2002 Washington DC

The standard start for our trips... the McDonalds at CVG airport.

We walk across the street to a McDonalds and camp out at a table and wait for Gina. Bad move... every homeless person on the street must use this McDonald's bathrooms and we are sitting targets for the "can you spare some change" question. Hurry up Gina!

And what do you know... they are actually open! Well, at least for another hour according to the sign by the door. We go through the first of many metal detector/xray checks and are finally inside something besides the subway, hotel, and McDonald restrooms. *** Among other things, we saw the Hope diamond (yawn) and a really interesting display of skeletons from animals of all sizes and shapes.

With Gina feeling better, we hike off to the Museum.

On our way back to the Metro we walked by the Smithsonian castle. Back at the hotel the kids wanted to swim of course so we did our usual routine of taking an afternoon break. The pool at the hotel is on the roof so that yielded some interesting views. *** After swimming we headed out for some food before seeing some of the monuments at night.

We first try the deli we had ate at earlier. Closed. We walk around a bit looking for some place and find nothing. Fine... I guess everything downtown is closed at 5:00. We decide the selection will be better by the mall so we jump on the subway and head there. *** Against my better judgement, we go with Gina suggestion of just walking around and "we'll find something". 1:15 minutes later the closest we had come was a diner that looked open but wasn't. We tried the Old Post Office and asked a few people where food could be found... any food at this point. In our wandering around we had seen a TGIF several blocks away and at the time thought we could do better than the 45+ minutes wait they had. No wonder they had wait, it's the only place you can find food in a 3 mile radius. *** By this time Kyle has had enough walking and we had long ago exhausted our supply of Honey'N'Oat bars. Executive decision... we head back to TGIF. We get there and by now (about 8:45) there no longer appears to be a line, at least not extending out the door. I check and find there is still a 35 minute wait. As we sat and waited the sun went down and took all that great photographic side-lighting with it. We were finally seated about 9:20. Great- bring on the food. *** We wait, and wait, and wait... finally our waiter shows up a full 10 minutes after we sit down. We had decided long ago while waiting outside what we wanted. We order and of course it is one of those waiters that doesn't write anything down (do they expect that to impress me when I have an empty stomach and two kids who have had enough walking and we've only been here 10 hours???). He memorizes the order and disappears. *** More people are seated that were waiting outside with us. Their servers come, take their orders, and bring their food. We have yet to see our waiter since we ordered. He finally brings us drinks, well everyone but me. Another couple of minutes and my drink shows up. We wait a total of 30 minutes for the food to come and get this- it doesn't even come at the same time. Ryan & Kyle's grilled cheese sandwhiches arrive first (did they have to milk the cows and make the cheese?!?). The waiter explains he didn't want that to get cold while the rest was being cooked. Argh! Finally Gina's comes and a few minutes later mine shows up... 10 minutes after the first plate came out. What a horrible experience.

Stomachs somewhat full and wallet somewhat emptier, we walk to the mall and to see the capital and Washington Monument at night. We didn't have much time thanks to the bozo waiter at TGIF so we'll have to come back to see the others. *** On the way back to the hotel, we hit the CVS across the street and stock up on granola and cereal bars so we won't starve tomorrow.

A new day, a new quest for food. Yesterday did not go exactly as planned so hopefully today will be better.

First stop is to try the FBI tour again. What do you know... it is actually open! No sign of Mulder and Scully though... I want my money back. We were able to see some of the labs and what has to be the largest collection of guns in the country. *** Afterwards we had a quick meal at the McDonald's across from the FBI building (we are learning you get the food whenever you can) and then it was off to the Air and Space Museum.

We think there is food in this building someplace... although everytime we stopped by it was closed.

You can't beat the Metro for getting around... now if the subway stations were just located somewhere near where we wanted to go.

Next stop is the Air and Space Museum.

And then it was back to the hotel for some swimming. Do the kids look cold? Although it was early July and the temperature had hit 99 just one week earlier, we were very fortunate to have comfortable high 70s to low 80s with low humidity... with a slight breeze on top of the hotel it was almost chilly. *** We headed off for another round of famous monuments around 6:00 to be sure we could find food. I had seen that the Hirschorn Museum of Modern Art was having an "Art on the Mall" night and the associated Full Circle Cafe would be open until 8:00- great we would be able to eat tonight.

Our first stop was the capital.

Right on schedule we hit the Full Circle about 7:30, a bit tired and very hungry. Let's see what is on the menu... Maple Roasted Turkey, Roast Eye of Round Beef, Albacore Tuna, Fried Chicken Picnic Basket, etc. Sounds great! Gina and I opt to split a Maple Roasted Turkey figuring it would be a big sandwhich ("Breast of turkey with a maple glaze on hearty seven grain bread with tomato, green leaf lettuce, and roasted garlic mayonaise"). The kids split the Fried Chicken Picnic Basket ("Crispy fried chicken with cole slaw and cornbread muffin"). After the standard inflated prices for drinks and the ridiculous 12+% tax it comes to over $25. Boy these better be good meals...

A few minutes later our number is called and we pick up the food. It is in two generic plastic clam shell containers. The sandwich has about $.50 worth of ingredients and the chicken is cold- like refrigerator cold. We sit down and stare at our miserable little pile of food, a little voice saying "I can't believe I just paid $25 for this". The kids immediately decide they don't like cold chicken and take it up to see if it can be heated. Gina and I split the dried up sandwich. The kids pick at the shriveled thigh and drumstick. I eventually give up convincing myself I'm any less hungry and wonder around taking pictures.

With our bellies full (or so we keep telling ourselves), we head off for the monuments. First stop is the Washington Monument. *** As if Coronel Sanders himself is tempting us, we spy an empty KFC potato wedges box lying on the ground. Arghhhh, what we would not give to find a KFC!

Then the Vietnam Veterans.

Then the Lincoln Memorial. By now we've walked at least 4 miles since getting off the Metro.

It is dark but we press on to see the Washington Monument again in the reflecting pool.

Korean War Memorial- check.

Now it is decision time. We wanted to see the Jefferson Memorial but looking at the map I can see it probably is not as close at it looks (we can see it through the trees though). What the heck, let's go for it. *** Walk, walk, walk. We soon leave all the other tourists behind. Walk, walk, walk. Now we are to the edge of the reflecting pool and can see it across the otherside. I have to stop and get a picture. I setup the tripod, and start to fiddle endlessly with settings. Even in my "camera transe" as Ryan calls it, I hear the rumblings of discontent... that's ok, I just concentrate harder and am soon back in CT mode. After getting a decent shot, I notice I've been left behind.

Walk, walk, walk. This is starting to feel a lot like a hike to Mount LeConte. Walk, walk, walk, Kyle is mumbling something about "not caring, I'm going to go back". I try to explain that we are just about exactly half way around and it is just as short to keep going (not sure if I'm fooling even myself much less him). Walk, walk, walk. We pass through some nifty monument with lots of waterfalls. We don't remember nor really care at this point what/who it is for (it was cool though). *** At last we arrive. Our walk is rewarded with a nearly empty monument. We do a Chevy Chase Vacation style glance around the interior and realize we better get moving or we will miss the last Metro. *** After attending to blisters (always carry bandages and moleskin for this). we are on our way again. Kyle actually seems rejuvenated a bit and I try to keep him distracted by playing "find a food" - taking turns coming up with foods that start with each letter of the alphabet. No doubt a subconscious appeal by my stomach for food. The rest of the hike is a bit of a blur. I remember we got back with about 10 minutes to spare. I also vaguely remember hitting the CVS and buying ice cream, Frutopia, and anything else that looked wet, cold, or both.

We head out bright and early so we can take a tour of the Burea of Engraving. Not surprisingly, we get there and the tickets are all gone. Looking inside the booth we notice a piece of paper that was taped to the glass but had fallen off. It says more tickets will be available in the afternoon. A-ha! Maybe no one else will see the paper. We find out from a guard that more tickets will indeed be available at 3:30.

Next stop is the McDonald's in the Air and Space Museum... I will not go hungry today. After a rather long hike to get there, and further wait to go through the security checkpoint, we come to what has to be the most efficient McDonalds in existance. You give your order to one person, pay another, and finally pick up your food from a third. We wait in line and figure out what we want. *** Wait a second, does that sign really say $6.99 for a combo meal? They must be kidding. Long story short, we order, they screw up and after a confusing series of trips between the order taker, cashier, and food pickup stations we walk away with our $26.49 McDonalds meal. We are thankful, I think it should have been over $30 but with their mixups no one was sure what we ordered and had paid for. It is food, I am happy.

Stomachs full and wallet empty, we head off to the National Art Gallery to kill a bit of time before we try to get Bureau of Engraving tickets again. On the way a vendor doing some kind of promotion has a big cooler full of ice cold flavored water bottles offers us some, for free! Obviously he does not realize the market opportunity he is passing up to gouge and tax us for every cent we have like all the other area vendors.

This is a big building... that is Gina, Ryan, and Kyle going up the steps.

This artist was doing an incredible job of duplicating a painting. I personally would have just taken a picture of it... much easier. The kids lost interest in the paintings pretty quickly and found the benches more their style. *** After putzing around for an hour we trek off again to the Bureau of Engraving. Underestimating just how long it will take to get back there we decide I should run ahead just in case there is a line. I sprint the last 3/4 mile or so and arrive at 3:10 (tickets are available at 3:30) only to find a line. It doesn't look too bad, maybe 200 people or so and based on the volume the FBI tour could handle I figured we stood a good chance. *** Now by July standards the weather was very cool but after my sprint and then standing still in the baking sun it started to get toasty very quickly. Gina and the kids finally arrive, along with another 100 or so people behind me in line. At 3:30 sharp we some signs of activity at the ticket booth. We wait. We wait some more. By 3:40 we have not moved an inch and I'm getting worried. What are they doing, complete background checks on the fly? *** We wait some more. By 3:50 we have moved maybe 15 feet. This does not look good. We finally see a guard and ask him what the deal is. Turns out they only hand out 210 tickets. Of course each person in line represents about 4 tickets for their family members sitting in the nice cool shade. He points to someone about halfways to the ticket booth and says that will be about #210. I ask exactly how early do you have to arrive to get tickets. He suggests 6:30 am, Monday. We bail.

Alright, let's go to plan B and see the Holocaust Museum that is right next door. We enter a really interesting building and wonder over to the information center. Not suprisingly a sign reads "Sorry, all timed-entry passes have been given out for the day". Whatever... we didn't want to go through anyway. *** Seeking someplace to sit down, we go into the audatorium and watch a film on the Museum. Looks cool- we'll come back here tomorrow and see if we can get rejected again.

After the movie we try to salvage the day with our last stop, Arlington Cemetery. Back to the subway again. To our suprise it is actually open. I was half expecting them to be renovating it or something. We purchase tour tickets and head off on a sightseeing bus.