemetery for the Union... Force march continues... Tired of people and tourists ;( I need caffeine! Another rookie tourist move on my part when I was busy typing this (in sections usually while riding the metro) and I missed the Arlington stop. My travel companions left me. So I had to ride back. Of course in my frustration I grab the wrong train and have to take two trains back;(

Smithsonian's Air & Space.
Always an education. It's space n aviation al-a-carte, just pick what you are interested in an find the section from Wright Brothers to un-maned military aircraft to SpaceX. I personally found the early years of commercial airlines from WWII to 1970 interesting. I also am a sucker for WWII fighters of all kinds.

Mt. Vernon

DC Blog Tour Day4

Mt. Vernon: First Home
Today we spent the day visiting the home of George and Martha Washington. A truly beautiful estate on the green hills above the Potomac.
Beginning as a land grant to George's grandfather in 1634 it was used as an 8000 acre plantation until George died there in Dec. 1799.
We took the Metro and then a bus into The Commonwealth of Virginia (much quicker than the boat I was on last time around) for our touring.
The weather was great for the day. Rain. Made for a nice backdrop and far less crowded.

Good thing I got my iPhone a Mophie. With all the mapping, typing, blogging, GPS, funding restaurants and snapping of pix I have used the extra battery life every day.

Rounding out the evening checklist with Jefferson, FDR, MLK and Korean War Memorial.

"Almighty God hath created the mind free. All attempts to influence it by temporal punishments or burthens...are a departure from the plan of the Holy Author of our religion...No man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship or ministry or shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief, but all men shall be free to profess and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion. I know but one code of morality for men whether acting singly or collectively." - Thomas Jefferson

Capitol Punishment

DC blog tour day 3

To start out with, I failed to mention the thousands of Girl Scouts celebrating their 100th birthday in the U. S. Capitol City this week Waves of green and large of groups of pink locust with prints from tyedye to "I (heart) DC" descended upon every line and attraction we intend to see. Luckily for us were extremely scout tolerant cuz were a scout family. My first trip here was with an Orange County troop formed to attend the 1985 National Jamboree. Now seeing many of the same things. You go girls!

Capital building tour. The efficiency of the massive tourist operation that is the Capitol has been greatly improved. I remember standing on the street in the hot sun waiting in line. Now they carved a massive visitor center under the building with huge theaters, museum, cafeteria dining, gift shop and staging area.
Sebastian said "I liked the House of Representatives gallery because I've seen it on tv."
The Newseum was a surprising hit. A huge space with a huge budget. The use of space and quality of exhibits were impressive. Very interactive. Very current. They use events like 9-11 and presidential campaign to address media issues, to entertain and educate.
"It was first class all the way. " said dad and Seba thought the display on the Berlin Wall was "Pretty cool" only 8 sections of full wall running about 25 feet thru the museum graffiti and all. Even a full size, real Check-Point-Charlie guard tower!
We were able to jump into the last group at the National Archive to view the original Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights and Magna Carta.
We've been giving the boys the opportunity in learning how to use the Metro, having them consult maps n info, teaching along the way for the first day. They're pickin up on it quick. They should have have it down and leading us around soon!

Firefly

DC blog day 2

Using a DC Trolly we toured the city on the open-air, driver-narrated bus in order to get an above-ground lay of the land. When getting about normally the Metro is best but the view sucks. One of the highlights of that your is embassy row. The driver attempts to name all the foreign embassies and ambassadors residences along the section of town at 40mph. Like a tennis match bobbing your head back n forth at high speed taking in some 50 landmarks.
A stop at the National Cathedral was enlightening. Not due to all the cool stained glass and music and size but because of their display on the Aug. 2011 5.8 earthquake's damage to the 100-year-old structure.
We spent a couple of hours in the Museum of Natural History, which was very well done and included a nice gallery of National Geographic quality nature n wildlife photographs.
With an hour left of daylight we took to the Mall to take in the sunset light and the Washington Monument. Have you ever been to the Pirates of the Caribbean? Just after a sit at the WWII memorial as the dusk changed to night and the lights of the memorial's fountains took over the fireflies began to show off. I as a west coaster only know the phenomenon from Disneyland so it was cool to see them in action. There little bright phosphorescent butts streaking around the grass like little shooting stars. A mile down the Mall we came to several memorials we wanted to see dramatically lit. Lincoln and Vietnam. This is my fourth trip to our nations Capitol but these memorial's never cease to captivate. One particularly chilling moment was spent looking over the Vietnam Nurses Memorial where one nurse is looking skyward for the medivac helicopter. An actual helicopter coming thru the darkness from the exact direction she was searching broke the science in a bone chilling flashback sort of way. Powerful.
To cap off the eve. I made a rookie tourist mistake. From the Lincoln Memorial it is one mile in any direction to the nearest Metro stop to go home. Tired n foot sore, we set out across the Arlington bridge at about 9pm. Upon arrival, find that THAT station closes at 7pm;( That is now a mile back to Lincoln and a cab home because we don't have the energy for another mile and Metro. Plus there is no food in the same radius and lunch was a waaze back. A CVS sandwich and bed at midnight for an early Capitol building tour.

Traveling Daze

Traveling Daze

One must think ahead to the possibilities or eventualities of boredom. I do not bore easily but then there is my teenage son. iPod, check, iPhone, check, Nintendo DS, check. $8 for in-flight all u can eat Direct TV, priceless. I on the other hand could never get enough of staring straight down 35,000 feet at the wonderment of our Earth and human features alike. Plus, of you never look out the window how would you spot the occasional UFO.
Another loose-change tip: BYOF -bring your own food. Like the bags and videos, they charge for snacks. Not the meals but snacks on 3 hour flights. Grandpa brought provisions!

Typed on plane in notepad and pasted to blog from Houston layover.

Pack This

DC notes

iPhone charger -wall plug
Mifi. iPod.

Canon/Nikon just cards n jpegs;)
Chargers
Mini tri pod


Prep all social media for tour launch to be iPhone only ready. Connect Fog tour blog to Facebook. Link flicker set to everything.

Small umbrella.
Rain coat
Water bottle

Fretting the TSA version of of packing and the airlines ransom for a checked bag... I've been traveling my whole life. First flight at age 9. Ive been backpacking my life as well so packing can be fun and a challenge to conquer space and rules. Getting all your life's gels n liquids to under 3 oz and onto a ziplock bag. According to the TSA website if you are an organized packer you can avoid the harry-eyebal. I also use many a packing tips from veteran Euro traveler, Rick Steve's site along with Evan an my rolling suit cases that are of carry on proportions. Done and by the door, it's up at 5:45 for the airport. Wish us luck and remember the slip-on shoes.

To be continued...

Well. We're back at it. The Capitol Gang Tour begins this Saturday, June 9th 2012. Stay tuned for the massive social media outpouring. This trip will make use of Blogger, Facebook, Instagram and the ever present workhorse of photo gallery posting... Flicker. It's gonna be an all u can eat 10-day Washington D. C. trip with all the favorite stops. And to top it off brought to you via 100% iPhone only!! Wish us luck. We hope to hear from you while on the road. This is the link to the Washington D.C. Flicker photo set.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ellaevanericleareed/sets/72157630046196576/