Travel can bring two people together in a very close way while being the ultimate test to a relationship. We were booked to fly out of LAX and was thanking God that the flight was delayed because we flew from Murrieta to LA and then flew from the long term parking lot to the check-in counter to which we ran threw security where I think they are now hiring people who maybe look 13 years old. We actually got to use the restroom before I jaunted to the departure gate got on the plane and was.so. exhausted. I mean, eyelids heavier than a pallet of bricks and yet so tired that I was wired. Has that ever happened to you. I think it would be a fair assessment to say that I napped.
One of my favorite parts of flying is the take off and the landing and though I was WIDE AWAKE for the landing, I started to fade into oblivion very shortly after we walked to the airport shuttle counter and next remember Handsome nudging my shoulder and saying wake up, sweetie we are at the hotel. I swear, I think, no- I know I must have looked like I was on something or multiple things but really I was just ready to roll into bed and take a nine hour nap. We both slept for about 2 hours and then WOKE UP- WIDE AWAKE again. Folks, it was like that for 5 days - completely exhausted or WIDE AWAKE.
So our first day we went to the Kennedy Center and WOW, loved it in so many ways that I cannot even begin to tell you about all of the decor except everything in the place is a gift from another country. The chandelier in one room is from Ireland and it was just amazing. The best part was that we had an amazing tour guide to which we basically set the bar for all other tour guides to whom NONE could come close to filling her shoes. The gift store was reasonably priced with some of the most unique gifts imaginable.
Loved that cute bag and was so proud of myself that I didn't purchase it... my family nickname is "the bag lady". Ok, it's one of my nicknames. So, we were floored, got to see where POTUS + family sits during "Kennedy Center Presents" and attending performances, got super weepy when we walked outside and looked at the proximity of the Pentagon to where we were standing and how close to the White House is and 9/11 and ok, breathe, breathe, breathe. Very sad though.
Long story short- my Grandfather used to own a political memorabilia museum which is a nice way of saying he was a total HOARDER of political crap and by crap I mean probably 75% was some pretty odd stuff but there was some really cool stuff though (another post completely). In this museum, there was a huge bust of JFK and when my eyes came across this one at the center I was near tears realizing my Grandpa had never been to the Kennedy center, how much I love him, how much he loved JKF and anything Kennedy related... etc. The bust has a rough unfinished look to reflect his presidency which was considered unfinished (as our tour guide so eloquently put it). Yep, she pretty much had us both on the verge of tears the entire time with these pearls of wisdom and eloquence.
Day II
We hit the ground running, lots do to - The Capital (sat in both Congress and Senate chambers), Library of congress, Supreme Court, took a nap, walked from hotel to Legal Seafood, walked to the White House and then walked to The W.
The Capital was......air-conditioned. I have to say it was neat but the thing I remember most was the humidity that managed to SUCK THE LIFE out of us and after walking a very short distance we were completely deflated. I was trying to find gratitude and reminded myself that it could be worse - we could be visiting in February and have snow up to our ankles but it was just bloody humid and miserable. So, we went through the Capital tour which sucked monkey butt. The tour guide had a difficult time finding *anything* to be excited about and I can see that giving the same tour every day might be a little monotonous... but this was our first time and she made us want to poke our eyeballs out with our tour issued headphone set.
Just one of the many ornate hallways and the history is amazing and if some of those walls could talk.
After the Capital, we did everything we could to avoid going outside including going to the souvenir shops, eating lunch, used the restroom and happily came across a hallway that led us to The Library of Congress. LIC was not on our tour list and we had a few hours to kill before our scheduled visit to the Supreme Court so we joined a tour that had just started by Awesome tour guide #2 and came real close to beating out the amazing tour guide at the Kennedy Center.
everyone's must see list when going to DC. One can very easily get a library card for a daily use, check out any book and use the research room however you can't go wandering through the books - you have the book brought to you.
It was at the Library of Congress where we learned about the congressional page system which is now open to both boys and girls who are Junior's in high school. They come to DC, work for a member of Congress and complete their studies in between sessions. How freaking cool is that???? I would love to do that- sadly the 16 year old Kara would have not even considered the page experience....unless it involved Duran Duran.
Happy Kara at the Library of Congress.
And as I walked through being inspired left and right by the magnificent art, architecture, the neatly organized stacks of books and beautiful inscriptions everywhere - including the ceiling and as if it was sent from Heaven above... a sign, an affirmation that yes, I will pass the math/science portion of the CSET one day a become a member of the Education profession.
To be continued.....
