taken on our Spring break trip to California (last week of March)
Showing posts with label vacation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vacation. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
sand and surf
Wow! It's been a whole week since I last posted. But, to my defense, I haven't been sitting around a computer much. I've been enjoying a week away from the normal grind, a week spent with Don and visiting with family.
Last Saturday, we started our road trip to California. We traveled through the Rocky Mountains as it snowed, over the high desert of Utah which was blanketed with snow, and on into the bright sunshine of southern California. We listened to an audio book as we drove and the hours flew by. I thoroughly enjoyed the drive.
We've spent some of our time visiting with family, but most of the time has been spent on or near the beach. There is something about the ocean, the waves, the beach that speaks to both Don's and my soul. It's home.
So you can imagine what a treat it was for Don to book us into a hotel right on the sand in a beautiful little beach city for two nights. It was our special way to celebrate our 29th wedding anniversary. It's been so nice, so special. As I sit here typing this post, I can hear the waves crashing on the sand right underneath my balcony. I'm in heaven.
Tomorrow we leave and start our journey home. It's been such a nice week, and next week, when I'm up to my eyeballs in my everyday responsibilities and probably dealing with snow and ice, I'll reflect on the memories of this week and remember the warmth of the sun and the sound of the surf, and try to ignore it as it beckons me to return.
Last Saturday, we started our road trip to California. We traveled through the Rocky Mountains as it snowed, over the high desert of Utah which was blanketed with snow, and on into the bright sunshine of southern California. We listened to an audio book as we drove and the hours flew by. I thoroughly enjoyed the drive.
We've spent some of our time visiting with family, but most of the time has been spent on or near the beach. There is something about the ocean, the waves, the beach that speaks to both Don's and my soul. It's home.So you can imagine what a treat it was for Don to book us into a hotel right on the sand in a beautiful little beach city for two nights. It was our special way to celebrate our 29th wedding anniversary. It's been so nice, so special. As I sit here typing this post, I can hear the waves crashing on the sand right underneath my balcony. I'm in heaven.
Tomorrow we leave and start our journey home. It's been such a nice week, and next week, when I'm up to my eyeballs in my everyday responsibilities and probably dealing with snow and ice, I'll reflect on the memories of this week and remember the warmth of the sun and the sound of the surf, and try to ignore it as it beckons me to return.
Friday, November 27, 2009
home away from home
My time here in California has come to an end. Tomorrow we get on a plane to return home. It always feels good to go home, but we'll also miss the time we spend here. It truly is our home away from home.
The week was a good mixture of visiting with family and enjoying the beach and warm weather. It was also a good balance of being with my family and Don's family. It's not always easy feeling like you're spending quality time with family and still enjoying your vacation.
Today, we ended the week by hanging out with my brother, sister, and their families. We rented bicycles and cruised down the strand on Balboa Island, with million dollar homes on one side and the ocean on the other.
We then ate lunch on the top deck of a restaurant at the end of the pier. What a great place to enjoy a burger and fries and catch up with each other. We said our good byes after walking through the sand to the break wall and watching the boats enter and leave the harbor. It was pretty well the perfect day and I will call on my memories of our time together when our time away from each other has stretched out from days into months.
30 days of WORDS TO LIVE BY
"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "
Acts 20:35 NIV
The week was a good mixture of visiting with family and enjoying the beach and warm weather. It was also a good balance of being with my family and Don's family. It's not always easy feeling like you're spending quality time with family and still enjoying your vacation.
Today, we ended the week by hanging out with my brother, sister, and their families. We rented bicycles and cruised down the strand on Balboa Island, with million dollar homes on one side and the ocean on the other.
We then ate lunch on the top deck of a restaurant at the end of the pier. What a great place to enjoy a burger and fries and catch up with each other. We said our good byes after walking through the sand to the break wall and watching the boats enter and leave the harbor. It was pretty well the perfect day and I will call on my memories of our time together when our time away from each other has stretched out from days into months.
30 days of WORDS TO LIVE BY"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' "
Acts 20:35 NIV
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
wordless wednesday
30 days of WORDS TO LIVE BY"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
Colossians 3:17 NIV
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
chocolates on my pillow
One of the special aspects of our vacation to Disneyland was staying at the resort. It extended the magical atmosphere outside of the parks, down downtown Disney, and on into our hotel.
The hotel was beautiful and a short walk (through downtown Disney) to both parks, which made it very convenient. The staff were very friendly and went out of their way to meet your every need. Our room was comfortable and had so many cute little touches that made it exclusively Disney. Every night our bed was turned down with Disney character chocolates sprinkled about. As evident in their parks, Disney goes above and beyond in everything they do, which makes for a very happy and satisfied customer.
If you're going to take a vacation to this special place, I highly recommend that you stay in the Disney resort.
30 days of WORDS TO LIVE BY
"But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.'"
1 Samuel 16:7 NIV
The hotel was beautiful and a short walk (through downtown Disney) to both parks, which made it very convenient. The staff were very friendly and went out of their way to meet your every need. Our room was comfortable and had so many cute little touches that made it exclusively Disney. Every night our bed was turned down with Disney character chocolates sprinkled about. As evident in their parks, Disney goes above and beyond in everything they do, which makes for a very happy and satisfied customer.
If you're going to take a vacation to this special place, I highly recommend that you stay in the Disney resort.
30 days of WORDS TO LIVE BY"But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.'"
1 Samuel 16:7 NIV
Monday, November 2, 2009
back to reality
I feel I just need to state for the record that our vacation in southern California was wonderful. I'd write about my favorite parts, but it was all great. Plus, I know it gets a little tedious reading about other people's vacations - so, I'll spare you the details. I'll probably post a few pictures tomorrow and call it good. You're welcome =)
I'm now trying to get back into the swing of reality.
30 days of WORDS TO LIVE BY
"My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires."
James 1:19-20 NIV
I'm now trying to get back into the swing of reality.
30 days of WORDS TO LIVE BY"My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires."
James 1:19-20 NIV
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
sunny with a high of... 90!
Little known fact #1 and #2
Did you know...
... It snowed yesterday in Colorado and the temperature in Anaheim, California - home of Mickey Mouse (see previous post) - was around 90. Shorts, T-shirt, sandals were the attire for the day. Even as midnight approached, there were balmy breezes blowing through the park. Not even a light jacket was needed. So nice!
... When you come to Disneyland on your birthday, they give you a birthday button for you to where. The employees and even other park goers wish you a happy birthday. It's quite nice. Don and I could wear our button every day that we're here if we wanted to since this trip is a celebration of our birthday, but we've decided one day is enough. We look forward to wishing a happy birthday to others today.
... and it's off to the park. Hope you have a great day!
Did you know...
... It snowed yesterday in Colorado and the temperature in Anaheim, California - home of Mickey Mouse (see previous post) - was around 90. Shorts, T-shirt, sandals were the attire for the day. Even as midnight approached, there were balmy breezes blowing through the park. Not even a light jacket was needed. So nice!
... When you come to Disneyland on your birthday, they give you a birthday button for you to where. The employees and even other park goers wish you a happy birthday. It's quite nice. Don and I could wear our button every day that we're here if we wanted to since this trip is a celebration of our birthday, but we've decided one day is enough. We look forward to wishing a happy birthday to others today.
... and it's off to the park. Hope you have a great day!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
happiest place on earth
...
I am going to Disneyland TOMORROW!!
Don and I turned 50 last week. We had several friends and members of our families who asked, "what are you doing to celebrate?" Many felt that we should be having a big party torub it in celebrate the fact that we turned 50. No thank you. But we did want to celebrate in some way.
Don had already taken the week off of work so all we had to do was figure out where we wanted to go or what we wanted to do. After throwing around (and out) some ideas, we came up with the perfect way for two 50 year old kids to play and celebrate. Disneyland!
Tomorrow we fly out to California and step into the happiest place on earth! If you didn't know, that's Disney's tag line. And if you've ever been to Disneyland or Disney World, you'd have to agree. It's a very magical place. And I get to spend most of the week there. We're staying on-site and will be park hopping between Disneyland and California Adventure, spending as little or as much time as we want at each. It should be a wonderful week.
Six Word Saturday is hosted each week by Cate at Show My Face.
I am going to Disneyland TOMORROW!!
Don and I turned 50 last week. We had several friends and members of our families who asked, "what are you doing to celebrate?" Many felt that we should be having a big party to
Don had already taken the week off of work so all we had to do was figure out where we wanted to go or what we wanted to do. After throwing around (and out) some ideas, we came up with the perfect way for two 50 year old kids to play and celebrate. Disneyland!
Tomorrow we fly out to California and step into the happiest place on earth! If you didn't know, that's Disney's tag line. And if you've ever been to Disneyland or Disney World, you'd have to agree. It's a very magical place. And I get to spend most of the week there. We're staying on-site and will be park hopping between Disneyland and California Adventure, spending as little or as much time as we want at each. It should be a wonderful week.
Six Word Saturday is hosted each week by Cate at Show My Face.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
my three wishes
Last weekend, Don and I went up into the mountains to enjoy the scenery and wildlife. I had two wishes as we planned the trip. Those two wishes were to enjoy viewing the colors that were changing from the greens of Summer to the golds of Fall, and to hang out at dusk so we could watch the mating rituals of the elk and hear the bull elk bugle. I added one more wish to my wish list on our way up and that was to see a moose, which I have never done here in Colorado (only in Alaska).
We spent most of our time in Rocky Mountain National Park and here's how I did on those wishes...
The change in colors hadn't hit their peak yet so there weren't the vibrant colors I had hoped for, but there were still obvious color change. I realized that my amber sunglasses made the colors even better.
I did see a moose. In fact, I saw four moose. This cow, in the above picture, was spotted late afternoon and then a young bull was spotted about an hour later. We got ourselves out the door the next morning very early and went back to where we saw the first moose. We weren't disappointed. There was a fairly big bull there in the field. While I was elsewhere, photographing some elk eating grass on the side of the road, Don saw a baby moose. Later, when he was in the car, I saw an even larger bull. So we each saw four, but not the same five between the two of us. I never expected to see even one so it was a real treat for us.
But the real treat was watching the elk herds during their mating period. It's quite an interesting show. The bull elks are on a quest to collect cows for their harem (yes, that's what it's called). Of course, there's competition between the males and clashing of antlers ensue. But most of the time it's a spectacle of watching the bulls trying to keep their gals in a tight circle and from running off.
And then there's the bugling. If you've never heard an elk bugle, you're missing quite the treat. Bugling is an almost indescribable sound that communicates strength, size and vigor. They use their remarkable vocal skills to attract cows and intimidate rivals.
The show starts at dusk and goes until you can barely see them any more due to the darkness. The second evening, we were entertained by this ritual at a VERY close range. So close, that the ranger had to continually make all the spectators move back, for our own safety. It was a thrilling show!
We also took a short hike to a waterfall, walked through the town of Grand Lake, threw a stick out into the lake over and over again for our dog, found comfy places to sit and read, and drove around in areas we hadn't visited before. It was a great weekend.
We spent most of our time in Rocky Mountain National Park and here's how I did on those wishes...
The change in colors hadn't hit their peak yet so there weren't the vibrant colors I had hoped for, but there were still obvious color change. I realized that my amber sunglasses made the colors even better.
I did see a moose. In fact, I saw four moose. This cow, in the above picture, was spotted late afternoon and then a young bull was spotted about an hour later. We got ourselves out the door the next morning very early and went back to where we saw the first moose. We weren't disappointed. There was a fairly big bull there in the field. While I was elsewhere, photographing some elk eating grass on the side of the road, Don saw a baby moose. Later, when he was in the car, I saw an even larger bull. So we each saw four, but not the same five between the two of us. I never expected to see even one so it was a real treat for us.
But the real treat was watching the elk herds during their mating period. It's quite an interesting show. The bull elks are on a quest to collect cows for their harem (yes, that's what it's called). Of course, there's competition between the males and clashing of antlers ensue. But most of the time it's a spectacle of watching the bulls trying to keep their gals in a tight circle and from running off.
And then there's the bugling. If you've never heard an elk bugle, you're missing quite the treat. Bugling is an almost indescribable sound that communicates strength, size and vigor. They use their remarkable vocal skills to attract cows and intimidate rivals.
The show starts at dusk and goes until you can barely see them any more due to the darkness. The second evening, we were entertained by this ritual at a VERY close range. So close, that the ranger had to continually make all the spectators move back, for our own safety. It was a thrilling show!
We also took a short hike to a waterfall, walked through the town of Grand Lake, threw a stick out into the lake over and over again for our dog, found comfy places to sit and read, and drove around in areas we hadn't visited before. It was a great weekend.
Monday, July 13, 2009
what will this week look like?
It's been a long and winding road, full of pot holes... and we're still not at the end.
Let me explain.
Don and I decided at the end of last summer that we wanted to to buy a pop-up camper trailer. We have had them before and could kick ourselves for selling our last one. It was perfect but we had stopped using it (youth ministry took our weekends away from us), and felt the best thing was to sell it.
When Spring finally came around this year, we started looking for a camper - mostly on Craig's List. We had been saving and had the cash. All we needed was that one camper.
It's been an uphill battle. Most of our experiences were calling the seller within a few hours of when it was listed only to find out the trailer had already been sold.
But there was also the time when the seller crashed and damaged the camper an hour or so before we were to see it. Of course, he didn't bother to let us know before we drove the hour to get there and didn't expect it to make a difference in our decision to buy his trailer.
Then there was the Sunday afternoon we were supposed to go see what seemed like the perfect camper only to get a call that morning letting us know that the something on the trailer broke and couldn't be cranked up and opened up.
And this one was the most frustrating. We were the first to call and granted the first view and opportunity to buy what looked like a beautiful pop-up. It was the Saturday before Father's Day and the buyer didn't want to meet that day or the next due to the holiday. We had to wait until Monday. Don gets off work early, we bought sandwiches for the hour and a half ride north, and were ready to go when we got the call to tell us that the wife had sold the camper earlier that day.
She had received a call from someone who wanted to come and see the trailer. She told him he could see it second after us. He then offered to buy it sight unseen. How could she refuse?
But it was that trailer that broke and wasn't able to be shown that we couldn't let go of. The sellers lived near by and we kept in contact with them, letting them know that we were still interested. They had to order a part which took a couple of weeks, but when they finally did the repairs, they gave us a call.
That was yesterday morning, and this was us yesterday evening...
The other part to this story is that this week was supposed to be our family vacation. Don took the week off and the kids chose to go camping over almost anything else. When we made these plans, we figured we'd have a camper by this date. So purchasing the pop-up yesterday was cutting it pretty close... but, hey! we did it. We have a camper.
But here now is the problem; we didn't realize until we got home last night with the trailer that the outside driving lights were not working. Don took it in this morning to be fixed, but we don't know how long that's going to take. So here we sit, on the Monday night of our vacation, not knowing what the rest of this week looks like. This may end up being the worst vacation ever. But, hey! we have a camper, and we are happy about that.
Let me explain.
Don and I decided at the end of last summer that we wanted to to buy a pop-up camper trailer. We have had them before and could kick ourselves for selling our last one. It was perfect but we had stopped using it (youth ministry took our weekends away from us), and felt the best thing was to sell it.
When Spring finally came around this year, we started looking for a camper - mostly on Craig's List. We had been saving and had the cash. All we needed was that one camper.
It's been an uphill battle. Most of our experiences were calling the seller within a few hours of when it was listed only to find out the trailer had already been sold.
But there was also the time when the seller crashed and damaged the camper an hour or so before we were to see it. Of course, he didn't bother to let us know before we drove the hour to get there and didn't expect it to make a difference in our decision to buy his trailer.
Then there was the Sunday afternoon we were supposed to go see what seemed like the perfect camper only to get a call that morning letting us know that the something on the trailer broke and couldn't be cranked up and opened up.
And this one was the most frustrating. We were the first to call and granted the first view and opportunity to buy what looked like a beautiful pop-up. It was the Saturday before Father's Day and the buyer didn't want to meet that day or the next due to the holiday. We had to wait until Monday. Don gets off work early, we bought sandwiches for the hour and a half ride north, and were ready to go when we got the call to tell us that the wife had sold the camper earlier that day.
She had received a call from someone who wanted to come and see the trailer. She told him he could see it second after us. He then offered to buy it sight unseen. How could she refuse?
But it was that trailer that broke and wasn't able to be shown that we couldn't let go of. The sellers lived near by and we kept in contact with them, letting them know that we were still interested. They had to order a part which took a couple of weeks, but when they finally did the repairs, they gave us a call.
That was yesterday morning, and this was us yesterday evening...
The other part to this story is that this week was supposed to be our family vacation. Don took the week off and the kids chose to go camping over almost anything else. When we made these plans, we figured we'd have a camper by this date. So purchasing the pop-up yesterday was cutting it pretty close... but, hey! we did it. We have a camper.
But here now is the problem; we didn't realize until we got home last night with the trailer that the outside driving lights were not working. Don took it in this morning to be fixed, but we don't know how long that's going to take. So here we sit, on the Monday night of our vacation, not knowing what the rest of this week looks like. This may end up being the worst vacation ever. But, hey! we have a camper, and we are happy about that.
Friday, July 10, 2009
pack up the car
...
It's Friday! It's Aloha Friday!
This week's question:
If you were to take a road trip, where would you go?
I ask because we might be taking a road trip next week. As of this writing, our original vacation plans have not worked out and we're considering going to plan, um... C, which is a road trip. But we're not sure where to go. Some of the places we're considering are Yellowstone, Mt. Rushmore, or Mesa Verde - all beautiful National Parks.
Our kids grew up loving road trips due to how many trips we made between here and California to visit family. They say they still enjoy road trips but I think it would be different now. They are older, thus bigger and neither one of our vehicles is very large, thus it wouldn't be as comfortable. So, plan C may be scrapped. We'll be figuring it all out today. Stay tuned.
Kailani, of An Island Life, hosts Aloha Friday each week.
It's Friday! It's Aloha Friday!
This week's question:
If you were to take a road trip, where would you go?
I ask because we might be taking a road trip next week. As of this writing, our original vacation plans have not worked out and we're considering going to plan, um... C, which is a road trip. But we're not sure where to go. Some of the places we're considering are Yellowstone, Mt. Rushmore, or Mesa Verde - all beautiful National Parks.
Our kids grew up loving road trips due to how many trips we made between here and California to visit family. They say they still enjoy road trips but I think it would be different now. They are older, thus bigger and neither one of our vehicles is very large, thus it wouldn't be as comfortable. So, plan C may be scrapped. We'll be figuring it all out today. Stay tuned.
Kailani, of An Island Life, hosts Aloha Friday each week.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
recap
of my trip to Washington DC...
Highlight: If I had to pick just one (which is really hard), I'd have to pick seeing the capitol and Jefferson Memorial at night.
Lowlight: There was nothing that was disappointing so I'd have to say since we didn't have a car, carrying our luggage 3 blocks to the Metro and then on the Metro to get to another station where our friends picked us up.
Speaking of our friends, I just want to take this moment to thank them for putting us up for a couple of nights. The Nussels are good friends from here in Colorado. Part of the family had been living in the DC area for over a year and the rest of the family moved to join them a few months ago. They generously offered us their basement for all five nights and we took them up on it for 2 nights, saving us over $500. It was also a great time to see them and spend time with them. Their oldest son, Scott, is like my second son and I've missed our chats.
I also mentioned the Metro. It is the rapid transit system (bus and rail) for the DC area plus Maryland and Virginia. We took the Metro rail everywhere as it was fast and convenient. I had never taken any kind of subway or rail system - not even our light rail here in Denver, so this was an experience in itself. More than once we'd have to get off one line and get on another in order to get to our destination. You would think that I'd get it after a day or so, but I was still confused as I stood there on day 5, studying the map once again.
Funniest moment: At the National Archives as we were viewing the Constitution under close scrutiny of big burly armed guards. A woman walks up and briefly looks at the documents under thick glass and then asks one of the guards, "are these originals or just copies?" The guard answers, "originals" without cracking a smile. She looks down again at one of the most important documents in our history and walks off. I couldn't help myself. I had to ask the guard, "do you get that question a lot? Because it would seem pretty obvious to me." He then did let out a chuckle and said he gets that question all the time. We had a good laugh because, really, why would they be under thick glass under armed guard in a climate controlled room with no flash photography allowed if they were just copies?
Noteworthy:
What our hair looked like on Saturday after riding around on the top of a double-decker bus. The wind and humidity gave us an unrecognizable look.
Walking everywhere is great exercise but makes you exhausted by the time the sun goes down.
We ended up looking like typical tourists when we broke down and bought sweatshirts emblazoned with WASHINGTON DC. It was Sunday and it was very cold, windy, with a slight drizzle when we came out of the Holocaust museum. We weren't sure what we were going to do and we were starving. We ended up quickly eating a hot dog from a street vendor and buying the sweatshirts from a souvenir truck. I don't mind wearing mine around here, but felt kinda silly wearing it there in DC.
Eating at the Hardrock Cafe. We have now eaten at a Hardrock in Maui, Orlando, Las Vegas, Denver, and Washington DC.
Getting lost in an underground mall. We thought by going through it that it would be a short cut to our hotel. We thought we knew where we were going, but after walking for 15-20 minutes and finally finding a map, we ended up blocks away from our hotel.
Sleep comfort beds and room service, laughter and time spent with my daughter.
Highlight: If I had to pick just one (which is really hard), I'd have to pick seeing the capitol and Jefferson Memorial at night.
Lowlight: There was nothing that was disappointing so I'd have to say since we didn't have a car, carrying our luggage 3 blocks to the Metro and then on the Metro to get to another station where our friends picked us up.
Speaking of our friends, I just want to take this moment to thank them for putting us up for a couple of nights. The Nussels are good friends from here in Colorado. Part of the family had been living in the DC area for over a year and the rest of the family moved to join them a few months ago. They generously offered us their basement for all five nights and we took them up on it for 2 nights, saving us over $500. It was also a great time to see them and spend time with them. Their oldest son, Scott, is like my second son and I've missed our chats.
I also mentioned the Metro. It is the rapid transit system (bus and rail) for the DC area plus Maryland and Virginia. We took the Metro rail everywhere as it was fast and convenient. I had never taken any kind of subway or rail system - not even our light rail here in Denver, so this was an experience in itself. More than once we'd have to get off one line and get on another in order to get to our destination. You would think that I'd get it after a day or so, but I was still confused as I stood there on day 5, studying the map once again.
Funniest moment: At the National Archives as we were viewing the Constitution under close scrutiny of big burly armed guards. A woman walks up and briefly looks at the documents under thick glass and then asks one of the guards, "are these originals or just copies?" The guard answers, "originals" without cracking a smile. She looks down again at one of the most important documents in our history and walks off. I couldn't help myself. I had to ask the guard, "do you get that question a lot? Because it would seem pretty obvious to me." He then did let out a chuckle and said he gets that question all the time. We had a good laugh because, really, why would they be under thick glass under armed guard in a climate controlled room with no flash photography allowed if they were just copies?
Noteworthy:
What our hair looked like on Saturday after riding around on the top of a double-decker bus. The wind and humidity gave us an unrecognizable look.
Walking everywhere is great exercise but makes you exhausted by the time the sun goes down.
We ended up looking like typical tourists when we broke down and bought sweatshirts emblazoned with WASHINGTON DC. It was Sunday and it was very cold, windy, with a slight drizzle when we came out of the Holocaust museum. We weren't sure what we were going to do and we were starving. We ended up quickly eating a hot dog from a street vendor and buying the sweatshirts from a souvenir truck. I don't mind wearing mine around here, but felt kinda silly wearing it there in DC.
Eating at the Hardrock Cafe. We have now eaten at a Hardrock in Maui, Orlando, Las Vegas, Denver, and Washington DC.
Getting lost in an underground mall. We thought by going through it that it would be a short cut to our hotel. We thought we knew where we were going, but after walking for 15-20 minutes and finally finding a map, we ended up blocks away from our hotel.
Sleep comfort beds and room service, laughter and time spent with my daughter.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
the past and the present
On Day 4, we traveled up to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Danielle really wanted to go. Me... not so much. But I figured it would be a nice break after spending 3 days in DC. Plus, Scott (friend living in Alexandria) offered to drive and John (his dad) already had an audio tour of the battleground that we could listen to.
It was a perfect day weather wise and I really enjoyed driving through the countryside of Virginia and Pennsylvania. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't what you find when driving into Gettysburg. First off, I didn't know there was a town of Gettysburg. What a nice little place.
The battlefield is vast area of rolling green hills dotted with canons, memorials, and monuments, amidst forests, orchards, and farms. And the audio tour we listened to made the facts and figures of the battles during those historic three days come to life. I found it all very interesting, more than I could have imagined I would.
Day 5 was a short day since we had to be all packed up in the morning and to the airport by 4:00. We hopped back on the Metro and headed back up to the National Mall. The only thing we really wanted to do was see the Library of Congress. A few people had told us that we really should see it. And I'm glad we did. It was, indeed, a beautiful building. My pictures don't do it justice.
We then walked over to the Capitol building by way of a tunnel between the two buildings. If we had had more time, we would have taken a tour, but instead, we walked through the exhibit at the visitor's center. It was another interesting experience. They had a live feed of the state representatives casting their votes for something. We sat there and watched that for a long time.
We then walked out and back around to the other side of the building to take more pictures. We noticed snipers on the outside balconies and found out later that President Obama was in the building signing some bill into law. Danielle and I both thought it was neat to see and be so close to the workings of our government.
In fact, the whole trip gave us a better sense of the environment our politicians work in and the history that fills the area through the buildings and exhibits, the monuments, and the memorials. We had a great time and would recommend a trip to visit this area to all.
I've uploaded all my pictures to my flickr account. I only posted a few here from day 4 and 5 so I hope you'll click on over to see the whole group of photos. Once you have, you can click on "slideshow" in the upper right hand corner to view them as a slideshow.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
non stop and plenty to see
Day 2 ended up being cloudy and cold so we decided it would be a good day to spend at the Holocaust Museum. We spent about 4 hours there and when we left, our mood matched the weather. Even though it was a somber experience, the museum does a fantastic job at chronicling the history of the time period. I highly recommend this museum.
We then headed over to the Smithsonian Museum of American History. This museum lifted our spirits as we viewed fun artifacts from movies, TV shows, sports, and entertainment. They also had other cool exhibits from different time periods in our history.
Day 3 found us back on the double-decker bus for a short ride over to the White House, where we stepped off in order to get a closer view of the grand home. We then walked over to the Lincoln Memorial. It's a beautiful walk through Constitution Gardens and the weather was perfect. We spent some time at the Lincoln Memorial and the Vietnam Memorial before walking the length of the Reflecting Pool to the World War II Memorial.
We then hit the Metro (will write about the Metro experience a little later) and traveled down to Alexandria (Virginia) to stay with some close Colorado friends who recently moved to the area. They took us to old town Alexandria for dinner and I fell in love with the area; streets lined with old buildings holding quaint shops and a huge variety of restaurants. I would love to go back and spend a whole weekend there.
We then drove back into the National Mall area to see the sights all lit up. The capital was beautiful, but my favorite was the Jefferson Memorial. I was surprised to learn that the memorials stay open after dark. Not only was it breathtakingly stunning, but there was hardly anyone there compared to the Lincoln Memorial earlier in the day. Whenever you make the trip to DC, make sure you see it at night as well as the day.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
DC... day 1... revisited
Most of our first day in DC was spent on the top of a double-decker bus as it toured the hot spots of the district. It was a great way to see the sights - from the height we were at and such a wide variety.
The bus took us through some of the side streets of the downtown area where we saw such sites as the Ford theater, where President Lincoln was shot, and the National Cathedral where many presidents have attended church. We drove down the small, but quaint streets of Georgetown and through the Arlington Cemetery.
Of course, we drove around the National Mall where the Capitol building flanks one end, the Lincoln Memorial the other, and the Washington Monument in the middle. Surrounding and within the mall are so many interesting buildings - beautiful buildings. I love architecture and the buildings in this area are absolutely awe-inspiring.
The bus tour was one where we could hop off and on as much as we wanted, and the pass was good for three days. I would highly recommend this tour as a way to see the sights and get a good overall view of the area. We hopped off in Georgetown to enjoy the atmosphere and eat a quick lunch. We then hopped off a couple of stops before the end to tour the National Archives.
The National Archives is where a lot of important documents are kept, including the originals of the Magna Carta, the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, and the Constitution. It's a beautiful building and it was a thrill for both Dani and I to be able to view such important documents - definitely a highlight of the trip.
It was a great day and one that we thoroughly enjoyed. We went back to our hotel exhausted but anxious for our next day, when we had our visit to the Holocaust museum planned.
You can click on the above collage to get a better view of the photos.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Saturday, May 16, 2009
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