The boy had a project to research the Native American tribe the Tewa, a Pueblo tribe from the Southwest United States. While we were in DC, he took a great interest in plants of the desert. I thought, why not take a trip there (after we'd already been to DC over New Years) to back up his learning. So, up to the last minute, I was planning a trip that jumped back and forth from Phoenix to Albuquerque and back again. I finally settled on flying in to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and traveling around the area. National had a special for weekends in January, as there aren't a lot of visitors. I rented a car for Friday to Sunday. It was $16 a day, and then taxes on top, etc. We paid $75 total. What a great deal. I made no reservations for rooms, as we had no idea where we would be. This was completely a winged trip.
Friday morning we jumped on a flight through Houston. Things went very well, and we arrived in New Mexico around noon. We got a small midsize car for the price of a tiny car (they screwed up), and we were on our way. The bus driver mentioned the Pueblo at Taos being one of the best. She hadn't been to any others, but recommended Taos. Two and a half hour drive, but it was indeed worth it. We jumped on the interstate, and followed the maps feature on my iPhone. This little device was instrumental in finding our way around the states we traveled through.
On the way to Taos, just before Santa Fe, on reservation land, we found a nice policeman who clocked me a little faster than he felt was appropriate. I promised a nice donation to his tribal court, and we were on our way. The Pueblo at Taos is actually a working/living pueblo. There is an active community, and the building are still occupied. Locals sell their wares, are willing to talk to visitors, and live in what is literally a piece of history. The pueblo is actually on the list of protected sites for the United Nations World Heritage List (http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/492). What an incredible location. We were guided through the site by a young man that volunteered to describe what we were seeing, to share his culture, and to bring the experience alive. He worked on donation. He was awaiting an appointment to Annapolis, set up by a visitor the previous year. The Catholic Church itself was built of mud. This was an incredible learning experience for me, as I've never been to the Southwest. The website shows the beauty of the buildings. (Turns out the boy had a project due Tuesday when we got back over the dry farming of the area, so great research opportunity.)
After taking photos, doing a little shopping, and asking some questions, we jumped back in the car and toured around Taos. There is not a lot to see in the area around Taos, other than the Pueblo, for us. We went to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, a bridge over a very, very deep canyon. There were sheep at the edge of the gorge, and that was amazing. My nerves took over as I walked out. I had my phone in my hand, and as hard as I tried to take a photo over the edge, I couldn't do it. My mind kept telling me that I was going to drop or throw the phone. It was absolutely overwhelming, and my hands never got past the railing. Mr. Chuckles, my traveling buddy, made sure to heckle me the whole time. No sympathy. I was literally shaking, and trying not to cuss (my fall back when I get nervous).
That night, as the sun went down, we drove west to the border. My goal was to get as close as possible to four corners. A nice long, windy trip. One problem with the maps, I didn't realize I was going through an area with no fuel. The vehicle was incredibly fuel efficient, but I still was concerned. We drove for about two hours without seeing a single sign of humanity other than an occasional vehicle traveling the other way. The forest was beautiful, but threatening if the gas ran out.
We made it all the way to Shiprock by 9 pm. Again, maps don't reveal the truth. Shiprock is actually Navajo tribal property. Sociologically, incredible. Row houses, about the size of my garage, dotted the land. No variation, no second floor, no garage. Just row houses. The only businesses were along 64. A McDonalds, a few other fast food restaurants. I looked all around town for a motel. Nothing. Drove up to the hospital. Surely a hospital will have a motel next door. The hospital was an outreach of Health and Human Services. Just to the north of it was a walled apartment complex, with fancy cars, and tons of variety. This clearly is where the non-tribal doctors live. The community doesn't allow anyone to stay overnight. If you are going to the hospital (and it is a large hospital) you are obviously from the community, or have ties to the community. There is no need for a motel. Wow. In the morning, we stopped for breakfast at the McDonalds. It is owned and operated by tribal members. Unable to find a place to spend the night, we had to back track 40 minutes, to Farmington. I found a room at the Anasazi (a negative term given to the Pueblo people by the Navajo, enemies) Motel, for about $45 a night. We crawled in to bed at 1030 pm, with a 6 am wake up call. A bit frustrating, but very enlightening.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
And, the next weekend. . . 1-11-14
So, I missed Pink when she came to Kansas City, due to poor planning, not buying tickets in time, and not having a babysitter at the last minute, the day of the concert. I made a promise to myself that I would go to the concert whenI got a new job. I got the job, but I didn't get the tickets. So, discreetly, I started looking for a backup plan. When I realized I was getting the tickets from my father in law, I started looking in to plans for the year. I discovered that Pink had to delay some concerts due to vocal stress. Score!
If you haven't heard of this, you might try it: airbnb.com. This website is one that I have come across in the past, but never followed up with. When I was planning my trip to DC, I started looking in to this. I actually signed up New Year's Eve. The system works like this: If you have a bed, room or house to offer, you post it online, along with a price. Anyone who joins may make a deal with you to use your location. It is bed-letting, and makes a lot of sense in this wired world. I tried to contact a young woman in Fargo, but she never responded.
The concert was scheduled for January 11, 2014, in Fargo, North Dakota. Tickets were still available, and my wife was wiling to allow me to leave. I left Saturday morning on a flight to Denver, and had no problem getting out of town. I arrived in Fargo around 130 pm, and looked around. There was Subway restaurant in the airport, a television showing the playoffs, and a cab driver. I asked about travel to the concert location: About two and a half miles down road. No sidewalk, piles of snow, and very cold temperatures. I asked about the accessibility of the airport overnight, getting two different answers: One, the airport is open 24 hours from a woman at the ticket counter; the other, a security officer, told me the outside doors were unlocked, but the inside doors, to the ticket counters, would be locked until 4 am. In other words, the vestibule would be open, not the main airport. Enough information gathered. Now, time to buy a ticket: I got online, found a great seat, for a decent price (ok, not a decent price, but compared to the cheap seats at around $50, I paid $100 for seats about 10 rows past the barrier). Apparently, at the last minute, the Dome had opened up a bunch of seats, after having sold out previously. My price was very low, compared to what others paid for seats not as good.
After eating a sub sandwich for lunch, watching some "House of Cards" and "American Horror Story", I decided to move on down the road. Rather than fight the cold and be miserable, I caught a taxi to a McDonald's next to the venue. Perfect. Dinner, movies, and relax until doors open. By six pm, I couldn't wait any longer. I hoofed it over, backpack on, to the concert venue. One of the part-time employees tried to tell me that they wouldn't let me in with a backpack. Little did he know that backpack was everything I had in Fargo.
Gates opened around 645, and I rushed in. No beer for me (wouldn't do well to have alcohol on my breath if I was trying to explain why I'm sleeping in a closed airport). It took a long time for my area to fill up. Eventually, the crowd poured in. In front of me was a mother with two grown daughters. Girls night out. Cool. On my left was a cute blond, mid 20s. I can handle this. . . But not to last. She traded seats with someone else, and I ended up with a middle aged single mother that needed more space than her seat would allow. She kept texting on her iPod Touch, not her phone. There was no WiFi available. Weird. On the other side is a woman who was so tripped out, she made no sense. Her pictures on her phone were 90% (of around 200 I estimate) were selfies. She filmed have the show on her phone. Anyway, why I don't go to concerts. . .
The opening band was from Australia. Nice way to warm things up. Fun, lively, and unique. On to the main stream. Around 9 pm, Pink started her set. What a set. Incredible. She was incredible. And truly live. She did acrobatics, she danced all over the stage, she flew through the air, she truly put on a show. Absolutely incredible. Her huffing for breath at times, her missing words in the song as she tried to change positions enhanced the performance, as you knew it truly was live. She did incredible things hanging from guide wires, twirling on a ball, and just amazing work. It was somewhat of a circus, and showed how much she truly values giving her fans a real performance. I cannot express how wonderful the concert was. Completely worth my time, trouble and effort. So much more memorable than any other I have been to see. In no way was I disappointed. Until it came to an end. The concert ended around 1030, and it was time to move on.
I decided to drag my feet, and they push us out the doors as quickly as possible. As I was walking in the bathroom, women were walking out. The line for the ladies room was apparently so long, women were using the mens room. No fear, just enough beer, and all mores fell apart.
In no hurry to get back to the airport, I headed over to the McDonald's I had frequented before the show. Wow, what a crowd. Everyone seemed hungry. Not me, but I was interested in waiting as long as possible. Found a table, relaxed, emailed, etc, and waited. About midnight, an hour after they were supposed to have closed shop, the store started pushing people out. Taxis were slow to arrive, complaints were everywhere, as were drunks. About 1230, I headed out in the cold, walking toward the airport. I made it to Taco Bell, only to find they were shutting down at 1. It was 1245. I called a taxi, and they told me to go next door to Buffalo Wild Wings, as that was the staging point for the taxi pickup. In no hurry to get to the airport, I sat and watched more drunks, and a little television. Around 2 AM, the restaurant wanted to shut down. I watched wait staff do their closing tasks, watched the last taxi pull away, and realized I was running out of options.
A young waitress I had interacted briefly with in the last hour was on her way out. I asked for a favor. That caught her ear. I offered her $7 for a ride (a taxi would be $10) to the airport. She was hesitant. I told her I'd rather pay her than a taxi. I also offered my ID for her to text to a friend. She agreed. She had never been to the airport before, and here it was 2 am, snow everywhere, and her car wasn't warmed up yet. She was a trooper. She got me there, and the doors were open! Yes.
Found two women that had flown in from Ohio to go to the concert for the birthday of one. They had a rental car, had lived it up, but had already turned in the keys, and were crashing for the night in the airport. Unfortunately, their tickets were misbooked, and they would get home too late. Most of the night was spent trying to figure out a path to get home. At one point, they planned to get a rental car, then buy a ticket from Minneapolis back home. They were looking at spending an additional $3000 to get home. In the morning, after I pulled myself together, I ran across them going through security. Apparently, all worked out.
I made it home to Kansas City around 530 on Sunday night. We went to dinner at Sutera's, and I shared my videos of the concert with my family. What an adventure. For about $175, I got an adventure of a lifetime.
If you haven't heard of this, you might try it: airbnb.com. This website is one that I have come across in the past, but never followed up with. When I was planning my trip to DC, I started looking in to this. I actually signed up New Year's Eve. The system works like this: If you have a bed, room or house to offer, you post it online, along with a price. Anyone who joins may make a deal with you to use your location. It is bed-letting, and makes a lot of sense in this wired world. I tried to contact a young woman in Fargo, but she never responded.
The concert was scheduled for January 11, 2014, in Fargo, North Dakota. Tickets were still available, and my wife was wiling to allow me to leave. I left Saturday morning on a flight to Denver, and had no problem getting out of town. I arrived in Fargo around 130 pm, and looked around. There was Subway restaurant in the airport, a television showing the playoffs, and a cab driver. I asked about travel to the concert location: About two and a half miles down road. No sidewalk, piles of snow, and very cold temperatures. I asked about the accessibility of the airport overnight, getting two different answers: One, the airport is open 24 hours from a woman at the ticket counter; the other, a security officer, told me the outside doors were unlocked, but the inside doors, to the ticket counters, would be locked until 4 am. In other words, the vestibule would be open, not the main airport. Enough information gathered. Now, time to buy a ticket: I got online, found a great seat, for a decent price (ok, not a decent price, but compared to the cheap seats at around $50, I paid $100 for seats about 10 rows past the barrier). Apparently, at the last minute, the Dome had opened up a bunch of seats, after having sold out previously. My price was very low, compared to what others paid for seats not as good.
After eating a sub sandwich for lunch, watching some "House of Cards" and "American Horror Story", I decided to move on down the road. Rather than fight the cold and be miserable, I caught a taxi to a McDonald's next to the venue. Perfect. Dinner, movies, and relax until doors open. By six pm, I couldn't wait any longer. I hoofed it over, backpack on, to the concert venue. One of the part-time employees tried to tell me that they wouldn't let me in with a backpack. Little did he know that backpack was everything I had in Fargo.
Gates opened around 645, and I rushed in. No beer for me (wouldn't do well to have alcohol on my breath if I was trying to explain why I'm sleeping in a closed airport). It took a long time for my area to fill up. Eventually, the crowd poured in. In front of me was a mother with two grown daughters. Girls night out. Cool. On my left was a cute blond, mid 20s. I can handle this. . . But not to last. She traded seats with someone else, and I ended up with a middle aged single mother that needed more space than her seat would allow. She kept texting on her iPod Touch, not her phone. There was no WiFi available. Weird. On the other side is a woman who was so tripped out, she made no sense. Her pictures on her phone were 90% (of around 200 I estimate) were selfies. She filmed have the show on her phone. Anyway, why I don't go to concerts. . .
The opening band was from Australia. Nice way to warm things up. Fun, lively, and unique. On to the main stream. Around 9 pm, Pink started her set. What a set. Incredible. She was incredible. And truly live. She did acrobatics, she danced all over the stage, she flew through the air, she truly put on a show. Absolutely incredible. Her huffing for breath at times, her missing words in the song as she tried to change positions enhanced the performance, as you knew it truly was live. She did incredible things hanging from guide wires, twirling on a ball, and just amazing work. It was somewhat of a circus, and showed how much she truly values giving her fans a real performance. I cannot express how wonderful the concert was. Completely worth my time, trouble and effort. So much more memorable than any other I have been to see. In no way was I disappointed. Until it came to an end. The concert ended around 1030, and it was time to move on.
I decided to drag my feet, and they push us out the doors as quickly as possible. As I was walking in the bathroom, women were walking out. The line for the ladies room was apparently so long, women were using the mens room. No fear, just enough beer, and all mores fell apart.
In no hurry to get back to the airport, I headed over to the McDonald's I had frequented before the show. Wow, what a crowd. Everyone seemed hungry. Not me, but I was interested in waiting as long as possible. Found a table, relaxed, emailed, etc, and waited. About midnight, an hour after they were supposed to have closed shop, the store started pushing people out. Taxis were slow to arrive, complaints were everywhere, as were drunks. About 1230, I headed out in the cold, walking toward the airport. I made it to Taco Bell, only to find they were shutting down at 1. It was 1245. I called a taxi, and they told me to go next door to Buffalo Wild Wings, as that was the staging point for the taxi pickup. In no hurry to get to the airport, I sat and watched more drunks, and a little television. Around 2 AM, the restaurant wanted to shut down. I watched wait staff do their closing tasks, watched the last taxi pull away, and realized I was running out of options.
A young waitress I had interacted briefly with in the last hour was on her way out. I asked for a favor. That caught her ear. I offered her $7 for a ride (a taxi would be $10) to the airport. She was hesitant. I told her I'd rather pay her than a taxi. I also offered my ID for her to text to a friend. She agreed. She had never been to the airport before, and here it was 2 am, snow everywhere, and her car wasn't warmed up yet. She was a trooper. She got me there, and the doors were open! Yes.
Found two women that had flown in from Ohio to go to the concert for the birthday of one. They had a rental car, had lived it up, but had already turned in the keys, and were crashing for the night in the airport. Unfortunately, their tickets were misbooked, and they would get home too late. Most of the night was spent trying to figure out a path to get home. At one point, they planned to get a rental car, then buy a ticket from Minneapolis back home. They were looking at spending an additional $3000 to get home. In the morning, after I pulled myself together, I ran across them going through security. Apparently, all worked out.
I made it home to Kansas City around 530 on Sunday night. We went to dinner at Sutera's, and I shared my videos of the concert with my family. What an adventure. For about $175, I got an adventure of a lifetime.
Trying to get home. . .
We woke up early, trying to make a flight scheduled for 7 AM. Up at 530, out the door, and on our way to the subway with time to spare. The entrance to the subway is locked. It's got to open soon, right? Its almost 6. I checked the website for upcoming trains on my phone. None listed. That can't be right. . . Dig a little deeper. Nope. The station doesn't open until much later. Grrr. Finally, at 7 am, the gates open, and we rush to catch a train. To make matters even worse, the train that is most direct to National Airport isn't running. We have to take the long way. Could things get any worse? Actually, yes, but that is a personal issue, and doesn't advance this journal.
We finally arrived at the airport, got checked in for the flight, and made our way to the gate. Pour salt in the wound, the earlier flight went out with seats available, and we weren't there to catch it. I started second guessing myself. Not really worth it, but I did it. We missed two more flights before catching a flight to Newark airport. This was the heart of the first winter blizzard. The East Coast was getting pile-drivered. New York was overwhelmed. While sitting in Newark's airport, eating dinner at McDonald's, we got news that both our schools cancelled for Monday, relieving the stress of missing a day. Flights to Kansas City were cancelled, but we tried for something in to Chicago. One flight, delayed from 8 pm, kept trying to figure itself out. Finally, right around midnight, the flight cancelled. The masses had a fit (no surprise). By this time, the boy was fast asleep under a bank of flight monitors. Perfect skill: To sleep anywhere you need to sleep.
Next flight to Chicago: 6 am. I slept a rough sleep, tossing and turning. He slept very well. About 1 am, a flight headed to London ended up transferring to where we were resting. The masses showed up, having already been delayed multiple times, and about an hour in to that chaos, the flight cancelled. What an adventure (that he slept right through). The masses were rightfully upset. They were traveling internationally, they had plans, and now the airline was telling them it would be days to get out. Wow. One woman tried to start a chant, something about evil big business. She demanded attention, but really was ignored. She had energy, but no followers. It got ugly quickly, but diffused after about a half hour. What do I have to complain about if I am flying for free?!
Morning came, and we made our flight out to Chicago. Was that a good idea? I don't know. The list of flights out of Chicago that cancelled outnumbered the scheduled at least five to one. I have never seen so many flights cancelled. The airport was so incredibly cold, as the air seeped in. The outside temperature was well below freezing, and actually, well below zero. Then, add the wind chill. We waited for the better part of the day for a single flight that would be going to Kansas City. If w missed the flight, there would be no idea when we would be getting home. After using one snow day to get home, I didn't want to miss a day on Tuesday. . .
Another McDonald's visit, a lot more sitting and movie watching (thank you Netflix, and thank you airports with free WiFi, of which O'Hare is not one), we got on a flight to Kansas City. On our way home! Made it in the door around 6 pm, ad found out that I would have a late start on Tuesday. Perfect, I'll have time to figure everything out in the morning, as I am tired! Good night, and good luck.
We finally arrived at the airport, got checked in for the flight, and made our way to the gate. Pour salt in the wound, the earlier flight went out with seats available, and we weren't there to catch it. I started second guessing myself. Not really worth it, but I did it. We missed two more flights before catching a flight to Newark airport. This was the heart of the first winter blizzard. The East Coast was getting pile-drivered. New York was overwhelmed. While sitting in Newark's airport, eating dinner at McDonald's, we got news that both our schools cancelled for Monday, relieving the stress of missing a day. Flights to Kansas City were cancelled, but we tried for something in to Chicago. One flight, delayed from 8 pm, kept trying to figure itself out. Finally, right around midnight, the flight cancelled. The masses had a fit (no surprise). By this time, the boy was fast asleep under a bank of flight monitors. Perfect skill: To sleep anywhere you need to sleep.
Next flight to Chicago: 6 am. I slept a rough sleep, tossing and turning. He slept very well. About 1 am, a flight headed to London ended up transferring to where we were resting. The masses showed up, having already been delayed multiple times, and about an hour in to that chaos, the flight cancelled. What an adventure (that he slept right through). The masses were rightfully upset. They were traveling internationally, they had plans, and now the airline was telling them it would be days to get out. Wow. One woman tried to start a chant, something about evil big business. She demanded attention, but really was ignored. She had energy, but no followers. It got ugly quickly, but diffused after about a half hour. What do I have to complain about if I am flying for free?!
Morning came, and we made our flight out to Chicago. Was that a good idea? I don't know. The list of flights out of Chicago that cancelled outnumbered the scheduled at least five to one. I have never seen so many flights cancelled. The airport was so incredibly cold, as the air seeped in. The outside temperature was well below freezing, and actually, well below zero. Then, add the wind chill. We waited for the better part of the day for a single flight that would be going to Kansas City. If w missed the flight, there would be no idea when we would be getting home. After using one snow day to get home, I didn't want to miss a day on Tuesday. . .
Another McDonald's visit, a lot more sitting and movie watching (thank you Netflix, and thank you airports with free WiFi, of which O'Hare is not one), we got on a flight to Kansas City. On our way home! Made it in the door around 6 pm, ad found out that I would have a late start on Tuesday. Perfect, I'll have time to figure everything out in the morning, as I am tired! Good night, and good luck.
Monday, February 24, 2014
Our Final Day
We slept in, expecting to make it to the Bureau of Engraving around 9 am. Well, we made it to the location, all ready to go, and did not bother to look at the schedule for Saturdays. No go. As a federal office, the building closes on weekends. We were freezing (the weather dropped) and we were stuck out in the cold (literally). Moral to the story, always check dates and times.
Thinking quick, we headed over to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. We were too early, and sat in the snack bar for a few, reading and planning. The museum has programs for all who are interested, but recommends not bringing anyone under about 13 years old through the main museum. I wasn't going to rat my son out. We entered the museum, and I did my best to help him understand the material we were presented with. The museum is not overly graphic. It is much the opposite. The museum is purposely detached and scholarly, rather than emotive and simple. It was above his head, largely, without my interpretation. He has has a deep interest in any moving picture display, much more so than static displays.
After leaving one moving picture show, we encountered a group being guided through, and he was interested in falling in to listen. So much information, such an effective way to get it. Being in no hurry to get through, we followed the group through the entire museum, listening along, and learning as we went. Definitely recommended.
Maybe I should have started him here, but this is how we finished: The museum has a semi-permanent display known as "Daniel's Story". I had visited in when it came to Kansas City in 2000. A nice entry to the study of the Holocaust from the eyes of a child. Interesting.
We had a difficult time trying to find a place to eat. We decided to just eat McDonald's at the Air and Space Museum. Expensive: yes. Easy: yes. At Air and Space, there was a hands on display section that he truly enjoyed. At one point, there was a demonstration on the dynamics that make airplanes fly. The boy one a free book by building and launching the best paper airplane.
Back to displays, including World War II aircraft, Vietnam aircraft, and a video on Medal of Honor winners. Completely wrapped him up. We went down and took some pictures with the commercial aircraft displays, and different pieces. A great time. We shut the museum down, and headed back just as it started snowing. The walk back to the hostel wasn't warm, but it wasn't bad. Another great day dinner at our favorite diner, and off to bed. it was great trip.
Thinking quick, we headed over to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. We were too early, and sat in the snack bar for a few, reading and planning. The museum has programs for all who are interested, but recommends not bringing anyone under about 13 years old through the main museum. I wasn't going to rat my son out. We entered the museum, and I did my best to help him understand the material we were presented with. The museum is not overly graphic. It is much the opposite. The museum is purposely detached and scholarly, rather than emotive and simple. It was above his head, largely, without my interpretation. He has has a deep interest in any moving picture display, much more so than static displays.
After leaving one moving picture show, we encountered a group being guided through, and he was interested in falling in to listen. So much information, such an effective way to get it. Being in no hurry to get through, we followed the group through the entire museum, listening along, and learning as we went. Definitely recommended.
Maybe I should have started him here, but this is how we finished: The museum has a semi-permanent display known as "Daniel's Story". I had visited in when it came to Kansas City in 2000. A nice entry to the study of the Holocaust from the eyes of a child. Interesting.
We had a difficult time trying to find a place to eat. We decided to just eat McDonald's at the Air and Space Museum. Expensive: yes. Easy: yes. At Air and Space, there was a hands on display section that he truly enjoyed. At one point, there was a demonstration on the dynamics that make airplanes fly. The boy one a free book by building and launching the best paper airplane.
Back to displays, including World War II aircraft, Vietnam aircraft, and a video on Medal of Honor winners. Completely wrapped him up. We went down and took some pictures with the commercial aircraft displays, and different pieces. A great time. We shut the museum down, and headed back just as it started snowing. The walk back to the hostel wasn't warm, but it wasn't bad. Another great day dinner at our favorite diner, and off to bed. it was great trip.
Friday, January 3, 2014
Day 2 of Adventures in the city. . .
We got up at 730 this AM, and headed down to see the Congress. Easy to catch trains, but it snowed all last night. Big snow in the Northeast, but we got the tip of it. And the temperature dropped dramatically. It was very, very cold this AM on the walk to the subway. That was a cold, long mile. We survived, but we were super happy to get in to the underground. Most places had done a great job of cleaning off the sidewalks, and the rising sun felt very nice. The wait in line to get into the Capitol building was a bit harsh, but, better than the summer heat. The tour of the Capitol was decent, but not as inclusive as I would have expected. The key to the tour is just the statues. We did not get to see the chambers, nor go much further than the rotunda. Maybe with a special invite from a member of Congress, it would be a more inclusive tour. Fun, just the same.
Hungry on the way out, we decided to ignore the Supreme Court tour. Just took a quick photo in front (and right outside of the doors of the Capitol. The Library of Congress is another beautiful structure. Too cold to attempt to find a tour through, but maybe next time. We ended up walking to a Subway restaurant down the way (it was on the 2nd story). Five dollar foot longs go a long way. Half for lunch, and the other half for dinner.
Walking to the National Mall, we dropped in (mainly to get warm) the National Botanical Gardens. Coolest little place, and perfect on a cold day. Decided to walk through, and my traveling partner fell in love with the designs. An artist took all natural elements (pinecones, nuts, bark) and created designs including the Eiffel Tower, the Capitol Building, and the Supreme Court building. Really cool.
Next, Native American Indian Museum. Curated by the tribes themselves the message was incredibly unique. Rather than having the story told by the government, or by a group of historians, instead, the many unique tribes are given a voice of their own. You will recognize the major players (Lakota, Cherokee, Powhatan) but no one is the belle of the ball. Different tribes are showcased, and allowed to tell their stories in their own unique way. This is unlike any museum I have ever seen, and is a success. Rather than telling the story of conquest and destruction (included in part, through the centralized theme, literally and figuratively centered on guns and treaties), the story is as much about present day, and about adaptations. The fight between Christianity and native traditions is another central theme. Focus on positives of the cultures, as well as the variety and uniqueness of cultures, rather than the negatives, blaming, and revisionism of history, the story carries even more weight. The museum stresses empowerment, not a handout.
Finally, we journeyed in to the Air and Space Museum for a quick look around. We spent a little over an hour on the first floor, but stayed mainly focused on the space program from moon landing to the shuttles. We will probably return tomorrow to see more. Some day, I will go to the other hangar, the one with the rest of the aircraft. Not this trip, though. Too far out to Dulles airport. Now, we are watching Netflix and warming up. Once the sun sets, its just too cold out. It was a good run. If he were older, we'd explore some more. But, too young to drink, and not interested in dancing. So, kick up the heels.
Hungry on the way out, we decided to ignore the Supreme Court tour. Just took a quick photo in front (and right outside of the doors of the Capitol. The Library of Congress is another beautiful structure. Too cold to attempt to find a tour through, but maybe next time. We ended up walking to a Subway restaurant down the way (it was on the 2nd story). Five dollar foot longs go a long way. Half for lunch, and the other half for dinner.
Walking to the National Mall, we dropped in (mainly to get warm) the National Botanical Gardens. Coolest little place, and perfect on a cold day. Decided to walk through, and my traveling partner fell in love with the designs. An artist took all natural elements (pinecones, nuts, bark) and created designs including the Eiffel Tower, the Capitol Building, and the Supreme Court building. Really cool.
Next, Native American Indian Museum. Curated by the tribes themselves the message was incredibly unique. Rather than having the story told by the government, or by a group of historians, instead, the many unique tribes are given a voice of their own. You will recognize the major players (Lakota, Cherokee, Powhatan) but no one is the belle of the ball. Different tribes are showcased, and allowed to tell their stories in their own unique way. This is unlike any museum I have ever seen, and is a success. Rather than telling the story of conquest and destruction (included in part, through the centralized theme, literally and figuratively centered on guns and treaties), the story is as much about present day, and about adaptations. The fight between Christianity and native traditions is another central theme. Focus on positives of the cultures, as well as the variety and uniqueness of cultures, rather than the negatives, blaming, and revisionism of history, the story carries even more weight. The museum stresses empowerment, not a handout.
Finally, we journeyed in to the Air and Space Museum for a quick look around. We spent a little over an hour on the first floor, but stayed mainly focused on the space program from moon landing to the shuttles. We will probably return tomorrow to see more. Some day, I will go to the other hangar, the one with the rest of the aircraft. Not this trip, though. Too far out to Dulles airport. Now, we are watching Netflix and warming up. Once the sun sets, its just too cold out. It was a good run. If he were older, we'd explore some more. But, too young to drink, and not interested in dancing. So, kick up the heels.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Washington, DC, on New Year's Day
So, my father in law retired from Continental, and they give him to family passes a year. My wife and one of my daughters got it two years ago. Last year, one of my sister in laws took her son. This year, starting Jan 1, we got them. We are way down the list, but we travel for free. I planned to travel on MLK weekend, but this was even better. We left home at 430 on New Year's Day. It took several hours, and we missed multiple flights United (which picked up Continental) cancelled for the holiday. Add on top, Chicago got hit with snow. After a lot of juggling, we squeezed on to a flight to Chicago's (ORD) O'hare airport. No problem getting in, but we had to rush to catch our next flight. Literally, we moved with speed from one concourse to another. And, of course, my boy (never one to properly tie his shoes) got a shoelace caught in the moving sidewalk. Rushing past people, I hear, "Dad! Dad! Help!" Took me half a second, but I went back for him. Others stopped to help him, and I made it back. It didn't take long to get it loose, and we didn't have to shut the system down. And back to running.
We made it to the gate with literally minutes to spare. We got incredibly lucky, and they had two more spaces on the plane. They were going to offer us one, and then discovered another. So lucky!! Pulled the jet bridge back, but the pilot's windshield was fogging up. So, a mechanical delay. We deiced twice, and finally got clearance to fly. It took about an hour and a half, we sat 21 rows apart, and he got bulkhead, but we made it to DCA. If you are going to Washington, DC, this is the airport you want. We landed right next to the Pentagon.
I had some trouble with booking a hostel. Many won't let underage kids stay. Hosteling International has a limit of 13 years. I was going to fudge a bit, but by the time I tried to book a room ($25 a night) but they had no space available for the four nights we wanted to stay. I finally settled on the Washington International Student Center (dchostel.com). No marked age limit, $37 a night per person for a two person room (queen size bed), sheets, towels, and a kitchen. We're in. Just under $300 for four nights. Not a bad price. If there were more of us, it wouldn't be worth it, but with just two, not a bad price. The Metro sub station is about a mile away, so a brisk walk. Great neighborhood to stay in, though. Tons of ethnic food: African, Italian, Peruvian, Mexican, Chinese, etc, all on the block. Several bars, coffee bars, a Subway, a McDs, and a grocery store around the corner. Truly everything you could want. But, as it was, we ended up eating at "The Diner".
How do I describe the diner? By 630 last night, we were hungry. We skipped lunch to make flights, were famished, and don't really care for ethnic taste testing. The Diner is right next to the door to our hostel and so we tried it. A tad pricey, compared to KC, but we were hungry. We both ordered hamburgers (Angus, about 3/4 lbs) and fries. Sooooo good. The burger had three choices: Angus, turkey, or veggie. The menu struck me as very progressive. A nice option for those looking to be more balanced in their diet. The climate was very friendly and very relaxed. Definitely not a chain restaurant. The wait staff was a bit distracted, and definitely not overbearing. Great food, good climate. Highly recommend.
DAY 2:
Wakeup at 630. Supposed to be a bit cooler today, but still in the 40s. I leave the inner shell to my jacket behind. Kinda regretted that later, as the temp never got out of the 30s. We caught the Metro to Arlington. Decided to spring for the guided tour bus (not dressed to hike through the park. If this was spring or fall, I probably could have walked the distance, as others did it just fine and kept up with us. Highlights included the changing of the guard (what he really wanted to see), the grave sites of the Kennedy's (I'd forgotten about the other child they lost, only remembering the one from 1963, and I hadn't been to Arlington since Ted died), and a quick viewing of the headstones for the Challenger and Columbia shuttles. I had also never seen the mast to the Maine. Interesting. Also, the memorial to the failed site of Desert One. Also, the tour guide pointed out the location of the pilot of the plane that hit the Pentagon, if I'm not mistaken. To see families actively visiting their families graves was centering, for sure. In the end, the cold got the better of us, and we were on our way out before the Lee home museum.
After jumping back on the Metro, we hit the Smithsonian stop, and headed to the American History museum. Warmth and a museum to tour. YES!! Fun, but nothing new to report. We spent several hours, and someone started to wear out. Sat down by the exit and ate some club crackers and water we'd picked up at the Safeway down the street. Down the mall to the Washington Memorial Visitor's Center, where we stamped up the National Park Passport book (purchased in 2011, but still fun to pull out). We passed the Washington Monument (massive work being done), saw the WH through the trees, did a photo op with the World War II memorial, took some time at the Korean War Memorial, enjoyed the Lincoln Memorial, before silently and reverently passing the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial. I can't go to DC without visiting and honoring the Vietnam dead. There was a foreign family posing with the three soldiers statue. A little strange. Almost as strange as the foreigners throwing deuces in front of Lincoln at his memorial. Lots of foreigners. Lots of different languages being spoken on the streets. I don't think we've seen an American family yet. Lots of Hispanics based on clothes and language. Interesting.
Next, we walked up to the White House. On the way, we passed the Boy Scout Memorial. Weird, but the statue is of a cub scout (a small boy) with a full grown and very well developed man and a woman. The many is naked, with just something covering his modesty. The woman has a flame in her hand. Weird message. Anyway, we hit the White House visitors center, and did a quick photo op of the south lawn. Didn't get tickets to the tour, as too little notice of our trip. Across Freedom Plaza, shot of Pennsylvania leading up to the Capital building, and then back on the subway to eat at The Diner. As we got off the subway, it started raining, turning to snow. We are on the southern edge of a huge storm that is going to dump up to a foot of snow on the NE. It is slowly trying to accumulate here, which means the hostel is packed with people trying to stay dry and warm. Busy night ahead, as we are right outside the kitchen, and bathroom. Private room, but busy hallway. Ahh, its alright. I would still recommend the place. Lots of people to talk to, if you are more sociable than I am. I mean, I am sitting here typing on a computer rather than going to talk to the Australian girls that just caught a taxi in to the hostel. Well, more tomorrow.
We made it to the gate with literally minutes to spare. We got incredibly lucky, and they had two more spaces on the plane. They were going to offer us one, and then discovered another. So lucky!! Pulled the jet bridge back, but the pilot's windshield was fogging up. So, a mechanical delay. We deiced twice, and finally got clearance to fly. It took about an hour and a half, we sat 21 rows apart, and he got bulkhead, but we made it to DCA. If you are going to Washington, DC, this is the airport you want. We landed right next to the Pentagon.
I had some trouble with booking a hostel. Many won't let underage kids stay. Hosteling International has a limit of 13 years. I was going to fudge a bit, but by the time I tried to book a room ($25 a night) but they had no space available for the four nights we wanted to stay. I finally settled on the Washington International Student Center (dchostel.com). No marked age limit, $37 a night per person for a two person room (queen size bed), sheets, towels, and a kitchen. We're in. Just under $300 for four nights. Not a bad price. If there were more of us, it wouldn't be worth it, but with just two, not a bad price. The Metro sub station is about a mile away, so a brisk walk. Great neighborhood to stay in, though. Tons of ethnic food: African, Italian, Peruvian, Mexican, Chinese, etc, all on the block. Several bars, coffee bars, a Subway, a McDs, and a grocery store around the corner. Truly everything you could want. But, as it was, we ended up eating at "The Diner".
How do I describe the diner? By 630 last night, we were hungry. We skipped lunch to make flights, were famished, and don't really care for ethnic taste testing. The Diner is right next to the door to our hostel and so we tried it. A tad pricey, compared to KC, but we were hungry. We both ordered hamburgers (Angus, about 3/4 lbs) and fries. Sooooo good. The burger had three choices: Angus, turkey, or veggie. The menu struck me as very progressive. A nice option for those looking to be more balanced in their diet. The climate was very friendly and very relaxed. Definitely not a chain restaurant. The wait staff was a bit distracted, and definitely not overbearing. Great food, good climate. Highly recommend.
DAY 2:
Wakeup at 630. Supposed to be a bit cooler today, but still in the 40s. I leave the inner shell to my jacket behind. Kinda regretted that later, as the temp never got out of the 30s. We caught the Metro to Arlington. Decided to spring for the guided tour bus (not dressed to hike through the park. If this was spring or fall, I probably could have walked the distance, as others did it just fine and kept up with us. Highlights included the changing of the guard (what he really wanted to see), the grave sites of the Kennedy's (I'd forgotten about the other child they lost, only remembering the one from 1963, and I hadn't been to Arlington since Ted died), and a quick viewing of the headstones for the Challenger and Columbia shuttles. I had also never seen the mast to the Maine. Interesting. Also, the memorial to the failed site of Desert One. Also, the tour guide pointed out the location of the pilot of the plane that hit the Pentagon, if I'm not mistaken. To see families actively visiting their families graves was centering, for sure. In the end, the cold got the better of us, and we were on our way out before the Lee home museum.
After jumping back on the Metro, we hit the Smithsonian stop, and headed to the American History museum. Warmth and a museum to tour. YES!! Fun, but nothing new to report. We spent several hours, and someone started to wear out. Sat down by the exit and ate some club crackers and water we'd picked up at the Safeway down the street. Down the mall to the Washington Memorial Visitor's Center, where we stamped up the National Park Passport book (purchased in 2011, but still fun to pull out). We passed the Washington Monument (massive work being done), saw the WH through the trees, did a photo op with the World War II memorial, took some time at the Korean War Memorial, enjoyed the Lincoln Memorial, before silently and reverently passing the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial. I can't go to DC without visiting and honoring the Vietnam dead. There was a foreign family posing with the three soldiers statue. A little strange. Almost as strange as the foreigners throwing deuces in front of Lincoln at his memorial. Lots of foreigners. Lots of different languages being spoken on the streets. I don't think we've seen an American family yet. Lots of Hispanics based on clothes and language. Interesting.
Next, we walked up to the White House. On the way, we passed the Boy Scout Memorial. Weird, but the statue is of a cub scout (a small boy) with a full grown and very well developed man and a woman. The many is naked, with just something covering his modesty. The woman has a flame in her hand. Weird message. Anyway, we hit the White House visitors center, and did a quick photo op of the south lawn. Didn't get tickets to the tour, as too little notice of our trip. Across Freedom Plaza, shot of Pennsylvania leading up to the Capital building, and then back on the subway to eat at The Diner. As we got off the subway, it started raining, turning to snow. We are on the southern edge of a huge storm that is going to dump up to a foot of snow on the NE. It is slowly trying to accumulate here, which means the hostel is packed with people trying to stay dry and warm. Busy night ahead, as we are right outside the kitchen, and bathroom. Private room, but busy hallway. Ahh, its alright. I would still recommend the place. Lots of people to talk to, if you are more sociable than I am. I mean, I am sitting here typing on a computer rather than going to talk to the Australian girls that just caught a taxi in to the hostel. Well, more tomorrow.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)