DC - Part 1

Post Date: 20011-11-01

GO POKES!!! How about those Cowboys! OSU football team is on a roll... and I am excited because it makes Ryan happy!

In August (yep I am way behind again) Ryan and I spent a week in Washington DC on vacation. I went with FFA in high school, but Ryan had never been before. When I previously visited DC, I was able to see a lot of the monuments, I did not get to see everything I wanted to because of our schedule. This trip, Ry and I packed our vacation full of monuments, museums, great food, and fun times with Megan and Mike. We were in DC a week before the big earthquake thank goodness!

Below are pictures from our first three days. I am not sure how many posts it will take to get through our vacation pictures - I am thinking about three.

Below: Our first night in DC, and our first trip down the monster of an escalator to the metro! Thank goodness for Ryan. I never knew where we were going, what color of train to get on, which direction we were supposed to go, and where to get off!!!

Below: A view of the tunnel and metro tracks,. The circle lights blink when a train is approaching. It is easy to tell when a train is coming because you feel a strong breeze coming through before you even see/hear the train.
Below: So it was really kind of funny. This couple was on the lower level doing some hard core making out. I thought it was funny and said "I should take a picture of them." Mike of course said "oh yeah... do it!" So I did. I have a feeling if Mike and I hung out too much we would get each other in trouble!
Below: Mike and Megan's (more Mike than Megan) impersonation of the couple making out.
Below: China town! The entrance to China town is awesome! After that it is just a bunch of different Chinese restaurants. The "non Chinese" restaurants try to fit in by displaying their name in Chinese on their sign. Overall, rather unimpressive.
Below: Then we went to this neat bar and grill to a going away party for one of Mike and Megan's friends. I don't remember his name, but he was a very nice and funny guy. He took this picture himself.
Below: Love these guys!
Below: Kind of an inside joke... but this was a fun word that night!
Below: Mike and Megan showed us around the first full day we were in DC. It was very interesting because we received an in depth tour from Mike who has been in a lot of the buildings. Very neat.

We started off at the International Spy Museum. Very cool place (no pictures allowed inside). I recommend this museum if you are ever in DC.
Below: They are such a cute couple!
Below: Ry and I in front of the spy museum.
Below: The Department of Treasury.
Below: The back of the White House. Notice the men on the roof. They have some high powered binoculars and guns.
Below: Michelle's garden. Do you think she really takes care of it??
Below: Great picture Mike!! Ry and I with the Washington Monument in the background.
Below: This guy was protesting something. Apparently someone has manned this spot 24 hours a day since 1981.
Below: A segway tour is the way to go! They looked a little funny though. Ryan and I walked every bit of it!
Below: The front of the White House.
Below: There were little guys like this squirrel all over the place. They don't run when you walk by, but do keep their distance. I LOVE squirrels and think they are just the cutest things (although I don't own a pecan tree :) )

Below: Outside the Lincoln Memorial.

Below: And then we come across this sign...
Below: Yeah this kind of ticked me off. Ry and I would pick a time to go when they were renovating the reflecting pool... I wanted Ry to pretend to be Forrest Gump and I was going to run through the reflecting pool yelling "FORREST... FORREST!!!"
Below: The front of the Lincoln Memorial. I think this memorial is gorgeous.
Below: This would be a cool job to have.

Below: Ry and I up close and personal with Lincoln.

Below: Such a neat place.
Below: Next stop is the Korean War Veterans Memorial.
Below: This is just a piece of the memorial wall. It kind of looks like the Vietnam War Memorial only there are scenes and faces on the wall and not names. Very neat.
Below: More of the memorial. We have heard this memorial is very cool at night. Just a suggestion in case any of you plan to visit DC in the future.
Below: Another awesome job to have!!! The blue bags hanging from his waist are bags of poop. I could do without that part.
Below: FDR Memorial.
Below: Information on FDR's wheelchair he helped create.
Below: FDR Memorial.
Below: Ry and I!
Below: This photo is out of order and I don't want to have to redo everything to fix it.

This is the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Ry and I toured the facility where they make all of the bills. Very neat tour. Saw the machines in action and was very informative.

Below: Back to FDR. This is one of my favorite quotes throughout the memorial. FDR's memorial is very different from the rest. It is almost maze like as you go through each of his three tenures as President.

Below: George Mason Memorial - off the beaten path. One of our Founding Fathers.
Below: Thomas Jefferson Memorial. Not sure what they were working on.
Below: This statue was huge!

Below: The George Washington Monument. I love how you can see this monument everywhere you go.

Below: Ry posing in front of the monument.
Below: I was trying out my modeling skills.
Below: The WWII Memorial. This place was so peaceful.
Below: An awesome picture Ry took.

Below: The next two pictures tell it all.

Below: Bottoms up!
Below: All the ducks were bottom up!
Below: The Vietnam War memorial. Everyone walks through silently...
One of my favorite things about Halloween (besides of course seeing my nieces and nephews all dressed up) is candy corn. I have almost eaten myself sick a few times. Thank goodness it is only available once a year.

Until Next Time

Ju