I wish I had a jumpgate
It can't rain all the time...
2008 Annual Highway Miles: 7260
We left the hotel around lunchtime Monday morning. Since D.C. is far enough away that we'd be getting there without time to visit anything, we decided to get in one museum in Hampton, so that the day wouldn't be completely wasted. We chose the Virginia Living Museum, since it was both close to the motel, and also home to some of the few red wolves left. It was pretty neat. We toured the outside first, seeing the wolves, but also lots of other critters, most of which we were already quite familiar with. I suppose city kids would find raccoons, coyotes and foxes more fascinating than I would... Then we went inside and saw the indoor exhibits, which impressed me much more. The giant aquarium habitats were excellent. I've never seen river fish presented that way, at least as far as I can remember. Unfortunately we didn't get to see the observatory before they closed. It was funny, I actually got to pet a horseshoe crab and live starfish. Why that amuses me so much, I don't know.
Red Wolf at the Virginia Living Museum
Procris & the Unicorn,
National Gallery of Art,
Washington D.C.
Yesterday we went to the National Gallery to see the Hidden Treasures of Afghanistan exhibit. It was phenomenal. I loved it. NO pictures though, they wouldn't allow it. So I bought the companion book. We were amused at how much a few things were similar to ones Tomas makes, like one clasp that had fastenings basically identical to what he does.
After that we headed to the west wing of the building to tour their renaissance paintings and sculpture. On the way across, we ran into a couple of fellow SCAdians in the gift shop, and started talking. We ended up eating lunch with them and talking Pennsic and classes and jewelry... When we finally reached the west building, I took lots of pictures. Mostly focused on jewelry, of course.
One thing that wasn't fun was how expensive everything was inside the beltway, and how tight security was. Our hotel required all of us to show ID any time we entered the front gate. And lunch for the three of us, at a cafeteria, cost $50! I remembered things were pricy, but they've certainly gone up since I lived in College Park 15 years ago... I ended up buying the Metro passes and teaching Tomas and Susan the ropes on riding the DC Metro, since there really is no way to drive or park in the city. I had to, just to have mercy on both Tomas' wallet and Susan's sanity.
By the end of the day we were all tired, and wallet-sore, but happy we went. They still want to come back next year, which I suppose is a good thing. Since Susan's mobility cart malfunctioned in Hampton last weekend, she had to walk more than she should, and Tomas had to hire taxis to get her from the Metro station to the museum and back (only 3 blocks, he and I would have been ok walking, but she'd never make it). At least at the museums, we could ask for a wheelchair so she could see things.
Today was just driving. And not a good day either. I almost clipped the Boss with the trailer this morning when we were leaving, and later almost jackknifed it in a drive-thru... He's going to have to teach me how backing that thing up is supposed to work. I'm just glad I didn't hit him. It started storming last night, and we've been driving through sporadic bursts of thunderstorms all day. Mountains, darkness, and thunderstorms; any two of the above are manageable, but all three together are not. Especially with Susan being so nervous about it. So as it is starting to get dark out, we've stopped just outside Charleston, West Virginia. We'll theoretically be back home tomorrow afternoon-ish.
On a sad note, along the drive this afternoon, we got a phone call. Laura Taylor, mother of Kyle and Austin (a pair of our EGG gamers) passed away today. I will have to pass on my sympathy to the guys this week, if I can. Laura was barely older than I was, and just graduated college!
2008 Annual Highway Miles: 7260
We left the hotel around lunchtime Monday morning. Since D.C. is far enough away that we'd be getting there without time to visit anything, we decided to get in one museum in Hampton, so that the day wouldn't be completely wasted. We chose the Virginia Living Museum, since it was both close to the motel, and also home to some of the few red wolves left. It was pretty neat. We toured the outside first, seeing the wolves, but also lots of other critters, most of which we were already quite familiar with. I suppose city kids would find raccoons, coyotes and foxes more fascinating than I would... Then we went inside and saw the indoor exhibits, which impressed me much more. The giant aquarium habitats were excellent. I've never seen river fish presented that way, at least as far as I can remember. Unfortunately we didn't get to see the observatory before they closed. It was funny, I actually got to pet a horseshoe crab and live starfish. Why that amuses me so much, I don't know.
Red Wolf at the Virginia Living Museum
Procris & the Unicorn,
National Gallery of Art,
Washington D.C.
Yesterday we went to the National Gallery to see the Hidden Treasures of Afghanistan exhibit. It was phenomenal. I loved it. NO pictures though, they wouldn't allow it. So I bought the companion book. We were amused at how much a few things were similar to ones Tomas makes, like one clasp that had fastenings basically identical to what he does.
After that we headed to the west wing of the building to tour their renaissance paintings and sculpture. On the way across, we ran into a couple of fellow SCAdians in the gift shop, and started talking. We ended up eating lunch with them and talking Pennsic and classes and jewelry... When we finally reached the west building, I took lots of pictures. Mostly focused on jewelry, of course.
One thing that wasn't fun was how expensive everything was inside the beltway, and how tight security was. Our hotel required all of us to show ID any time we entered the front gate. And lunch for the three of us, at a cafeteria, cost $50! I remembered things were pricy, but they've certainly gone up since I lived in College Park 15 years ago... I ended up buying the Metro passes and teaching Tomas and Susan the ropes on riding the DC Metro, since there really is no way to drive or park in the city. I had to, just to have mercy on both Tomas' wallet and Susan's sanity.
By the end of the day we were all tired, and wallet-sore, but happy we went. They still want to come back next year, which I suppose is a good thing. Since Susan's mobility cart malfunctioned in Hampton last weekend, she had to walk more than she should, and Tomas had to hire taxis to get her from the Metro station to the museum and back (only 3 blocks, he and I would have been ok walking, but she'd never make it). At least at the museums, we could ask for a wheelchair so she could see things.
Today was just driving. And not a good day either. I almost clipped the Boss with the trailer this morning when we were leaving, and later almost jackknifed it in a drive-thru... He's going to have to teach me how backing that thing up is supposed to work. I'm just glad I didn't hit him. It started storming last night, and we've been driving through sporadic bursts of thunderstorms all day. Mountains, darkness, and thunderstorms; any two of the above are manageable, but all three together are not. Especially with Susan being so nervous about it. So as it is starting to get dark out, we've stopped just outside Charleston, West Virginia. We'll theoretically be back home tomorrow afternoon-ish.
On a sad note, along the drive this afternoon, we got a phone call. Laura Taylor, mother of Kyle and Austin (a pair of our EGG gamers) passed away today. I will have to pass on my sympathy to the guys this week, if I can. Laura was barely older than I was, and just graduated college!