7.29.2006

Road Trip!!!!

This summer I decided to take the kids on a good all american road trip across the USA. We drove more than 6500 miles in 3 1/2 weeks across 15 states. We saw license plates from 44 different states and 1 from Canada. We got to see family members that we haven't seen for a long time, the first time for some of them. Thanks so much to Joan, Hester, Traci, Leslie, Kristi, Erika, Jacob and Kris for sharing their hospitality with us. One day we'll go back as we didn't have time to see everything. Maybe we'll fly next time.

The kids in the Great Smoky Mountains.


In front of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (where they print the money) and Aspen in front of a Calder mobile at the art museum.
We saw the Washington Monument, but missed getting tickets to go to the top. On Sunday we went to Arlington National Cemetery and saw the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
We did a lot of walking and the kids' favorite place to rest was the fountain at the sculpture garden. Everyone cooled their feet in the water. We stopped here often.

We rode the Metro everyday to go into DC. The kids loved it.

The kids loved the dyed blue water at the Navy Memorial, which we found by accident while walking for an hour trying to find somewhere to eat that wasn't a rip off. (Not possible anywhere near the National Mall).

We went to Baltimore to see the Aquarium there. It is one of the best aquariums I've seen. On the top floor is a rain forest.

One of the most spectacular sights to see while driving is the DC Temple appearing above the trees as you round the curve on the beltway. Although we saw it during the day, it is amazing at night. Apparently many accidents occur there because people are too busy looking at the temple instead of driving.