April 11

Gracie and I rode the bus today while the rest of the crew rode bikes....just couldn’t do it...wanted to die after riding bike in the am, walking all day and then riding home last night....Gracie and Christian passed out and I fell asleep typing my notes.....

Bus is slower this morning but I don’t care and neither does Gracie, she kept telling me how happy she was to be riding on the bus.  I didn’t even care how much it cost!! ....We met up at the Metro, rode into the city, met up with the Rodgers and ran to Library of Congress, took tour and it was sooo interesting...our guide, Jack, was very knowledgeable and has a passion for the library.....we learned all about the design, cost, the origin of some of the decorations, and the statues around the entry area and stairs.  We were excited to see one of the original copies of the Guttenberg Bibles....bought for $1.5 million as part of collection of 15,000 other rare books from Austria.  This purchase was authorized by Congress at the beginning of the Depression...... We saw Thomas Jefferson’s original books he sold to the nation, some of which are the same editions but not actually owned by Jefferson.  The Library was burned during the British attacks of 1814 and many of the original Jefferson books were destroyed.....

As part of the tour, we were taken on a balcony overlooking the Library and we watched a few people doing research.  All of the kids wanted to be able to go into the Library but it is not allowed except for  folks  with  of Congress library cards.  Time for Starbucks and then a picnic lunch on  library steps.....

                                                         

We went to the  Cannon Building to meet our guide, Elise, from Congressman Mike Thompson’s office to tour the Capitol....it was a great tour....the best one we’ve been on so far in DC.....there are so many beautiful pieces of art for us to appreciate here.  In the Capitol, each state chooses 2 people that are from that state and have made an impact on the USA.  They then commission a bronze or marble statue to be made and it is displayed in the Capitol building.  The statues are dispersed among the various rooms and hallways for viewing.  We saw a pair of enormous bronze doors that were made to be used on the front entrance and then never used.  They are displayed in an alcove...hmmm....seems like a great use of taxpayer money....it started even in the days of old.....We were one of the last groups to be admitted to the gallery to see the room where Congress  meets and the President gives the State of the Union Address.  It felt surreal sitting in the chairs looking down into the room.   I loved the paintings, statues and architectural details of the building, it really is beautiful.  Originally made of sandstone....it was added on to in marble.  One of the staircases that we climbed had a worn down groove on the side where most people walk.  Everything here is architecturally so lovely.....

We, then, went over to Air and Space Museum....not enough time there.....we will have to come back....one of the highlights was seeing a P-51 Mustang like my Grandpa worked on during.   Of course, Christian loved this museum.....many guns, and interactive displays about airplanes, space and every detail of flight.  We had to hurry to get back to College Park before it got dark because the crew rode bikes today.  The trail is very pretty but not well lit.  Rode the Metro out of the city and then the crew biked back...Gracie and I waited for the bus........it was late and a strange guy approached us at the stop.  Providentially, we were protected and another very sweet family that was also staying at our campground came and surrounded us.  Thank you Irish family from Buffalo, NY!!