Tuesday, April 2, 2013

East Coast Vacation Recap: Washington DC

You can read part one of our East Coast vacay HERE, part two HERE, and part three HERE.
After returning to Delaware post NYC rendevous, we had a really lovely family day spent catching up with the people that really brought us out to the East Coast (NYC and sightseeing was just a bonus!).  It was the perfect day: breakfast and haircuts and chatting all around.
The day after our family fun, we headed to Washington DC with Aunt Delaware and company!  We left Delaware way too early for me, but it worked out because I got to take a little snooze in the car (I'm like an infant in that if you put me in a car for longer than 30 minutes and I'm not the one driving, I'm out like a light).

After driving by to get a glimpse of the Pentagon, we stopped first at the Arlington National Cemetary.





There was something really exquisitely sad and beautiful all at the same time at Arlington.  The most heart-renching part was the fact that there were literally burials happening all around us.  Everywhere you looked, it seemed they were prepping a site or just finishing up.  It really put it in perspective that we were not simply at a park with neatly lined little grey stones, but a cemetery surrounded by loss.  Sad as it were, I think it was my favorite part of our Washington DC day.  I felt very patriotic surrounded by such brave soldiers' spirits, and the Tomb of the Unknown was especially moving.
After Arlington, we took an unintended and surprise driving tour of the city because holy shit, there is nowhere to park in DC!  After Spunkmaster Flex got sufficiently agitated, he decided to ditch us at one of the many Smithsonians (specifically the Air and Space Musuem) to go find a place to park without his entourage.
We spent quite a while people watching (including watching my strange Handsome Hubs as he photographed completely random people, walked aimlessly, and entertained us unknowingly).
Smithsonian steps chillin
Washington Monument
The Capitol

After Spunk got a parking spot, we headed in to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum for a quick bite to eat, and to check out some cool airplanes that had me thinking of my Hat Daddy (who used to be an aircraft mechanic by trade).


From the museum, we hoofed it to the Capitol where obviously HH and I had to stop for some snapshots.
My handsome future lawyer standing in front of a lawyer-lookin' building

After checking out the Capital (the most prestigious looking building, in my opinion), we went over to the real gem of the city, at least according to HH.  What was that?  The SCOTUS aka The Supreme Court of the United States.  HH was super bummed to find out that the facade of the building was being remodeled however, and we were stuck looking at a fancy sheet instead of the front of the esteemed SCOTUS itself.

Didn't stop me from hopping in front for a photo, though.

We went inside, where HH seriously nerded out over things like the marble and statues of really old guys.  #Imsonotapoliticalsciencejunkie


Handsome Hubbo and I stayed back for a lecture on all things Supreme Court, while Aunt DE and co hit the road to check out another museum or two.  After taking a short snooze listening to the lecture, HH and I met up with Aunt D, swung by the White House for some photos, and just as quickly as it began, our day in DC came to an end.


Next week I'll be back with my final East Coast Vacation Recap (oh you know, just over a month after we returned, whateva) with some photos and deets from our day in Philadelphia (and what we really thought of our authentic Philly Cheesesteaks) before we headed back to the Best Coast.  
 
Helene in Between

4 comments:

  1. LOVE these pictures!! You guys look like you had so much fun!! =) I loved stalking some of your photos on instagram too! =)

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  2. that cememtary photo is so moving. and i haven't been to DC in so long, this makes me want to go back!!

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  3. Love the pics! I live about an hour from DC and have been countless time but I still love visiting and always find new things to do!

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  4. I agree with you about Arlington! I went to DC a few years back and I couldn't even fathom how incredible humbling it was to see all those graves of people who died to protect our lives and liberty!

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