Monday July 11

July 12, 2022

Monday July 11

Earlier start needed today to get downtown and find parking before our 10am tour of the Washington Monument. Sadly the boys take forever to get in gear and with a 40 min commute, we arrived near the Capitol building after 9. Took a while to find a meter to park at and thankfully it was for four hours. Phew.

We meandered around and Jacob spotted one bike rents rack so we pulled 4 bikes and pedalled like demons for 10 blocks to get there.

Sadly, they were half an hour behind so we stood in the blazing sun but eventually got up the elevator 500ft to some spectacular views of DC. The windows for viewing were extremely small but it was still pretty cool.

Back down to the street and immediate purchase of a few bottles of water as some of the tours don’t allow water or food so you are constantly buying food and water between yours. It is 90 degrees and nary a breeze to be found in most places this week.

We’ve met some interesting folks from around the country in each of our lineups.

Into the American Museum of History for 90 minutes. Great stuff on American Presidents and First Ladies and a million other displays of American History. What a shocker. 😉

Played an interactive game of The Price is Right and I won!! Yeah!

Krista have a news brief as the President- she really enjoyed that.

Time was running out on the parking meter so Darren grabbed a rental bike and hoofed it hard back to the car ALL UPHILL DANG IT! Another 3 hours in the meter and park the bike and jog a few blocks to the Capitol building for our 130pm tour. Phew!

Family rolled up at 130 with some nibbles and we inhaled them and headed in!

Capitol tours are extremely limited with huge security changes since both 9/11 and Jan 6. We went upstairs and into the great hall under the dome where we spent time with the numerous giant paintings and many many full bust statues of famous politicians but were rushed out to see the old meeting rooms of the senate and house but none of the current rooms. 45 mins flew by and we were off to the car before our parking expired. So so so hot!

Arrived at the car and drove back to the street behind the Smithsonian buildings and amazingly found a parking meter that was available AND had 1:47 of paid time on it! Cha ching!! The boys were museumed out so hit a sports bar with Wifi while Krista and I toured the National Art Gallery.

We still can’t get over how absolutely huge all the buildings are - huge pillars a hundred feet in the air - built mostly to rival museums in Europe I suppose but also to increase the wow factor of the American experience. Sometimes it seems like a giant waste of space though.

We saw one Da Vinci work with two sides to it. Even Rodin’s Thinker as well.

90 minutes flew by - back to the car. Retrieved boys and back to our hotel.

Had to stop at a gas station yet again as the car won’t stop registering a low tire pressure light even though all the tires are at 40. Weird.

I dropped the family off and headed to Costco gas nearby to fill up with cheaper fuel. Stopped at Taco Bell and bought a giant bag of assorted tacos and 2 giant pop as the boys/us were borderline hangry after a busy day out in the heat and no proper lunch today.

I’ve never seen humans eat that fast to be honest. Lol.

Quick shower and out the door to drive half an hour to a seafood restaurant in Arlington near the Pentagon. Met an old dear friend and teacher Melissa, her hubby Brian who is in the military here and their two boys.

We had some oysters for appetizers and then out came A GIANT BUCKET OF 18 BLUE CRABS!! Delicious!! We cracked and crunched away for 2 hours and had a tremendous visit. A huge thank you to Melissa and Brian for getting off a plane from Florida and coming to meet us for supper on a work night. So awesome!