DC with Bethany!!!

I've been very blessed to have so many visitors this year. First Ryan in March, my parents in May, and Bethany this last week. Both Beth and I needed a vacation. She just finished her dental hygiene program and I just finished my first year of grad school (I passed Advanced Biochem!).
We visited DC and went camping. I'm going to split our vacation into two parts: DC and camping. We picked the worst days to go to DC weather-wise (it was 97 degrees both days). While in DC we went through most of the Smithsonian's and saw the major monuments. I'm becoming quite the tour guide of the National Mall.

We went to the National Air and Space Museum first. This is my all-time favorite of the Smithsonians (although the Natural History museum is a close second because it has dinosaurs). Every time I go I'm tempted to buy the aviator hat and goggles that are supposed to be for the little kids (Don't laugh they fit).

I'm in the pic with the bomb to give you an idea on how big that sucker really is.

Next, we went to the Museum of Natural History to see the Hope diamond and my favorite, the dinosaurs!

Beth with the creepy sloth thing in the mammal exhibit.

Me contemplating how it would be to be eaten by a T-Rex. Painful I would imagine. I may or may not have watched all 3 Jurassic Park movies in the last few weeks.

Beth looking like she's being eaten by said T-Rex. "I have a big head and little arms!"

We next ventured to the Archives and saw the documents that are so very important to our country. Then on to the Museum of American History! Which in my opinion is the biggest hodge-podge of exhibits. Inventions, the dresses of the First Ladies, War, Abe Lincoln, science, and American icons like Kermit the frog and Dorothy's slippers.

Beth and Abe Lincoln's top hat.

Yes, I did find a model of DNA in the American History Museum. I'm a nerd remember. They also have a recreation of a chemistry lab from John Hopkins and the lab/testing area for the Manhattan Project.

And we found something better than Dorothy's slippers. C3PO! They also have awesome star wars memorabilia in the gift shop. I kinda want the Yoda backpack, the Darth Vader and Stormtrooper bobbleheads, and the stuffed wookie.

After the main museums, we hit the monuments.

Beth doing a handstand in front of the Washington Monument. It took a lot of pictures to finally capture it and I'm still not sure of the reasoning behind having to have a picture of doing a handstand in front of the monument.

Me in my favorite tree at the National Mall. It's awesome. You should visit it sometime.

Beth was born on the anniversary of Pearl Harbor so the trip to the WWII memorial was a solemn one.

We finally made it to the Lincoln Memorial.

Beth and I in front of old Abe.

Between the heat and all the walking, we were exhausted by the time we got to the Lincoln Memorial.

Don't judge. I was dying of heat and it was cool in the shade. I got a lot of funny looks though.

And you thought I looked exhausted.

We weren't the only ones bushed from the heat. This poor little guy hardly moved when we got close to him to take this picture.

We kept pressing on and finally got to what I think is the most awesome thing in DC. Einstein!!!

I wonder what she is thinking. Maybe she wants to be like Einstein.

Beth's legs are almost as long as the statue's femur.

I'm just showing my appreciation to my number one favorite scientist.

I've always wanted to learn at the feet of Einstein.

Somehow at the end of the day we ended up at the Foggy Bottom metro stop on the George Washington campus.
Our next foray to DC included the National Arboretum and the Arlington National Cemetery. The arboretum is beautiful and houses a very large collection of bonsai trees (over 53 of them) and scholar's stones. I also think that it would be a most excellent place to run.

A scholar's stone with a Chrysanthemum pattern that occurs naturally from high heat and pressure.

Close-up of the pattern.

This stone includes light house, mini hikers, and miniature kayakers.

This bonsai has 'been in training' ie growing since 1625. That is one old little tree.

These are the original columns from the Capitol Building when it was expanded. It is now a monument at the arboretum.

It was pretty awesome.

Eternal Flame at JFK's grave.

There were a lot of funerals on Tuesday. Here's a coffin going to a grave site. Did you know you have to qualify to be buried at Arlington?

Pierre L'Enfant's grave/memorial. He was the one who designed the layout of DC.

View of DC from the Arlington House (aka Robert E. Lee's House). It was interesting to learn that the government took the land from Lee because of back taxes and commissioned it a place to bury Union soldiers. I found it all very ironic.

Even seeing DC as many times as I have, it still hasn't lost its charm and wonder for me. I still have to pinch myself. I never imagined myself living so close. It's almost surreal. I really enjoy visiting it and sightseeing with friends. There is so much to see I doubt I will see all of it by the time I'm done with grad school. I had an awesome time with Beth and I'm glad I got to share the experience of her first visit to DC.