Note that these entries are part of a series that I am posting after the fact. (Sorry about that: I did not have any time to find a free WiFi spot to even check my email.) Please use the search box in the page header to look for other daily entries about my inaugural travels and activities.
Today marks the last full day of fun here in our nation’s capital, and we began by getting up rather early (for me, anyways) at seven. We had a scheduled appointment at nine o’clock to meet a couple of my uncle’s interns at the east gate entrance to the White House where tours usually begin. We rode the metro to within a few blocks of the White House and stood outside waiting for security clearance and our guides.
The tour, which I had previously been on, was for the most part unremarkable. Unlike four years ago, we did not have the opportunity to visit the West Wing where the real action occurs, as the busy bodies there surely could not take on visitors. Then, there were no occupants in the West Wing as yet, given that the President had just been sworn in the very day our tour was given personally by my uncle. This time, things were not quite as glamorous in this regard. Oh, well.
In passing through security, though, I remarked to our young guide that I thought it bizarre that we were not required to remove belts, shoes, coats, scarves, and the likes as we passed through the metal detectors. The secure nature of the Presidency must be as or more important than airport security! The guide thought my remarks a bit funny but chose not to broach the subject further. Does this discrepancy between the two security standpoints strike you as weird, too?
Today, of course, had to be a huge protest by pro-lifers in the heart of D.C., throngs of church-going, sign-toting people and their obedient (and also sign-holding!) children marching through the streets. It is quite intimidating to be surrounded by so many people who are so adamant about that polar issue. Needless to say, we ran into them pretty much everywhere we went today.
After our tour of the East Wing of the White House, the family headed off to the Smithsonians, where those of us that had already visited the Natural History, American History, and Air and Space Museums opted to visit the “Jefferson Memorial”:http://www.nps.gov/thje/ instead. It was a bit of a walk from the National Mall, but it was worth it to see that memorial in person for the first time.
Afterwards, we visited the “Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden”:http://www.hirshhorn.si.edu/index.asp, which had some impressive modern art and sculpture. I wish we had had more time to look around, but after a few hours, we were hungry and tired, and said our farewells to that great museum.
We hopped back on the metro and went to “Union Station”:http://www.unionstationdc.com/ to get some food. As I mentioned above, we naturally ran into the throngs of right-wing peeps there taking up lots of space. We walked around a bit, tried to order the new “Chantico”:http://www.starbucks.com/retail/beverages_lineup.asp?subcat=21&cookie%5Ftest=1 drinking chocolate from “Starbucks”:http://www.starbucks.com/, but they were fresh out. After running around all day, bellies full, we headed back to the hotel to fall asleep to some other movie.
!http://www.sensoryoutput.com/wp-images/postings/day6.jpg!
Day 6: White House and Art
Note that these entries are part of a series that I am posting after the fact. (Sorry about that: I did not have any time to find a free WiFi spot to even check my email.) Please use the search box in the page header to look for other daily entries about my inaugural travels and activities.
Today marks the last full day of fun here in our nation’s capital, and we began by getting up rather early (for me, anyways) at seven. We had a scheduled appointment at nine o’clock to meet a couple of my uncle’s interns at the east gate entrance to the White House where tours usually begin. We rode the metro to within a few blocks of the White House and stood outside waiting for security clearance and our guides.
The tour, which I had previously been on, was for the most part unremarkable. Unlike four years ago, we did not have the opportunity to visit the West Wing where the real action occurs, as the busy bodies there surely could not take on visitors. Then, there were no occupants in the West Wing as yet, given that the President had just been sworn in the very day our tour was given personally by my uncle. This time, things were not quite as glamorous in this regard. Oh, well.
In passing through security, though, I remarked to our young guide that I thought it bizarre that we were not required to remove belts, shoes, coats, scarves, and the likes as we passed through the metal detectors. The secure nature of the Presidency must be as or more important than airport security! The guide thought my remarks a bit funny but chose not to broach the subject further. Does this discrepancy between the two security standpoints strike you as weird, too?
Today, of course, had to be a huge protest by pro-lifers in the heart of D.C., throngs of church-going, sign-toting people and their obedient (and also sign-holding!) children marching through the streets. It is quite intimidating to be surrounded by so many people who are so adamant about that polar issue. Needless to say, we ran into them pretty much everywhere we went today.
After our tour of the East Wing of the White House, the family headed off to the Smithsonians, where those of us that had already visited the Natural History, American History, and Air and Space Museums opted to visit the “Jefferson Memorial”:http://www.nps.gov/thje/ instead. It was a bit of a walk from the National Mall, but it was worth it to see that memorial in person for the first time.
Afterwards, we visited the “Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden”:http://www.hirshhorn.si.edu/index.asp, which had some impressive modern art and sculpture. I wish we had had more time to look around, but after a few hours, we were hungry and tired, and said our farewells to that great museum.
We hopped back on the metro and went to “Union Station”:http://www.unionstationdc.com/ to get some food. As I mentioned above, we naturally ran into the throngs of right-wing peeps there taking up lots of space. We walked around a bit, tried to order the new “Chantico”:http://www.starbucks.com/retail/beverages_lineup.asp?subcat=21&cookie%5Ftest=1 drinking chocolate from “Starbucks”:http://www.starbucks.com/, but they were fresh out. After running around all day, bellies full, we headed back to the hotel to fall asleep to some other movie.
!http://www.sensoryoutput.com/wp-images/postings/day6.jpg!