Days 40 & 41 Tue & Wed - 16 & 17 Aug - Trips to Wash DC and Annapolis

Day 40

Tue 16 Aug 16

Started at 10:30 am and planned to meet back at the entrance at 12:00 noon for lunch.  Went through the following exhibits:  Apollo to the Moon, Time and Navigation, and The Wright Brtothers & The Invention of the Aerial Age.
We moved through these areas faster than we liked but made it back to meet for lunch.  Next we went with Gary and Judy to see the National Gallery of Art.
Met back with Ken and Garnet at 3:00 pm.  We wanted to catch the subway and go to Arlington Cemetery, tour the cemetery and attend the Marine Corp Sunset Parade.  It was supposed to be every Tuesday Night, but we found out that the last  one was last week.  The tour of the cemetery was also too fast with not enough time to see everything. We did see President Kennedy's Gravesite, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with the Changing of The Guard.  We headed back to the RV Park and stopped for dinner along the way.  Then we planned the next days trip to Annapolis Naval Academy.

Drove to the College Park subway station, Loaded $10 on to each subway card and rode the train to the Mall in Washington DC.  Walked across the mall taking pictures of these sculptures. 

The Thinker...

Walking across the Mall

Looking the other direction we see the Capitol Bldg.

 This is site one of the Museum

We will see the other one on another day.

The 1903 Wright Flyer

If this is a space museum you have to have the "Enterprise" from Star Trek

And of course "The Spirit of St. Louis"

After spending only 1-1/2 hrs in the Air and Space we crossed the mall
and came here to the National Gallery of Art

After the two museums we hopped on a bus and headed for the Arlington Cemetary

John F. Kennedy's Grave with the Eternal Flame burning

This Cemetery is bigger than you can imagine, 624 acres and at the current rate of burials here, it will be full within the next 15 years.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

The tomb of the Unknown Soldier is guarded 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and in any weather by tomb guard sentinels.  Sentinels, all volunteers, are considered to be the best of the elite 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), headquartered at Fort Myer, Va.  The tomb is guarded, and has been guarded, every minute of every day since 1937.  A sentinel must commit for two years to guard the tomb, live in a barracks under the tomb, and cannot drink anhy alcohol on or off duty for the rest of their lives.

Day 41

Wed 17 Aug 16

Drove to Annapolis and toured the Naval Academy.  It was a very interesting 2 hour tour.  Kid not have time to go through the museum because we had planned to meet one of Garnet's friend/relatives for lunch in downtown Annapolis.  We made it there by noon and had a  good lunch with a stop for Ice cream afterwards.  Did some shopping in the shops dodwntown.  Got a hat for Candy to help protect her from the hot sun.  Back at the RV park Judy had prepared a turkey noodle dinner and salad for a group dinner and had Brownies for desert.

Pretty nice pool.  They have facilities for at least 32 different sports.

Houses for the top Brass at the Academy

The Dorm where all the Cadets live

Inside the residents halls.  Each room is a two-person room. It has a shower but no toilet.  The plebes have to shower and change 3-4 times a day.  The plebes (1st Year students) have to do everything in straight lines, and that is just the beginning.

The grounds are very beautiful over the full 338 acres.

Crypt of John Paul Jones "I Have Not Yet Begun To Fight"

 Navy Mascot - The Goat