Friday, August 21, 2015

Back in the District!


So how was everyone's summer? Mine was good, thank you for asking! I coached in a great summer sports program called Skyhawks. It's a sports program for kids, and there's all sorts of different sports. They're all, for the most part, week-long half-day programs. My strong suit was tennis, and I did about four different weeks of that, in Preston and East Lyme. I also got to coach some soccer, do some basketball (which was crazy, I've never actually played basketball), and even baseball (THAT was insane, I've NEVER played baseball.) I worked with some great people who helped me through the spots I stumbled and I ended up having a fantastic summer.
"That's great Martian, but what is this about going back to the District?"
I'm so glad you asked! Well, mom's friend invited us along to DC for a few days, so mom and I squeezed in some time doing touristy things that I always enjoy when I visit. And so, I am going to take you on a whirlwind week-long tour of DC in ONE BLOG POST!!

AND NOW....I BRING YOU... 

CAPPY'S CAPITOL TOUR!!!

Yes'm, we were lead on a wonderful tour by our helpful army cap, Cappy. A gift from a friend of mine, I Love this cap, and I thought what better way than to take the army cap, back to the home of the military and everything the military fights for?


So, of course, the number one most important thing you must do when you come to DC is get on the metro to go anywhere. So cappy found himself to the metro, and looked at the map to reach his destination













So, as is tradition, the first place Mom and I went was dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe, right off the Chinatown stop. I've talked about our traditions here before, and Cappy enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. Even got his photo taken in front of the color-changing waterfall! Cappy enjoys the french fries most of all. At the bottom, you can see off on the left, the Hard Rock's seal. Cappy had his photo taken holding the Hard Rock flag too! Rock on Cappy, Rock on.

Cappy on the metro. There's a plane on Final
RIGHT in the background!!






CAPPY OVER THE POTOMAC!

















After a long search, I finally found my touristy Neck Monkey. Awesome.
Here is monkey, chilling with mom. 


























Cappy takes a nappy


I like to think Cappy enjoyed the International Spy Museum. It's another stop we try to make while we're in DC. It's fun for kids, especially, cuz you can crawl around like a spy in the ducts, and there's this game through the museum where you have to prove you remember your cover. I'm so bad I don't even remember what my NAME was when we went...













Next, Cappy dropped into


THE MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY

I thought it would be totally lame. I actually had some fun there. They had the awesomest gift shop EVER!!! But I'm sure we all know what I was saving my money for..... (PS-if you guessed air and space, you're right!)






STEVEN UDVAR-HAZY RESEARCH CENTER

 Ah, yes, the Steven Udvar-Hazy research center. We've been here before...I've shared these photos previously, however this time, there was a different space shuttle!!




Cappy had his photo taken right out front, on the long sidewalk leading up to the gorgeous research center. The one that just happens to have a giant space shuttle inside...yeah that one. 





Cappy went right for the James S. McDonell Space Hangar. Last time we were here. the space shuttle Endeavor was housed in this huge hangar. This time, Discovery was present and accounted for. Discovery has been our return to flight vehicle, TWICE. After the Columbia and Challenger disasters.

I had to have my photo taken in front of the
first space shuttle I've ever seen that has
ACTUALLY FLOWN IN SPACE




































Then we went up to this air-traffic-control like place that was SO. COOL!!!
Hey! I can see our car from here!
Cappy enjoying the view
We could even see a REAL airport!
We had so much fun plane-spooting


FOUND ONE!!!



So that's my favorite place in Washington, DC...

But our adventure wasn't over yet!!

Cappy and I went and visited the Bureau of Engraving and Printing! 


It's something Mom has wanted to do for awhile, and it's free, so I said "what the heck" and off we went. And it didn't totally suck


Cappy admiring the Washington monument!!
We also passed the Holocaust Memorial Museum....








So that, at long last, is Martian's whirlwind DC tour. Hope you enjoyed visiting the district with me again!!!

xoxo
Martian