A Capital Adventure

There was still so much we wanted to see in DC, and now that we were feeling better, decided to rearrange our schedule a little bit and extend our stay at Greenbelt. Initially we were going to leave on the 1st but checked with the rangers and were allowed to extend our stay another week.

The U.S. Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) is the newest addition to the U.S. Capitol complex and opened in Dec. 2008, a few months after our DC visit that year so this was going to be our first opportunity to see it. The entire facility is located underground on the east side of the Capitol (www.visitthecapitol.gov/) and measures nearly 580,000 sq. ft. The project took 6 years to complete and cost $621 million (late and over budget :-) though part of this was attributed to additional security measures after 9/11. Tickets are not required for entrance to the CVC but are required for a free tour of the Capitol.

After entering the CVC, you are on the balcony level overlooking “Emancipation Hall” and can look up through two large skylights at an incredible view of the Capitol dome. The focal point of the Hall is the original plaster cast created in 1857 of the Statue of Freedom, the bronze statue that sits atop the Capitol dome. This plaster model stands 19-1/2 ft. tall and weighs about 13,000 lbs. There are also 18 statues from the National Statuary Hall Collection…statues donated by individual states to honor notable persons in their history. Two statues are contributed by each state and most are located elsewhere within the Capitol.

The tour begins with a 13-minute orientation film entitled “Out of Many, One” that tells the history of Congress and the building of the Capitol complex. After exiting the theater, each person is provided with earphones to better hear their guide since there are an amazing number of people on tours at the same time. The tour takes you through beautiful marble hallways to the Rotunda, the National Statuary Hall, the Hall of Columns, and the Old Supreme Court Chamber. We’d toured the Capitol several years ago, and on that trip we were also able to visit the gallery of the House chamber, but Congress was not in session this time. However, I was surprised as we passed right by the hallway leading to Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office…I would have thought it would be on a higher floor away from easy public access.

At the end of the tour we explored Exhibition Hall located just behind the Statue of Freedom model. Dedicated to the story of Congress and the U.S. Capitol, it features original documents and artifacts, videos, interactive touch-screen displays, models of the DC area through the years, two large screens showing films of Congress in session, and an 11-foot-tall model of the Capitol dome. Photos are not allowed inside the Hall but I was able to capture this one of the dome before we went in.












Afterwards we ate lunch in the 550-seat cafeteria (a little pricey but the sandwich we split was huge), and then took the new underground tunnel to the Library of Congress located across the street from the Capitol.

The Capitol building is beautiful, but the interior of the Library of Congress (http://www.loc.gov/) is one of the most exquisite buildings we’ve ever seen with its marble columns and staircases, stained glass ceiling skylights, paintings and murals on the walls and ceilings, and bronze statues. It’s the largest working library in the world and is primarily a research source for Congress but also open to the public. We viewed the Main Reading Room from the gallery (unfortunately photos are no longer allowed), and walked through the “Creating the United States” exhibit showcasing documents from the earliest beginnings of our nation.

On the way back to the car, we made a stop at the U.S. Botanic Garden (http://www.usbg.gov/), the oldest continually operating botanic garden in the country. In the lobby, some ladies were constructing a scale model of the Capitol building created from acrylic foam boards and covered entirely with dried natural plant materials. It was part of a new exhibit by Applied Imagination (http://www.appliedimagination.biz/dimagination.biz/) called "Holiday Magic", representing DC's most famous buildings and monuments. They were located throughout the lobby, and we were fortunate to meet and chat with the creator and owner, Paul Busse. He has Parkinson’s now and is unable to do any of the work himself any longer, but still is the creative genius behind these incredible creations. All manner of seeds, gourds, pods, grasses, and moss are used, and if you look inside the Lincoln Memorial replica, you’ll even see a statue of Abraham Lincoln! Absolutely amazing in their detail!












The National Postal Museum (http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/) is one of the Smithsonian’s buildings that is not located at the National Mall, and one morning that’s where we headed. The displays tell the history of the United States Postal Service and of mail service around the world. We were the first ones through the door, arriving just before it opened. There are many interactive displays throughout five exhibit galleries, and brings to life the colorful history of the nation's mail service.











Since we’d visited the Postal Museum before, it didn’t take long to go through, and then we headed across the street to Union Station (http://www.unionstationdc.com/). Another building with beautiful architecture. Though in its day it was a bustling train station, now inside it’s basically a mall with lots of shops, restaurants, and a movie theater but still also a busy train terminal for Amtrak and the metro.











As we headed back to the car, we stumbled across the National Guard Memorial Museum (http://www.ngef.org/), a small museum that outlines the history of the National Guard from colonial times through to the modern era. Photos, artifacts, and narrated exhibits place the visitor right in the midst of the era being observed. There is also a tribute listing of all the National Guard Recipients of the Medal of Honor since 1898. This free museum was memorable hidden gem and definitely worth a stop.











Another day we were off to the National Archives (http://www.archives.gov/), the nation’s record keeper that safeguards records from all three branches of the Federal Government and of many ordinary citizens. Housed within these walls is the original Declaration of Independence, Constitution of the United States, and Bill of Rights. All show signs of fading and age, and though we’d visited before, they still stir patriotic emotions within all who view them. Also on display is the original Magna Carta from the year 1297. No photographs are allowed in this building, and the light level is extremely low to protect these fragile documents. There are a number of other exhibits within the National Archives making this a fascinating and educational stop.

Across the street is the National Gallery of Art - Sculpture Garden (http://www.nga.gov/feature/sculpturegarden/general/index.shtm). Russ waited on a bench in the National Mall while I walked through the Garden. Amidst this 6-acre park-like setting are 17 modern and contemporary sculptures ranging in height from 42” to nearly 20’ tall created from all manner of material…definitely some interesting stuff.

We returned on another day to visit the 3rd floor of the Museum of American History with exhibits such as the “Price of Freedom: Americans at War”, the “American Presidency: A Glorious Burden”, and “Gunboat Philadelphia”. This exhibit displays the remains of the actual boat that was sunk by the British in 1776. It was found in 1935 with much of its equipment intact, sitting upright in 60 ft. of water with the top of its mast just 15 ft. below the surface, and still in great condition for its age…amazing!











We walked towards the Washington Monument to a National Park Service building where we were able to get 22 cancellation stamps in our National Park Passport book for the surrounding sites. Reservations are required to go to the top of the Monument but no more were available till the following Mon. Since we had gone up before, we simply sat outside on a bench admiring the view, enjoying the wonderful weather, and watching the people as they went by including this Park officer on horseback.

From there we drove to the Lincoln Memorial (www.nps.gov/linc), a most impressive monument to one of our nation’s great leaders. Situated on a hilltop, you have magnificent views across the National Mall of the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol, and from the back of the Memorial there is a great view of the entrance to Arlington Cemetery. Many speeches and events have been held at the Lincoln Memorial but probably the most famous is Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. In 2003 on the spot where King stood, an inscription was placed commemorating the event. It’s surprising that the area isn’t roped off to protect it as the majority of people walk right over it without even realizing it’s there.











We walked over to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which is always a humbling and emotional experience. The simplicity of the design evokes powerful emotions in many who visit the Wall, and along its length you can find flowers, flags, notes, and mementos left by loved ones and fellow vets. Most people don’t realize that there are actually three separate parts to the Memorial: the Three Soldiers statue, the Vietnam Women's Memorial, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. The Three Soldiers statue is undergoing restoration so I was not able to get a picture, but you can see one of it a night on our June 2008 blog entry.

Wed. night I visited the 70-member Harbor City Music Company Show Chorus (http://www.harborcitymusiccompany.org/), fresh from their gold medal win in their division at the International Competition in Seattle. Leading this dynamic chorus is Master Director Michael Gellert, who has been directing the chorus since 1993, and who sang with the Baltimore Opera Co. for a number of years. It was the first rehearsal for their Holiday Chorus, where anyone can join them for a 6 week period learning songs in the barbershop style and performing with the chorus during the holiday season. After the first 2 hours, the membership coordinator took the guests out to answer any questions, but I stayed in the room with chorus while they worked on a couple contest songs. This chorus placed 2nd at the Regional contest this year and scored high enough to compete as a wildcard at International in Houston next year! I had such a blast singing with this group and wish them all the best in Houston!

Not far from the campground is the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (www.nasa.gov/goddard), and since Thurs. was a rainy day, we figured the Visitor Center was the perfect indoor activity. We sat in on a brief presentation on earth sciences that was being given to a Univ. of MD class in a room that houses the Science on a Sphere. This 6-ft. diameter globe is suspended from the ceiling and displays 3D animated data on whatever the presenter selects from the computer screen located behind a curtain. The Visitor Center has a number of exhibits and interactive displays, and though small, we found it very interesting.













Arriving back at the RV, we discovered there was a problem with our generator. Since we were relying on it for the bulk of our electrical source, this was not a good thing. The nights were getting down into the 30s and days were chilly. Russ eventually determined it wasn’t anything he could fix, and we needed to get to a place where we could plug into electric. We decided to leave the next morning and made reservations at a place in Virginia Beach, VA. This meant we were going to miss out on some of the places we had hoped to visit again this trip and some we had hoped to visit for the first time, but it couldn’t be helped. During our stay we had hoped to tour the White House , and though we had contacted our Representative a couple months earlier, we were told that passes are hard to come by less than 6 months in advance. We still enjoyed our stay in the DC area and even earned our 20th Junior Ranger badge while staying at Greenbelt Park!

A Hidden Gem

From NJ it was time to start heading south though for now we were only going as far as Greenbelt, MD, just outside of Washington, DC. We planned to spend a couple weeks in Greenbelt Park (http://www.nps.gov/gree), part of the National Park Service system and a hidden gem in suburban Maryland only 12 miles from the White House (though because of heavy traffic it can take you longer than a normal 12 mile commute to get to where you’re going!) The park has no hook-ups, and after Labor Day, sites are on a first come, first serve basis. There are quite a number of trees, but we found a site along the road with a clear view of the sky and just barely big enough for the rig and car to fit. What a beautiful setting not far from the hubbub of our nation's capital!

This was our third time visiting Washington, DC, but only the second time since we started fulltiming. In June 2008 we spent 6 days, and you can check the blog entries from that visit for more details starting with “A Night on the Town”. Both of us were still trying to get over colds that we caught while in NJ so having visited the area twice before allowed us to take our time seeing the sights and not needing to run out everyday.

The Smithsonian Institution (http://www.si.edu/) is a complex consisting of 19 museums, 9 research centers, and the National Zoo with the majority of these located around the National Mall. Once you have visited just one of these buildings, the fact that admission is free to all of them is absolutely amazing. We also discovered that if you arrive early enough, parking on street around the National Mall is free for 3 hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and during our stay we never had a problem finding a spot. Shoot, we spent nearly 3 hours in just one of the buildings and that was without even looking at and reading every single item in the museum!

During the next 10 days we visited the Museum of American History consisting of 3 floors of thousands of historical items including the original 30’ x 34’ flag that inspired the Star Spangled Banner. It is preserved behind glass with very low lighting and no photos are allowed to protect it. We actually didn't finish this museum but planned to view the 3rd floor on another day. We also visited the Museum of Natural History complete with the largest mounted specimen of the world’s largest living land animal located in the lobby. The African elephant, known as Henry, measures over 13' at the shoulder and weighs nearly 12 tons. Another day was spent at the Air & Space Museum where we took a guided tour tracing the history of air and space, and where is housed the original Wright Brothers plane built and flown in 1903. We also fit in visits to The Castle (Smithsonian's information center), the Freer Gallery, and the Museum of the American Indian. There is so much to see and do, but I’ll let you read up on each of the museums through the link above and simply provide a few pictures that can never do justice to all that we saw.

Before arriving I had learned that surprisingly there were 4 Sweet Adeline choruses within 30 minutes of where we were staying, and that’s generally the outer limit of how far I’ll travel to visit a chorus. Last night I chose to visit Chesapeake Harmony (http://www.chesapeakeharmony.com/), a small chorus that chartered only 10 years ago and is directed by Tancey Bosna. They were dressed up for Halloween, and on this particular night were having special guests called Hands of Harmony Sign Language Choir, an area group that signs music. (They don’t have a website but can be found on Facebook.) Four members of the group not only performed a couple songs for the chorus but also acted as coaches giving some feedback on what they saw that the chorus could possibly do visually to put more emotion and feeling into their songs. Tancey summed it up by saying, "Sing as though you were performing for the blind, and perform as though you were singing for the deaf." It was so interesting to see it from that perspective because sign language is not just signing words. Body language and facial expressions are so key to what is being "said" or "sung", and can be so key in any performance. Chesapeake Harmony has a great sound, and I had a wonderful time not only meeting these ladies but also getting a chance to sing.

Fun With Family

The last couple of weeks were spent relaxing and visiting with family. From the moment we arrived at Bill and Terri’s house in NJ, Mikey and Abby were in heaven. Large backyard to hang out in all day without their leashes! Unfortunately for them the pool was closed but good for us…wet doggies in the RV are no fun! As you may recall, they live on the corner at the end of a street, and we’re able to park the RV in front of the garage and plug into their electric. Though only 20 amps, it’s enough for what we need since we actually spend a lot of our time in their house.

One night during our stay Terri and I planned a Mexican night for the entire family. I prepared individual chile rellenos for 10! First time I’ve ever made them for that many people…usually it’s just for 2! I also prepared chicken enchiladas, and we accompanied it all with Mexican rice, salad, tacos, a beef/cheese dip brought by Maggie, and of course margaritas. Bill generally doesn’t like Mexican food and was going to eat something else but decided to try a little of the rellenos and enchiladas and loved them!

Before leaving St. Louis we had asked Terri if there was anything they wanted us to pick up for them, and she e-mailed a list...Provel cheese, Chef Boyardee Pizza Sauce, and Vess soda…all things it seems you can only get in St. Louis. So one night Terri made delicious homemade pizzas and Bill prepared his fabulous homemade Caesar dressing in the big wooden bowl for the salad. We were in heaven!

We got to see all the kids and their families while we were there, and all are doing well. Terri baby sits her grandsons, Will (5) and Josh (2), during the week so we got to see lots of them, too. Very different personalities but so fun and silly.

Shortly before leaving NJ, I took a couple days to drive down to Rehoboth Beach, DE, and spend a couple days with my sister. She moved into a new place this year with lots more room, so we basically just hung out enjoying each other’s company, playing with her kitties, watching DVDs, shopping, talking, and eating (Julie made a delicious pasta dish my first night!) Though we still didn’t make it to Fager’s Island for the sunset (one of these years we will!), we did visit Hopkins Farm Creamery (www.hopkinsfarmcreamery.com/), an actual working farm complete with over 1,000 smelly cows as you can tell by Julie’s expression at right! We had hoped for a tour but had to settle for just eating some yummy fresh made ice cream instead…oh darn!

One night we stopped for happy hour at Tijuana Taxi Mexican Restaurant and were a little leery when we first arrived. We sat outside on the patio and only a couple other tables were occupied, but it is the off-season so not that unusual. The server, on the other hand, left a lot to be desired and we even considered leaving to go elsewhere, but boy are we glad we didn’t! The margaritas were fabulous and the nachos were some of the best either of us has ever had. The place doesn't have a website, but if you’re ever in the area, you should definitely check them out. And before leaving town Julie, her husband, and I had one last meal together…breakfast at IHOP.

It’s been great these past few years to have the opportunity to spend time with our families on an annual basis. We cherish the memories we’ve made and the chance to become closer.

Gettysburg Revisited

This was our 3rd visit to Gettysburg National Park (www.nps.gov/gett) not just because of its obvious history but also the beauty of the area. We had hoped to experience the gorgeous fall colors, but learned a few weeks before our arrival that this year the change of colors would be late because of the dry, hot summer…what a bummer!

Once again we stayed at the Gettysburg Battlefield Resort (http://www.campgettysburg.com/) where we camped last year and were assigned a spot in the new section complete with 50amp electric. Our site was large with tall trees (but still able to get satellite!), near the corner giving us neighbors only on one side, and directly across from the big doggie park. We planned to stay a week and had invited Russ’ sister and her husband to come spend a night or two since they live only a few hours away and had never been to Gettysburg.

Though it rained nearly all day Thurs., the forecast was for a beautiful weekend, and it did not disappoint. Terri and Bill arrived late Sat. morning, and after relaxing and some chit-chat, we headed out towards the battlefield with us acting as their tour guides. We still had the self-guided audio tour CD that we had purchased during our first trip which is narrated by authorities on the Battle of Gettysburg and gives a detailed description of the battle, bringing it to life. However, before we began the tour, we stopped at the Soldiers’ National Cemetery where not only 3,500 Union soldiers are buried but also veterans and their families from all wars. This is also the place from where President Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg Address in 1863. Walking through the cemetery is always a humbling experience especially with all the Unknown Soldier graves.

(You can review the history of the battle at length in the blog entry links from our first visit: Gettysburg2007, Gettysburg2007Day2, and Gettysburg2007Day3 plus here’s a link to our visit last year Gettysburg2009 as well.)

Back in the car we started the CD and over the next couple of hours toured parts of the battlefield making periodic stops. Bill and Terri were amazed at the size and number of monuments scattered throughout the park, and the history as it unfolded on the narration. There are over 1,300 monuments and memorials, some dedicated to individual regiments and brigades, many of which are located exactly on the spots where the unit fought. Some are dedicated to individual men of valor and some simply honor the men, women, and events that marked the war and the peace that followed. The Eternal Light Peace Memorial, dedicated in 1938, is most impressive with its constant flame rising from the top, and one of the inscriptions that read: “An enduring light to guide us in unity and fellowship."

When we reached the stop at Pitzer Woods, we discovered an encampment of Berdan`s United States Sharpshooters, Company C, 2nd Regiment (http://www.berdansharpshooters.com/). Referred to as a “living history” presentation, these gentlemen attempt to accurately portray the camp and military life of the gallant men who served in the Civil War. They have a deep affection for preserving history and are eager to answer any questions and share their knowledge. We had arrived in time to also view a description and demonstration of the sharpshooter’s role in the war.

We were only halfway through the CD’s presentation but were getting hungry so decided to head back to the historic Gettysburg Town Square for a bite. We enjoyed lunch at The Plaza Restaurant and then decided to check out some of the surrounding shops, choosing to finish the rest of the tour the next day. As we exited the restaurant, we spied a life-sized bronze statue of President Abraham Lincoln called the "Return Visit" standing on the corner. Located just outside the historic Wills House, Lincoln is standing next to a statue of a modern-day visitor and pointing with his hat to the second floor where it’s said that he finished writing his famous Gettysburg Address, a copy of which the visitor is holding.

The next day arrived rather lazily, and Bill and Terri decided the remainder of the tour would have to wait for another visit. They left around noon, but we’d be seeing them in a couple of days when we arrived at their place.

On Mon. Russ and I decided to get our National Park Passport Book stamped at the visitor center and check out the exhibits in the lobby. The cost to visit the actual museum and to see the Cyclorama had increased over the past year, and we chose to skip it this time since we saw both extensively last year.

After leaving the visitor center, we drove over to the High Water Mark area, the location of the climax of Pickett’s Charge. We popped in disc 2 of the CD tour, fast forwarded to that section, and listened once again in amazement to this portion of the battle. The struggle between “brothers”, who wearing their wool uniforms on a hot, humid day in July amid the thick smoke of cannon fire and artillery, and finally hand-to-hand combat, is something we can hardly imagine. There are quite a number of monuments in this area, and the largest on the battlefield is located here. Standing 110 feet high, the Pennsylvania Memorial lists the names of all 34,000 Pennsylvanians who participated in the battle, and bronze statues of the 7 Pennsylvania generals and President Lincoln stand on each side of the arches. The figure of Winged Victory graces the top of the dome, and a staircase leads to the roof where visitors can have a panoramic view of the battlefield. It is truly a magnificent structure and a fitting tribute.