Trip back East

Guys, remember the GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN in DC in a few weeks ago??  Yeah, I'm with you... who wants to remember that?  Well, my Pops was kind enough to fly me back East for a quick 3 day trip.  The ticket was purchased before all of this was an issue and I was SO EXCITED to finally go to some of the Smithsonian museums.  I've already been to DC twice-- the first time passing through as a family after my brother got home from his mission in NYC and the second, when applying to PA school.  When I realized I'd be there during the shutdown, I thought that was the end.  No Smithsonian.  Yet again.

After flying in, we went straight back to Frostburg, Maryland to spend a day or two there before planning to spend some time in DC.  It is such a cute little town!  While my Pops was teaching some classes, I explored a small bookstore and bakery on main street (my favorites!).  

We also took a drive over into Pennsylvania to check out Amish country.  I don't know why I was so fascinated by what I saw!  A young girl in a dress and bonnet riding in this carriage.  Men with beards and straw hats.  How on earth could you live like that (and without electricity?!) in this day and age??

The following day we went to Gettysburg on the way back to DC.  I had no idea there was an actual town there!  And a university.  Who knew?  I loved Gettysburg right from the start.  I also had no idea how big it was.  We spent a few hours driving around to all the monuments, but there are so many of them!  You could easily spend a full day there.  Lincoln is one of my favorite people in history and I got to actually stand where he delivered the Gettysburg Address!  That was a good day.  Who knew it was so short?  Just a few paragraphs?

Ok, this is where things get interesting.... THE DAY WE DROVE BACK TO DC WAS THE DAY THE SHUTDOWN ENDED!!!  So I finally got to go to the Smithsonian museums!  We checked out the Air & Space Museum, the Natural History Museum (my favorite-- gems, mummies, and forensics exhibits), and the National Gallery of Art.  My Pops made us walk through all the early European art before getting to our favorite-- the Impressionist works.  And as soon as we got there, the dude standing in the door said, "We close in 30 seconds."  Um gee.  Thanks for the warning.  Never have I sped through Monet's paintings so quickly.  Never again.

The next day we rode bikes (Bike Share) all over the National Mall to check out all the major monuments.  And we didn't even have to trespass.  Although, I would have had it come down to that.  This was probably my favorite part of the whole trip.  If you have not done this, it's a MUST.  Just make sure to get it to the next station within 30 minutes!

I think my Pop's favorite part was eating fresh seafood at Captain Whites....