A Winter Escape to the Enchanted Forest-Jan'13 TR:**5/21 Parting Thoughts/New PTR!

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Today I had the opportunity to try something I had been wanting to do for a long time. Watch the sunrise from the Lincoln Memorial. Of course, attempting this required waking up at 4:30am. Weather websites were pointing to a 7:00am sunrise which meant that I needed to arrive at the memorial before 6:30 to catch all of the gorgeous colors that usually precedes the actual sunrise. Getting to Lincoln Memorial is always tricky especially for someone like me who has extreme parking-phobia inside the District. I will go to extreme lengths to avoid driving into the District if there’s a whiff of the possibility that finding a decent parking spot will be difficult. And I am fully aware how irrational this can get! I think this fear has its roots in from the time I pulled in to a garage gate in DC that turned out to be contract parking only. Way to put signs up at the entrance of the driveway people! As I was staring at the gate that wouldn’t open obviously because I didn’t have a card, another car pulled up right behind me and boxed me in. There was an-ever-so-small room to attempt a u-turn so I went all Austin Powers and performed a dozen or so inch-forward and inch-backwards maneuvers. DW was so embarrassed. The kids were laughing it up. I didn’t have the courage to look at the reaction of the driver behind me but I’m sure it was a mixture of annoyance and frustration. Or maybe the phobia is rooted in all those times impatient cabbies honked at me while I’m trying to perfect a parallel parking on a one way street on the LEFT side of the road. HATE doing left sided parallel parking. Ok, got really sidetracked there.

Bottomline was that on a weekday during spring break week, I reeeeeally wasn’t feeling it and I took the Metro. The slight problem with that is there are no Metro stations close to the Lincoln Memorial. You either have to walk from Arlington Cemetery Station or Foggy Bottom Station both of which is about a mile out. I ended up picking Arlington Cemetery. Arrived at the station at 6 am and walked across the Memorial Bridge with the Lincoln Memorial in sight.

From the Memorial Bridge

IMG_0129 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

The bridge was practically empty of pedestrians. There were a couple of people in their Army uniforms with giant backpacks walking across the bridge with me on the other side. The full moon was still up but slowly fading.
When I arrived at the Lincoln Memorial, it was practically empty.


IMG_0136 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

There were two people at the bottom of the stairs who had set up their tripods. It looked like they were putting together of a time-lapse picture or video for the sunrise. At the top of the stairs, a lone tourist sat waiting for the sunrise. I climbed up the stairs and walked inside of the memorial. It was completely empty. And it was so peaceful.


IMG_0140 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0143 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

You never see an empty Lincoln Memorial during regular hours. You know how it feels to walk down Main Street before the park opens. This was 10 times that feeling. It was just me and President Lincoln in his almost imposing but inspiring pose.

Around 6:20am, I looked out towards the Reflection Pool and caught the first glimpses of colors filling the horizon.

IMG_0142 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

It was absolutely beautiful. Well, if I was being picky the scaffolding around the bottom half of the Washington Monument was the only little glitch. Sort of like the crane next to Cinderella’s Castle when they put up and take off the Holiday lights. But the colors of the sky were absolutely mesmerizing that I barely had time to notice. The colors slowly changed from red to orange to yellow as the sun started making its way above the horizon.


IMG_0156 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


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I really lucked out with the weather. Mostly clear skies but just enough clouds to reflect off the colors.


IMG_0176 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0185 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

By the time the sun rose at 7am, there were a good number of people with me. Most of them had photography equipment. One guy was practically bouncing from one corner of the Reflection Pool with his tripod to the other. Several joggers stopped to take a breather and take in the sight. And for a few minutes, I stopped taking pictures and just immersed myself in the experience watching the sun slowly rise. Until I could no longer stare because, well, you’re not suppose to stare at the sun!

Here’s another tip if you ever get to try this. Once the sun comes up and you can no longer look towards the east because you forgot to bring your sunglasses like I did, turn around and walk back up to the Lincoln Memorial. The statue of President Lincoln usually doesn’t get much natural light for most of the day since he tucked all the way to the back of the memorial. The exception is during this short window of time right after the sun has risen when the sun shines directly and straight inside the memorial. The statue was bathed in orange and yellow light. It was remarkable.


IMG_0188 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0190 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0195 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0200 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

I decided to head next to the Korean War Veterans Memorial which is on the south side (If you’re like me, it’s to your right when you’re looking towards the direction of the Washington Monument) of the Reflection Pool near the Lincoln Memorial. Last time I visited this memorial it was at night which gives it a very different look. The memorial is primarily composed of two parts. A long granite wall with images of soldiers is on one side. Next to it are 19 statues of soldiers from a patrol squad in full combat gear.


IMG_0208 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0209 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


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IMG_0228 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

There is also a fountain pool at the other end but it was turned off for seasonal reasons I’m guessing. I don’t know if it was just me, but this was one of the memorials I didn’t know about until I moved here. And when I ask our friends and families who come to visit, they usually are unaware of this memorial despite having been completed 18 years ago. Now, it is a memorial I visit the most.

Next Up: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Tidal Basin, and White House

 

[khertz]

We had one of those during the three years living in Houston. The snow and ice was no where as exciting as trying to dodge the drivers on the road a lot of whom didn't know what to do!

This is totally us! One year it snowed on Christmas and everyone was so excited for a white Christmas until we realized no one could drive in the snow and then no one came to the house for Christmas dinner. It was a white but QUIET Christmas, for sure.

I definitely like the new castle show a lot more than the old one. There's also a Wreck It Ralph projection too!

CAN'T WAIT! We love Wreck It Ralph!!!

DW's cousin was in town for a conference a couple of weeks ago and asked us if there would be enough things to do when she brings her kids back for 3-4 days. I told her absolutely! In fact, one could easily plan out an entire week of activities including a couple of side trips. I think there's a lot of things for your DS here. You should absolutely let me know when you're putting together your trip to DC and would be happy to help out!

I definitely will! We did a lot in just those few days, but we missed so much! I had really wanted to go to Alexandria and we never had time to do that. There is a Wyndham resort there, but it's smaller so it was all booked up by the time we decided we were taking the trip. We ended up staying in National Harbor, MD, and it was gorgeous! But there is still so many things I wanted to see. We also went at the end of May and it was REALLY hot and I was pregnant so I didn't get to enjoy as much as I would have another time of year. I hope if we can get there again we can go in the Spring or Fall.

Oops, got caught up in replying to the quoted post and forgot to say, those photos of the Memorial are breathtaking! I'm sure it was totally worth the dedication necessary to get there that early and capture it. I did lol at your parking story as I played it in my mind! We were both freaked out about driving there too, and actually only did it once to get to a restaurant outside the city that DH wanted to try, but it ended up being in a SCARY part of town and I wouldn't even get out of the car so we drove back to National Harbor and had dinner there instead!! I remember making a note of a Metro station near sketchy restaurant and DH joked that we should have taken it there. When I went back to work to talk to my friend who lived in DC for a few years, I asked her, "What would you think if I told you we had taken the Metro to xx stop to have dinner?" And I'll never forget the look of shock on her face! She was relieved when I told her we didn't actually do that!!!

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

I definitely will! We did a lot in just those few days, but we missed so much! I had really wanted to go to Alexandria and we never had time to do that. There is a Wyndham resort there, but it's smaller so it was all booked up by the time we decided we were taking the trip. We ended up staying in National Harbor, MD, and it was gorgeous! But there is still so many things I wanted to see. We also went at the end of May and it was REALLY hot and I was pregnant so I didn't get to enjoy as much as I would have another time of year. I hope if we can get there again we can go in the Spring or Fall.

Oops, got caught up in replying to the quoted post and forgot to say, those photos of the Memorial are breathtaking! I'm sure it was totally worth the dedication necessary to get there that early and capture it. I did lol at your parking story as I played it in my mind! We were both freaked out about driving there too, and actually only did it once to get to a restaurant outside the city that DH wanted to try, but it ended up being in a SCARY part of town and I wouldn't even get out of the car so we drove back to National Harbor and had dinner there instead!! I remember making a note of a Metro station near sketchy restaurant and DH joked that we should have taken it there. When I went back to work to talk to my friend who lived in DC for a few years, I asked her, "What would you think if I told you we had taken the Metro to xx stop to have dinner?" And I'll never forget the look of shock on her face! She was relieved when I told her we didn't actually do that!!!

National Harbor has probably changed quite a bit since you were there with more restaurants/shops opening. They also just opened the relocated Children's Museum. We haven't tried it yet but it does sound like the size of the museum is quite small compared to the ones in other cities. Plus, they just got a ballot measure passed that will allow a casino hotel to be built there so stay tuned.

Now I'm really curious to which restaurant and which neighborhood your DH was looking at.

 

[Harters2WDW]

Thanks! Got another update coming up later tonight from my sunrise/morning tour of the memorials.

Yes, the city is packed! Noticed again today.

I take it you're a Hoosier! I went to U of Minn, so during tournament time I become a Big 10 fan. This morning as I was visiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, four guys who appeared to be from the Hoosiers basketball team walked by. Not sure if they were players or student assistants but I went ahead and wished them a good game tonight!

Yesterday, as I was waiting for my reservation time for dinner I was hanging out at the lounge of the Renaissance Hotel when the Miami team returned from their practice. Had no idea they were staying at that hotel.

Yes, a Hoosier! Ah, Minnesota had a great team and I am sad to see they let Tubby go! Tanks for the good vibes for the Hoosiers (too bad it ended poorly). I love how Big Ten school grads cheer for other Big Ten schools! That's what I am doing now! You're giving me some great ideas for future DC trips -- in addition to feeding my Disney love!

 

[Harters2WDW]

Oh.my.gooodness. Those are some of the best photos I have ever seen of the monuments. Breath taking and incredible. I can't even imagine being alone with Lincoln. Wow. Gorgeous. Incredible. Beautiful....you get the point! I love them!

 

[arbolita]

A little behind...

That's so cool that DD was able to meet Merida, and that she had such a great experience with her! I love the shots you got of Merida talking to DD - looks like she was really getting into it =)

The Tomorrowland Speedway is one of the rides I'm really excited to go on with my nephews, for the reasons you explained - I remember how cool and exciting it was to "drive" one of the cars, and I can't wait to give them the same experience!

I love the picture of the little clam dudes on the Little Mermaid ride - my camera didn't do well enough in low light to be able to get it.

Love your pictures of the Washington Monument (even with the scaffolding, haha).

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Yes, a Hoosier! Ah, Minnesota had a great team and I am sad to see they let Tubby go! Tanks for the good vibes for the Hoosiers (too bad it ended poorly). I love how Big Ten school grads cheer for other Big Ten schools! That's what I am doing now! You're giving me some great ideas for future DC trips -- in addition to feeding my Disney love!

I was pretty disappointed with the Hoosier's loss as well. Hopefully they can continue to build on this. I'm also rooting for the Wolverine right now, but things are not looking good as we speak. Yup, I'm a Big 10 guy through and through. Not only did I go to Minnesota for undergrad, but have ties to Ohio State and IU for subsequent schooling and training. Although it's still hard to root for anyone else during Big 10 play.

Oh.my.gooodness. Those are some of the best photos I have ever seen of the monuments. Breath taking and incredible. I can't even imagine being alone with Lincoln. Wow. Gorgeous. Incredible. Beautiful....you get the point! I love them!

Thank you so much for the kind words! Had a lot of fun taking the pictures. Got more on the way from yesterday once I find a break between the games!

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

A little behind...

That's so cool that DD was able to meet Merida, and that she had such a great experience with her! I love the shots you got of Merida talking to DD - looks like she was really getting into it =)

The Tomorrowland Speedway is one of the rides I'm really excited to go on with my nephews, for the reasons you explained - I remember how cool and exciting it was to "drive" one of the cars, and I can't wait to give them the same experience!

I love the picture of the little clam dudes on the Little Mermaid ride - my camera didn't do well enough in low light to be able to get it.

Love your pictures of the Washington Monument (even with the scaffolding, haha).

Merida was so good. Every time I look at her pictures with DD, the more impressed I am with her interactions.

The clams - I almost missed them. I just happened to look low and saw them peaking in and out and barely got a couple of shots off.

I'm going to have to go out again for another sunrise once those scaffolding comes down from the Washington Monument. However long that takes.

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

**Continuing with the second half of my DC tour yesterday**

I walked over to opposite side of the Reflection Pool to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. More visitors were present at this memorial compared to the Korean War Memorial but still very empty. There were flowers lined up and leaning against each panel of names. A couple of visitors were pointing to specific names on the wall.


IMG_0231 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0237 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

I’m always struck by how effectively this and other memorials are in paying tribute and respect to all of the men and women who sacrificed. The design, architecture, statues, and the layout all come together to implicitly convey this to the visitor.

Well, to almost everyone. There was a guy in his late 30s to early 40s I first noticed in front of the Lincoln Memorial who had a track suit on and was playing with a soccer ball. He was kicking it up in the air over and over again. It was quite annoying but borderline disrespectful considering that he was merely a few yards away from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. That same person (and I’m refraining very hard from calling him any names) later came running through the Vietnam Memorial and right by the wall all the while dribbling and kicking his soccer ball!! Maybe I’m being overly sensitive but I thought it was extremely disrespectful and ignorant. Sorry, done with my rant now.

I walked over to the World War II Memorial located on the other end of the Reflection Pool opposite from the Lincoln Memorial. The path lining along the Reflection Pool was nearly deserted with the occasional jogger.


IMG_0240 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

There was a major construction project or update underway with an excavator digging out a lot of dirt. The fountains were turned off. I walked through the memorial and headed to the Tidal Basin. This week and weekend was originally slated to be the peak of the Cherry Blossoms. Mother Nature had other ideas by providing the area with colder than average temperatures for the month of March and the blooms are late now. So much so that I didn’t find a single Cherry Blossom Tree that had bloomed as I circled around the Basin.

This is pretty much what all the trees looked like. You can see that the buds are just beginning to open up.

IMG_0245 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

I’ll have to come back with my family next weekend when it’s expected to peak. And by then, I’m hoping for less crowds.

There are a couple of these trees along the path that circles the Basin. I call these limbo trees. You either can walk around them over on the unpaved side or you can go under them while trying not to tip into the water!

IMG_0248 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

First on the Tidal Basin trail was the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.


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Next, FDR Memorial.


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I should point out how empty all of these memorials were. I visited all of these memorials by 8:30am and each one it felt like I was the only person there. I did see a “Photo Safari” tour composed of a dozen or so folks with cameras that were as big or bigger than mine! What I’m trying to say is that the Rope Drop Strategy works for DC as well!

** Continued in Next Post **

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

My last stop along the Tidal Basin was the Jefferson Memorial.

This sign being held by the most overfed squirrel ever amused me against the background of the bare Cherry Blossom trees.

IMG_0308 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0309 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

As I was approaching this memorial, 4 tour buses pulled up to the parking lot and unloaded about a hundred students. TOUR GROUP ALERT!! And they’re wearing matching bright highlighter colored sweaters!!


IMG_0312 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

My Disney instincts try to kick in telling my body to turn the opposite direction. But, there's only one place to go around here which was the Jefferson Memorial. Actually, they were all well behaved middle school students.


IMG_0319 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

It did get crowded inside the memorial and loud.


IMG_0324 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

So I sat down and just waited for them to clear out. In about 15 minutes, the tour group leaders gathered the students and left. I finally got a chance to take some pictures.


IMG_0327 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


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Also helped out a couple who was taking turns posing in front of Jefferson’s statue while the other one took the picture. I asked them if they would like for me to take a picture of them together and they happily accepted. The guy then asked if I wanted a picture and I told him I was good.

I finished circling around the Tidal Basin and walked up towards the Washington Monument. Too cold for these I think.


IMG_0352 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


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I think the scaffolding on the Washington Monument just recently went up as I don’t remember seeing them during my numerous recent drive-bys. As you may know, they never reopened the monument after the earthquake a couple of years ago that caused serious structural damage to the monument. It looks like they finally put together a plan to repair it. This is a job that I could never do.


IMG_0358 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

If I was up that high, I would be holding on to the pole for dear life!
I walked through the Ellipse across the other side of Constitution Ave and headed towards the White House. For pedestrians, you can view the White House from the Ellipse side or from Pennsylvania Ave.


IMG_0361 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

They were setting up for a big event in the back lawn of the White House. I’m guessing it is for the annual White House Egg Roll. One of these days, I’m going to look into putting our family in the lottery for this event. I walked over further west and in front of the Eisenhower Executive Building and came across The First Division Monument out front.


IMG_0372 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


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There are so many statues and monuments placed throughout the District that I wasn’t surprised that I never noticed this one before. And I’m pretty sure I walked this same path before!! Must have been blind.

I walked over to Pennsylvania Ave to see the front of the White House. I had viewed the White House from the Ellipse many times, but never tried the Pennsylvania Ave route. This area was so much better and so much closer to the White House.


IMG_0379 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

This section is closed off to vehicular traffic with the exception of police and secret service vehicles. So, there’s plenty of space. Across the street is a small park lined with plenty of benches and several statues including one of Andrew Jackson.


IMG_0376 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

By the time I finished all of this, it was 10:30. I had been walking for the past 4.5 hours and my legs were letting me know it. It was starting to get pretty sore. I was hoping to visit the National Geographic Museum before my 11:30am lunch reservation but I didn’t think I had enough time to view the museum since the restaurant was another 20 minute walk. So, I decided to head straight to the Park Hyatt Hotel in the West End neighborhood. My lunch reservation was at the Blue Duck Tavern which I had never tried before but had heard great things. The restaurant was located inside the hotel. I was about 40 minutes early so I planted myself in one of the comfy seats in the lobby and browsed on the internet using my iPad. I was also seated near the concierge desk so I had fun eavesdropping on the conversations between guests and the concierge. Most of the questions were about how to get to the museums or the memorials. One of the moms decided that she would trek all the way to the Smithsonian Museums and I almost yelled out “Don’t do it! Your kids will be exhausted!”

Finally the restaurant opened for lunch and once again I was the first to be seated. One of the prominent features of this restaurant is the organic source for its ingredients.


Untitled by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


Untitled by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

I went ahead and ordered the popular dishes I read about online. The appetizer – Wood Oven Roasted Bone Marrow with Red Wine Apple Butter and Granola. I know, my first response was probably like yours. “Bone Marrow??” It was actually really good. It came with a few toasted bread and you scooped out the marrow along with the butter and paste it on the bread. Mostly sweet flavoring.


Untitled by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

The Entrée was Braised Beef Rib and I also ordered a side of Hand Cut Triple Fries. Another excellent choice.


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Finally, I had their Apple Pie and a cup of their house coffee which hit the spot perfectly.


Untitled by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

It was time to head back home on the Metro. It was a very fun outing once again. But I am completely exhausted with the lack of sleep and all of the walking. Hmmmm, reminds me of our Disney trips! I had planned on another sunrise visit today along the Virginia side of the Potomac followed by a visit to Arlington Cemetery but decided against it. I may try to do it on the weekend before I head into the hospital. Instead I made a quick trip to the zoo this morning and I will have an update soon. Hope you've enjoyed the mini-tour reports so far!

 

[emmysmommy]

OH MY GOSH!!! Stunning photos of that glorious sunrise at the Lincoln Memorial. (I had a moment when I saw the first photo!) I thoroughly enjoyed your DC tour and photos. It has been years since I've been in the area and even then it was on business so I didn't get a lot of free time to tour. My kids have all taken DC tours (like those middle schoolers I'm sure) when they were little but sad to say I have not.

Even your dining plans looked amazing! Especially the lemon tarts in the "egg shells" - how creative was that!

I look forward to your next installment for the zoo.

BTW: Beautiful photos of the snow. I guess I shouldn't say that its "freezing" here when it dips into the 40s!! Yeah, I'll never see a snow flake in these parts.

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

OH MY GOSH!!! Stunning photos of that glorious sunrise at the Lincoln Memorial. (I had a moment when I saw the first photo!) I thoroughly enjoyed your DC tour and photos. It has been years since I've been in the area and even then it was on business so I didn't get a lot of free time to tour. My kids have all taken DC tours (like those middle schoolers I'm sure) when they were little but sad to say I have not.

Even your dining plans looked amazing! Especially the lemon tarts in the "egg shells" - how creative was that!

I look forward to your next installment for the zoo.

BTW: Beautiful photos of the snow. I guess I shouldn't say that its "freezing" here when it dips into the 40s!! Yeah, I'll never see a snow flake in these parts.

Thank you so much for the compliments!

The egg shells were made of chocolate. It was so good. I have no idea what the material of the nesting was. All I know was that it was edible and I ate it!

We've been relatively snow free the past couple of seasons. I like the occasional snow but Snowmageddon a couple of years ago was just unbearable.

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Continuing with my desperate attempt to hold off from finishing my TR since it's still another 10 months before we get to head back to WDW and sharing my DC tours while my family is out of town.

After waking up at 4:30am the previous morning, I was too exhausted to attempt another sunrise visit to the Potomac River as I had previously planned. But I still woke up early enough to make a quick trip to the Smithsonian National Zoo which was an impromptu decision. I arrived at the zoo by 8:30am. The official opening time for the zoo is 10am when all the buildings and indoor exhibits open their doors. But the zoo grounds are open starting much earlier and a good number of the animals are already in their outdoor enclosures way before 10. For us, 8 to 10am is the perfect time to visit the zoo especially since there are very little people. Also, since we have membership to the zoo parking is free (fees can run up to $20). There are very limited number of parking spots along their four small lots. All of the parking lots are usually full by 10am. If you're visiting DC, taking the Metro may be easier. The nearest station is probably a 10-15 minute walk.

I first headed to see the Cheetahs. On my way, the oryx were out enjoying their breakfast.


IMG_0390 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

Then arrived at the Cheetahs. I still can't believe how quickly the cubs have grown in less than a year since their births!


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Not much running around by the cheetahs. One was sort of pacing the outskirts of their grounds. I next headed to one of my favorite spots to visit this early in the morning. The Giant Pandas!! They are almost always out usually enjoying their bamboo breakfast treats. On my way, stopped to watch the zebras also eating their breakfast.


IMG_0411 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

Finally, made it to the Pandas. On weekends, there are a lot photography enthusiasts lined up against the railings at this time in the morning but today I only spotted one.


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Unbeknownst to me at the time, but the female panda had a big event planned later that same evening. The zookeepers and scientist performed another artificial insemination procedure. They've been trying quite a bit to get another baby panda at the zoo. Last September, the female panda Mei Xiang gave birth to a baby panda but sadly the baby died just after 6 days which is apparently a common occurrence in nature. Keeping our fingers crossed again.

I walked down the main trail up to the Elephant Trails. The elephants are usually not out this early in the morning and this day was no different. So I went down the American Trail from there. The otters were out and performing their usual morning swims.

Next saw the wolves.


IMG_0448 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

Another favorite of mine is the American Bald Eagle who was in the mood of showing off it's awesome wingspan this morning!


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I made it down to Sea Lions. There's this one sea lion that reeeeally likes people. I first noticed it during our last visit a few weeks ago where it would follow our DD back and forth against the viewing glass. This day, the same sea lion swam up to the glass as soon as it saw me. There was nobody else at this viewing station. So I paced back and forth from one end of the glass to the other and the sea lion swam right along next to me back and forth as well! It was very cool!


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I felt bad leaving since the sea lion seemed to be having so much fun. I went up to the seal exhibit where the seal was being fed its breakfast. I keep calling these animals "it" because I have no clue whether they're male or female!


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I left the American Trail and headed towards the Great Cats area. On my way, I spotted the lemurs! They're usually very difficult to find because they're always hiding. But this morning, they were relatively active running around on the backside of the waterfall exhibit.


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My last planned stop were the Great Cats exhibit where the lions and tigers are. It was almost 10am and I think that's when the usual feeding time for the tiger is. It's always around this time when the tiger decides to get up and start pacing around anticipating its meal.


IMG_0539 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

You can see that the tiger likes to go up against the doors where the trainer usually lets it in for its meal time.


IMG_0544 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0549 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

Next the lions who appeared to be settling in nicely for their naps. Not that different from the lions on the Safari at AK!


IMG_0564 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0566 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

Once I finished, it was 10am and the zoo was already getting packed! So I decided to head back home. On my way back to the car, had a brief visit with the orangutan.


IMG_0588 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0592 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

And that concluded my quick visit to the Zoo.

I've got one last photo tour to share from Saturday when I decided to brave the crowds and head to the National Mall after work during which I saw the National Kite Festival associated with the Cherry Blossom Festival and also did a photo tour of the Capitol. After that update, it'll be back to regular programming and continuing the TR with our MK day!

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

DW and the kids came back home yesterday from their trip to Ohio. The kids had a great time with the grandpa and their cousins. Good to have everyone home safely.

Ok, so here's the last installment of my touring of DC. Then, it's back to reliving our days in MK!

I wasn't expecting to do any fun activities this weekend since I was working which was also the reason I couldn't travel with my family. Surprisingly, I finished my rounds at the hospital on Saturday much earlier than anticipated and by the time I got home still had most of the afternoon free! So I decided to make one more trip to the National Mall. Once again I took the Metro into DC because I could picture the traffic being snarled all over DC. I was expecting the Mall to be extremely crowded. It was Easter weekend. There was also a Kite Festival happening as part of the Cherry Blossom Festival. The regional final between Syracuse and Marquette was scheduled at the Verizon Center late afternoon. And to top it off, we were having a perfect spring weather we hadn't seen all month with temperature in the 60s and sunny.

The Metro ride in was very full.


Untitled by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

Lots of families with children. And half of them were carrying a kite. I got off at Federal Triangle since the Smithsonian station would undoubtedly be extremely crowded. It was a short walk from the station to the Washington Monument where the Kite Festival was taking place. It was a pretty cool sight to see so many kites in the air along the base of the Washington Monument. I stood there just looking at the various kites all of the people and families were flying.


IMG_0604 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0606 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0607 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0666 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0664 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

This one was looking towards Constitution Ave from the Mall.

IMG_0668 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0693 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

It was sort of funny how the sky could look completely full one minute and then another minute it would be completely empty when the wind died down. So the festival organizers cleared out a big center area for the featured kite flying. When I got there, there were starting a set of kites that had the theme of the ocean. The wind didn't cooperate as well as everyone hoped. But here's what I saw. The scuba diver kite was the only one they had trouble getting off the ground.


IMG_0646 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0650 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0656 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0644 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0676 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

They also had the "Kite Doctor" station set up in the corner of this area.

IMG_0645 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

I spent another good half hour watching the various kites. It was a lot of fun. It was pretty crowded though and there were the unavoidable and occasional tangling of the kite strings. I walked back toward the base of the Washington Monument as close as I could get since they fenced off a good portion due to construction.Looking towards the direction of the White House captured these images.


IMG_0706 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0696 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0710 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

Also looking back towards the Reflection Pool and the Lincoln Memorial. Note the crowds along the steps. You can also compare this to how things looked during my sunrise tour and get an idea how crowded this day really was.


IMG_0687 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

And if there was any further doubt that this was one of the most crowded days I've seen on the Mall, the lines for the bathrooms were very long.


IMG_0719 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

Decided to walk to the other end of the Mall to take a look around the US Capitol.

***Continued in Next Post***

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

When I hit the museum row along the National Mall, my pager went off so I stood there for a few minutes talking on the phone. As I was finishing the phone call, I noticed this view which inspired me to take a picture. I think DC is a relatively bike friendly city. These bike rental racks are located all around the District especially along the tourist areas.


IMG_0723 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0724 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

Looking towards the Natural History Museum. More crowds just to get in!

IMG_0726 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0727 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

And the crowds and lines to get inside the Air and Space Museum.

IMG_0728 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

I originally intended on visiting the Newseum later in the afternoon after visiting the US Capitol. But seeing all of the crowds and lines made me change my mind. I finally reached the Capitol.


IMG_0737 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0740 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0750 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0753 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0754 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0757 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

As you may be able to tell, the National Mall comes up to the back side of the Capitol. This is where most of the tourists decide to stop to take pictures and they most don't bother to walk around to the front of the building which I think is equally cool to look at if not more. But you can get a great view of the National Mall from this slightly elevated position!


IMG_0758 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

Oh boy. The Crowds. And you can even see the clouds of dusts being generated from all those people!

Making my way around the building to get to the front

IMG_0762 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0765 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

So the the Capitol faces two buildings. One is the Library of Congress to the right which this day had a long line to get in.


IMG_0767 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

The other building to the left is the Supreme Court. Ok, all my DIS friends who visited MK in the past couple of years during the height of the refurbs of Main Street Building will appreciate this picture!


IMG_0766 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0782 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0784 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

The Statue of Freedom that crowns the dome of the US Capitol.

IMG_0769 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

After spending some time taking in the views, I walked back to the Mall side of the Capitol.


IMG_0791 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

Got a closer look at the Ulysses Grant Memorial.

IMG_0799 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0803 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

Also, this was a pretty cool look at the top of the Memorial. There were a LOT of middle school student tour groups roaming the District all week. This group was a very large one with probably 150-200 students. I saw them from this angle where they were lining the entire stairway of one side of the memorial.


IMG_0796 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

I decided to head home afterwards. My legs just about had it with all of the abuse for the last several days. I walked down Pennsylvania Ave from the Capitol and as I was crossing it in front of the Newseum, took these.


IMG_0812 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr


IMG_0813 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

Overall, had a very enjoyable week with my camera and visiting the sites that I thought I knew but found different and new things. Hope you all enjoyed them!

 

[afwdwfan]

Wow, that was a very busy, full weekend in DC. I have to say that I agree with you about the parking. I'm not sure I'd ever want to drive in DC. Especially with the cab drivers. I've ridden in quite a few cabs there and I'm not sure I've ever ridden in one that doesn't have any body damage on it. And the way they just pull out in front of traffic. I've pretty much decided I don't want to drive there before I even get to the point of thinking about the parking issue.

Awesome shots from the morning at the Lincoln Memorial. Well worth the effort to get up early and head out there to see all the memorials and monuments. You mush have walked a few miles that morning.

I did find your comment about the well-behaved group of middle school students to be kind of funny. I believe that's a bit of an oxymoron.

That kite festival looks kind of cool to see, but I definitely wouldn't want to be flying a kite there. I don't enjoy untangling things.

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

Wow, that was a very busy, full weekend in DC. I have to say that I agree with you about the parking. I'm not sure I'd ever want to drive in DC. Especially with the cab drivers. I've ridden in quite a few cabs there and I'm not sure I've ever ridden in one that doesn't have any body damage on it. And the way they just pull out in front of traffic. I've pretty much decided I don't want to drive there before I even get to the point of thinking about the parking issue.

DC cab drivers are a bit of a different breed compared to NYC cab drivers. They're not as aggressive but at the same time they are more purposefully indecisive which leads to them frequently straddling two lanes or driving 5 miles an hour on a 35 zone. They tend to frustrate me to no end.

Awesome shots from the morning at the Lincoln Memorial. Well worth the effort to get up early and head out there to see all the memorials and monuments. You mush have walked a few miles that morning.

I have tallied it up how many miles I walked this past week but I'm guessing it's on par with the amount of walking I usually do at WDW!

I did find your comment about the well-behaved group of middle school students to be kind of funny. I believe that's a bit of an oxymoron.

It's a sliding scale.

That kite festival looks kind of cool to see, but I definitely wouldn't want to be flying a kite there. I don't enjoy untangling things.

I had to dodge a couple of times to avoid getting speared in the head by a kite taking a nose dive or getting decapitated by a sideways swinging kite string!

 

[khertz]

National Harbor has probably changed quite a bit since you were there with more restaurants/shops opening. They also just opened the relocated Children's Museum. We haven't tried it yet but it does sound like the size of the museum is quite small compared to the ones in other cities. Plus, they just got a ballot measure passed that will allow a casino hotel to be built there so stay tuned.

Now I'm really curious to which restaurant and which neighborhood your DH was looking at.

It was called Ray's the Steaks!

Love those pictures from the kite festival!! How cool! But wow, so many people. So fun when you can spend the weekend as a tourist in a place so close by. Love doing that with long weekends in New Orleans!

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

It was called Ray's the Steaks!

Love those pictures from the kite festival!! How cool! But wow, so many people. So fun when you can spend the weekend as a tourist in a place so close by. Love doing that with long weekends in New Orleans!

I was thinking more about it and I don't think I can recall seeing that level of crowds before.

Ray's the Steaks - I know where that is although I haven't tried it yet. It's actually in Arlington and in a pretty decent neighborhood so you would have been just fine!

Another fun fact - the owner is the same as the one who used to operate Ray's Hellburger. They had the best burgers in the DC area if you ask me (yup, even better than Five Guys!! ) and our Commander in Chief would agree as he used to make frequent visits to the joint once with the Russian Prime Minister (not Putin). Sadly, they got into some kind of dispute with the landlord of the strip mall where they were located and the restaurant got shuttered!!! They have another restaurant called Ray's to the Third a few blocks down that continues to serve Hellburgers. Boy, do I still miss the place.

 

[DaveinFallsChurch]

IMG_6736 by DaveinFallsChurch, on Flickr

Easing myself back into my Disney TR after that week long interlude. This one was taken during my short but very enjoyable solo time in MK while the rest of the family went back to the resort for some swim time. I had a chance to really appreciate the details of New Fantasyland during that time.