Exploring the Other Coast

Since Hannah wasn't able to experience an 8th grade trip to DC/NY through her school like Emily did, I took it upon myself to plan an East Coast trip for her. We included my mom, brother, Park and sister-in-law, Hilda, and Emily's friend, Shawna and her dad, Willy.

Highlight Stats:
13 Days
6 States: explored 2; drove through 4; 1 District
1 Airbnb; 4 Hotels
3 Airlines
1 Metro ride; 6 Subway rides
21 Uber rides
2 Rental cars
689 Miles of driving
148,076 Steps
11 National Memorials
3 Government Tours
1 National Cemetery
10 Museums
1 College
1 Broadway Show
20 Restaurant Meals
1 Thunderstorm
15 Mosquito Bites
8 roadkills (7 deer and 1 black bear) and 1 car abandoned in the middle of the freeway
1 High School Friend reunited
1 Cousin's Family reunited

Lincoln Memorial

Reflecting Pool

Riding the Metro

Pentagon 9/11 Memorial- Emily & I weren't able to visit this the last time so I was so glad we were able to this time around.

Another addition was Ford's Theater where Abraham Lincoln was shot in his balcony seat and then taken across the street to the house where he eventually died.

I also was able to get a tour (through our congressman) of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing where they print all our paper money and...

.... a tour of the Federal Bureau of Investigation

The International Spy Museum was not a free museum but it was very interesting and also connected some of the things we learned in the FBI tour.

DC's newest museum is the Museum of the Bible which opened in 2017 which utilizes the most up-to-date technology to showcase the Living Bible and it's importance and significance to our past, present and future.

Museum of the Bible

And YES DC has a Chinatown too, Mom.

We headed out to George Washington's home, Mount Vernon and took this beautiful shot before a thunderstorm rolled in ...

.. and completely drenched us.

We rented cars to drive down to Colonial Williamsburg, the largest live museum

My brother really wanted to check out the Armory

All of the docents are full-time masters or apprentices of their chosen crafts. It was amazing to see how they are recreating colonial life in the 21st century.

Willy learned how to make a shingle for the roof.

I didn't know they had this exhibit. Bummer I did not go see his works.

 Other places we visited but not pictured:
- Washington Monument
- Korean War Memorial
- Iwo Jima Marine Corps Memorial
- World War II Memorial
- Vietnam Memorial
- Jefferson Memorial
- Arlington Cemetery
- Kennedy Gravesite
- Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
- Changing of the Guard
- Air and Space Museum
- Holocaust Museum
- Pentagon Tour

Highlights & Observations (not generalized but what I experienced or saw):
- DCers and NYers were polite, kind and considerate. I did not meet a rude person there!
- NYers cannot merge onto the freeway. They either completely stop or slow down.
- NYers don't pull to the right and stop when a active ambulance is behind them; instead they keep driving or speed up to out run them!
- The United States values those who died to serve our country and even posts a guard 24/7 to those who are unknown. They also value memorializing and preserving artifacts from history and events unlike some other countries we visited.
- Food is expensive but very tasty.
- Did not enjoy the heat, humidity and mosquitoes
- Recommend "Free Tours on Foot " tours
- Request governmental tours far in advance; at least 3 months

NEXT POST: The Big Apple