my summer holiday.....

I don't recall ever being required to submit a "summer holiday" essay in school (of course, there's a LOT I've conveniently "forgotten" about school!). So, why not start this year?

It all started on an early Tuesday morning, July 28th. We headed via taxi-cab to the AMTRAK terminal in New Orleans for the start of our adventure. VERY different from traveling by plane! virtually no line, you can take liquids on the train, luggage is included in the fare, the food is edible, and there's actually a bed to lie down in! Tom had arranged for 2 "roommettes" for us. Maggie and I shared, and Tom and Abby were across the hall from us. While the rooms were quite small (between 4'X7' and 5'X8'), there was enough room for us and our overnight luggage. We had the steward lower the upper bunk which allowed the girls to hang-out together. The lower bunk, during the day, folded up to be two seats facing each other with a fold-down table between them. For me, the only disconcerting part of the arrangement was the fact that the toilet was right next to the bed. Similar to an airplane toilet, although the lid was more solid and became the stepping off for the upper bunk. No privacy if you're at all squeamish to that! The sink was also interesting. It folded up and down and the only way to drain it was to fold it back in. But it was clean and the service was good. For me, the worst part was that it was awfully cold. I slept with 3 blankets, my pjs, a fleece, and Maggie's sweatshirt wrapped around my feet. My mom later found an article in her paper about AMTRAK travelling and there, the biggest complaint was about the lack of individual climate control in the rooms. We were fed 4 meals -- breakfast, lunch, dinner, and breakfast the next morning (although Maggie and I chose to sleep through breakfast). The best meal for me was the salad at lunch -- full of spinach and reasonable tomatoes. In any event, MUCH better than airplane food. The girls and I all slept very well. Tom is a lighter sleeper and found himself waking with each turn of the car. We passed by my parents at about 2am and I suppose I dreamed of them! In any event, it was a fun was to travel. We played lots of games, read, and chilled out. Relaxing and much less stressful than air travel.

We arrived in DC on Wednesday morning the 29th at Union Station. What a beautiful place! We didn't spend much time there, instead getting into a cab to the hotel. Our room wasn't ready, but we were able to store the luggage. This hotel room was a suite in Georgetown. We walked a bit from the hotel and caught the couble-decker bus for a tour. Saw the “major” sights and went back to the hotel for a bit of a rest. Maggie and I weren’t too interested in resting, so we went in search of room-snacks (this hotel had a kitchenette. Made it to Trader Jacks for some snacks, and headed to CVS for soft drinks. Somehow we passed the CVS despite the familiar markings and ended up at Starbucks. The line was far too long so we went back to Barnes & Nobles and had a coffee there. Found the CVS on the way back (it was almost across the street from the hotel – no telling HOW we missed it the first time!) and went back to the room. When we were all rested, we headed to Chinatown for dinner (I’d told Tom that two things would make me happy on the trip – semi-regular trips to a coffee shop and a meal in Chinatown). Ended up being my favorite meal of the trip – I had tofu with eggplant and peppers. We even managed the Metro on our first try. After dinner, we went for a bit of a walk and ended up at the Spy Museum which was fun. All sorts of spy-gear, Cold War information, War information, and present day stuff. At the onset we were all given a “Spy Identity” and quizzed at the end to see if we’d recalled the data on our cover. Made it more fun for the girls. Back to the hotel for a great night’s sleep.
On Thursday morning we attempted to tour the FBI but found (as we’d suspected) that it had been closed to tourists since 9/11. So we went to Ford’s Theatre and the house across the street where Lincoln died. The Ranger did a great job telling the story of what both Lincoln and Wilkes-Booth had done during the day and giving the details without being overly disgusting. I’d never been there and found it interesting. After that we headed to the Natural History Museum. Saw various animals but, for us, the highlight was the rocks and gems, and, of course, the Hope Diamond. I know I’ve been there before, but I was amazed at the size of the collection – you could spend hours just looking at all the rocks! Even had a meteor you could touch. But the true highlight of the day was dinner. Tom convinced the girls (particularly Abby) to try Ethiopian food. He and I had had it several times in Houston and found it tasty and fun to eat with the injera bread rather than utensils. The girls were skeptical, but willing. They ended up loving it, especially Abby. Always fun to eat with your hands, no?
Friday morning we headed to a French pastry shop in Georgetown for breakfast. One of the items on the list was a HUGE meringue. It was about 12”X4”X3”. Maggie likes the softer inner part best. Also had several other pastries and I was quite happy with my little “pot of coffee”. From there we headed to the National History Museum, home of various American memorabilia. The girls and I enjoyed the First Lady exhibit, including several gowns and other items from the first ladies. And I felt quite old as I realized that my daughters had no clue who Archie Bunker was or why his chair is so famous! Tom tells me I did a fairly good impersonation of Edith’s voice, however. They did like the ruby red slippers. Abby and I enjoyed the string instruments, particularly the violins. And we learned that Chelsea Clinton danced on pointe shoes as one pair of hers are on exhibit. Then it started to rain. And didn’t stop. So I went and bought ponchos – bright blue with “Smithsonian” all over them. We put them on and looked ridiculous. Tom had his backpack underneath and looked like a hunchback, I tied mine tight around my face, Abby looked like an Ewok as hers almost touched the ground. Thus Maggie was the “most fashionable” in our group! At least we were dry! Headed to see the Declaration of Independence and Constitution from there. Tom is in the process of confirming that a signer of the Declaration is a relative, so he pointed that out to the girls. I was happy that they were interested in the documents, rather than bored. For dinner we enjoyed Vietnamese food – GREAT to be in a city with a variety of cuisine!
Saturday morning we met a friend of mine from college to go to the Crime and Punishment museum. She lives in the area and we re-met on Facebook in the past year. I was glad to have found a museum that was new to her, rather than “making” her go back to re-visit one she’d been to. Since we also live in a tourist area, I recognize that it can be tiring always taking people to the same places you’ve been before! The museum was interesting and had an activity for the girls to do (more of the museums seem to do this – have a treasure hunt or something similar for the kids which allows the adults more time to actually read about the exhibits – whoever came up with this idea gets my applause!). Not only were there “old” crimes (such as Bonnie & Clyde), but also more recent ones. Apparently, the show “American’s Most Wanted” also films there and we got to see the set. We headed for lunch afterwards and then split up – my friend to a picnic, Tom and Abby to the hotel for a rest, and Maggie and I to the Science Museum. This was quite small, but they were having a “free” day for families and we decided to go. Learned a bit about weather, saw a self-contained water eco-system, and saw a great exhibit on the proper use and effects of antibiotics. She and I finished there, did a bit of window shopping, and had Thai food for dinner.
Sunday was a slower day. Tom and Maggie left early to pick up the rental car and went to visit a church. Abby and I slept in and then went to the Aquarium. This is quite a small and older attraction, but we enjoyed our time together! We also did a bit of shopping and met Tom and Maggie back at the hotel in the afternoon. We later headed to see Tom’s friends from high school at their house. I’ve met them before and we had an enjoyable evening with them. Nice to catch up with people, even if you don’t see them very often, no?
Monday morning we left the hotel and headed toward Luray, Virginia where we’d rented a farmhouse for a few days. My parents were meeting us there. We did meet up at the house, “moved” into our rooms, and relaxed a bit. Mom and Abby stayed at the hotel and the rest of us headed back to Luray (15 miles that took about 30 minutes each way) to pick up some food for dinner. On the way we saw a farmer’s stand and stopped to get fresh vegetables – they were GREAT! We ended up with a cantaloupe, heirloom tomatoes, potatoes, yellow squash, peppers, and some jam. Then to the grocery where we got steak and fixings. Back to the house where we started cooking. I got put in charge of chopping veggies and it was hard to keep any for anyone else! The squash literally tasted like butter. And the tomatoes were as good as the ones my grandfather used to grow. GREAT meal! The girls entertained us with a show that evening --the first of several! These included “Are you smarter than a 4th graded?”, a Phase-10 championship, and “Who knows Abby Webb Best?”.
Tuesday we ended up heading down the Shenandoah River on canoes. While I adore my husband, we are both first-born stubborn people and aren’t very good at allowing anyone else to be “in charge”. Therefore, my dad, Maggie, and I shared a canoe while mom, Tom and Abby went in the other. The river was a bit low, so dad got in and out when we were grounded. But it really was fun. After that, dad and I headed (sweaty and somewhat wet) back to town to get something to make for dinner (our timing wasn’t really good – we slept in and relaxed, ended up eating junk for lunch on the river – e. g. what we bought at the outfitters – and were really hungry!). And the grocery didn’t carry rotisserie chicken. So we bought chicken breasts, and made barbecue. No one was too unhappy with the results, although I think we would have eaten just about anything by that time! Another show this evening!
Wednesday we headed to the Luray Caverns. WOW! These were really spectacular. Mom told us that my grandparents had visited them back in the 1930s – neat to know we’d been in the same place 80 years later. We ate lunch in town, and then mom and dad took the girls back while Tom and I picked up stuff for dinner – spaghetti night. One more show…….
Thursday was another day on the river, tubing this time. It’d rained the night before and there was an “aroma” about the house – let’s just say it smelled as though something was acting up with the septic system. The girls really liked tubing, although the trip was about 30 minutes longer than they really wanted and both got cut on rocks (nothing major, thankfully)! While we were all pooped at the end, dad and I went to the grocery (again in wet clothes – dad gets the award for hanging out in wet pants as I’d packed dry shorts and removed my bathing suit bottom). We got the quickest thing we could think to make for dinner – kielbasa, frozen veggies, and black beans. Thankfully everyone liked it (or, once again, were so hungry it didn’t matter!). Unfortunately, the aroma of the house got stronger…..
So, Friday morning we left a day early. Mom and dad had been planning on leaving Friday, but we did also. We believe the problem was with the set tub in the laundry in that the water in the trap evaporated. Tom and dad had finally identified that as perhaps the main source of the scent and, once water was run through that sink, it disappeared. Still, we did leave. On our way back we stopped at the extension to the Air and Space Museum near the airport where there are MANY more planes and aircraft. Enjoyed an IMAX film as well about fighter pilot training. Thankfully again, our hotel was able to allow us to stay an extra day, so we didn’t need to find alternative lodging for just one night. This hotel was in Arlington. We had dinner (most definitely NOT my favorite meal) at an Asian café. It was serviceable but not much else. We then took a taxi and saw the new (to us!) FDR memorial and the Jefferson Memorial.
Saturday Tom and Abby went to return the rental car. Maggie and I walked over the Key Bridge back to Georgetown to get Tom’s clothes from the hotel (he’d left them in the drawers there…..). We did a bit of shopping on the way, discovering a “hidden” shopping mall. I’d stained my white shirt, so bought another one as well as getting each of us another shirt. Tom’s clothes ended up being in a big shopping bag, so we decided to take the metro back to Arlington. However, we did decide to stop at another CVS for snacks and drinks for our room. Met with Tom and Abby and the hotel and headed to the zoo where we saw the pandas! It was REALLY hot outside, but we managed…..
Sunday morning we went to Arlington Cemetery in the hopes of beating the head – no luck there. We saw the newish Women in the Armed Forces memorial/exhibit which was quite interesting, including a short film on the history of women in the services in this country, from the War for Independence onward. Took the girls to see where JFK is buried, saw the changing of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknowns, and saw the memorials to the Challenger and Columbia. With them is also a memorial to the people who attempted to liberate the American Embassy in Iran in the 1970s. After that we went to the Holocaust museum (talk about 2 depressing museums in on day!). It’s a powerful museum. Security is quite tight there now, after the unfortunate killing of a guard earlier this year. For the Ohioans out there, Les Wexner donated the moneys for the Learning Center at this museum. Then we headed to the Air and Space Museum for something more uplifting. We enjoyed a planetarium show as well as all the planes and spacecraft.
Monday morning the girls and I got pedicures. Then we headed to the Library of Congress and got to see Jefferson’s Library there. WOW! What an eclectic collection of books! From there we headed to the Supreme Court Building. We (of course) hadn’t seen the swearing in of Justice Sotomoyer, and court wasn’t in session, so it wasn’t the most interesting place, although lunch was pretty good! We then went to the postal museum. We did the exhibit on how targeted mailing works, the girls each sent themselves a postcard, and we watched a short film on how rail was used in postal delivery until 1977. We had Turkish food for dinner – Maggie liked it, Abby didn’t…….
Tuesday was our last full day. We went back to the pastry shop in Georgetown for breakfast. Tom then went to an antiquarian bookstore. We stayed there for about 10 minutes and then went wandering by ourselves. Maggie and I showed Abby the “hidden” mall and we window-shopped. We met Tom perhaps 2 hours later at Barnes & Nobles. He’d spent the entire time at the bookstore and purchased several items he’d had shipped home. We then headed to see the Lincoln and Vietnam Memorials. It was again QUITE hot, so we didn’t stay too long, particularly at the Vietnam one, although I pointed out my mom’s cousin’s name to the girls. Onward to the National Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery. We enjoyed both of these a lot. In the Art Museum there was a piece of art by Mike Wilkins made up of license plates from each of the 50 states spelling out the preamble to the Constitution. Maggie and I got the t-shirt with this on the back. Abby got a book. That evening we had Afghani food for dinner – again it wasn’t Abby’s favorite, although the rest of us enjoyed it!
Wednesday Tom and Maggie went to the Botanical Gardens. Abby wasn’t interested and it wasn’t high on my “list” of things to do, so she and I went to Starbucks for breakfast and hung out at the hotel. We met back in the room and packed up, then had lunch at the hotel. It had cooled down, so we all walked back over the Key Bridge into Georgetown. I think by now we were museumed out, so we spent probably 2 hours looking at Barnes & Nobles! I came home with about 30 book titles to request from the library…..Back to the hotel to get the luggage and then to Union Station. This time we spent a bit of time there shopping – not much to see, but it is a beautiful building. Back on the train for a 6:30 departure. Thankfully, this time it wasn’t freezing! The train left a bit late. Again, we slept well (but for Tom) and late. Thursday dragged a bit. While it’s nice to be able to relax, by then I think we all wanted to just be home. The late departure ended up resulting in a late arrival in New Orleans as well. And while I agree with Tom that it’s much less stressful to travel by rail, sometimes you just want to get there fast!
Overall, it was a great trip. I find each year that our trips are more enjoyable – Tom and I both “give” a bit more and minimize our “me first” attitudes. Our stubbornness comes through! The girls are at a great age for this sort of trip as well – interesting in almost all we saw, willing to try new things, but comforted by the familiar (Starbucks, Barnes & Nobles, CVS). Also nice to break it up with the farmhouse sandwiched between the city. And we got to see friends. Tom gets all the credit for arrangements – he truly is the best and I am most certainly blessed to have him in my life!