(Just noticed that I forgot to post this last week. I hit “drafts” instead of publish… whoops! Sorry for the FFF overload this week!)
OK, so today is Saturday, not Friday. You may have also noticed that I missed last week’s FFF due to our action packed time in DC. To make up for this, I’m doubling my efforts with 8 photos from the past 2 weeks. Also, since it’s the end the month, our latest album of October photos can now be found on our Gallery page. Hope this makes up for last weekend’s laziness, and that you enjoy these shots from our recent adventures!
White House: It takes some advanced planning to arrange a tour (thanks, Susan and Jeff!) but this was definitely a DC highlight. Our intern/guide met us at the gate and led us through the East Wing and Main Floor of the house, which was filled with spectacular art, historic furnishings, and many great stories about the presidents and families who resided there. While the Obama’s didn’t appear to be around, we did catch a glimpse of the family pooch, Sunny (Bo’s sister). The whole tour was a very memorable experience for us all!
DC Sights: It’s hard to choose from our photos of DC, so I’ll just use this one to capture them all. Our visits into the city included: the US Capitol, Supreme Court, National Archives, Ford’s Theatre, the Newseum, and the Smithsonian Museum of American Art… all of which can be seen in our October photo gallery. This one was taken from Arlington Cemetery (VA) on a crisp autumn morning.
Mount Vernon: Along with the DC sights, we also explored the area on several day trips, like this one to George Washington’s home at Mount Vernon. Here we not only toured the house and learned about our first president, but also took the “Slave Tour” and saw Mount Vernon from a very different perspective.
Gettysburg: Another day trip from DC was our drive up to Gettysburg (PA), known for the battle that’s considered the turning point of the Civil War. We took an audio-tour of the battlefield and found these Confederate re-enactors practicing their drills. We also visited the spot where President Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg Address to memorialize the fallen soldiers and embolden the Union cause.
Family and Friends: Of course, it’s not all about historical people and places… DC gave us a chance to catch up with loved ones, too! It was great to leave the RV, spend time with family, and appreciate the comforts of “home”. We also enjoyed catching up with friends from Peace Corps (the Browns), from Delhi (Raj’s and her girls) and from Beijing (the Kochs).
Williamsburg: After 12 fantastic days in DC, we hit the road again and headed to Williamsburg, Virginia. The area of Colonial Williamsburg is a living history museum with so many attractions it was hard to see them all in one day. We learned about town life in the 1700s through visits to the courthouse, jail, silversmith, wig maker, brick maker, and governor’s palace. We even stayed into the night for a Ghost Tour… a creepy but fun way to explore the 300 year old homes.
Jamestown: The history in this part of Virginia goes back to the earliest American settlers, those of Jamestown Colony. Another living history museum, it was interesting to see how Jamestown differed from Plimoth Plantation, which we saw up in Massachusetts. Like Plimoth, the Jamestown museum also showcased the lifestyle of the Powhatan indians who occupied this region.
Halloween: What a perfect way to cap off another month on the road… trick-or-treating for Halloween candy! The boys dressed as scary bears, and even Jen got into the spirit. Although we were able to do some of this in Beijing, the neighborhood we found here in Williamsburg turned out to be an ideal spot: lots of kids, many decorated houses, and tons of American candy. Whoo-hoo!