2011 is ending, and I feel the need to let you guys know my progress. Here are some interesting figures (as of 12/19/11):
As far as actual time, I have completed 8.33% of my journey (5 months out of an eventual 60)
As far as locations, I have totally completed 7.69% of my destinations (2 states (Maryland and Virginia), DC, and Puerto Rico out of a total of 52 eventual stops).
While 85.45% of my page views (591 in total) are from the United States, I have a decent international following as well. In the top three: 4.06% (24) of my page views are from Russia, 1.52% (9) are from Germany, and 1.01% (6) are from India.
The top three browsers used to read my blog are Internet Explorer (37%), Safari (30%), and Firefox (15%).
The top three operating systems used to read my blog are Windows (50%), iPhone (28%), and Macintosh (10%).
Your 3 favorite posts were BONUS: Puerto Rico - Old San Juan and the Bacardi Factory (49 page views, or 8.29% of all views), Washington, DC - Part I (30 page views, or 5.07% of all views), and Why Am I Doing This? (29 page views, or 4.90% of all views).
These may not seem very important numbers to you, but it helps me out a great deal. One, it lets me know I'm not totally alone on this- if on average 118 people read my blog each month, SOMEONE is interested in what I have to say! That's pretty great encouragement. Also, a good number of people read my blog from mobile devices. This prompted me to enable my mobile versions of my page, and I have begun looking into new formats (including a new blog host) to polish and professionalize my blog. I want my blog to be visually appealing- not just a decent read.
I do, however, need to figure out how to get more interaction on my comments, Facebook page, and my Twitter account. Nearly 600 blog views and only two comments, 10 Facebook likes, and 50 followers. I've been trying to read online tips to improve those areas, but I'm a bit perplexed still. I loosened my security settings on comments (and have braced myself for spam) to encourage people to leave comments and suggestions. By the time this is published I SHOULD have my first video entry posted...it's a little rough to call it a full out "vlog" but I've got 55 months to perfect it.
Also, it's pretty clear that I currently live in the DC metro area. Around mid-January, that will no longer be the case. I am returning to my hometown of Pittsburgh. While this will make travel into New England lengthier and more expensive than just hopping on a Megabus or Greyhound, it will make traveling into the Midwest cheaper and easier. I'm looking forward to finishing up Pennsylvania in 2012, and venturing into Ohio, West Virginia, Tennessee, and some other central states before 2013 shows it's face.
Thank you everyone for joining me on my adventure. I hope you stick with me to the very end!
Happy New Year,
Terri Traveler
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Virginia - Part II (Richmond)
Founded in 1737, Richmond didn't become the capital of Virginia until 1780. It later would become the capital of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War. Today, over a million people live in the city and surrounding areas, making it the third largest populated area in the commonwealth. I spent a full day in the city, having gone from DC to Richmond via the Megabus. It was a 2 hour trip, and I only paid $4.50 round trip- so I was pleased! I decided I wanted to visit Richmond because everything I heard about the city sounded romantic and uber-historic. I wanted to try something new for this excursion, so I made a video going into details about where I went an my experiences an opinions of what I saw. It's very rough so please don't make fun of me TOO badly :) Hopefully over time I will polish these up a bit, but I at least wanted to see how this would work.
Sites I visited (but you have to watch the video for details!) :
The Museum and White House of the Confederacy
The Maggie L. Walker House and Historic Site
The Jefferson Hotel
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Bygones Vintage Clothing
Galaxy Diner
Please feel free to check out my Facebook page an look at the photos from this and all of my adventures, follow me on Twitter, and leave comments on the blog (subscribe!) or you can email me as well!
Thank you for following me on my journey!
Sites I visited (but you have to watch the video for details!) :
The Museum and White House of the Confederacy
The Maggie L. Walker House and Historic Site
The Jefferson Hotel
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Bygones Vintage Clothing
Galaxy Diner
Please feel free to check out my Facebook page an look at the photos from this and all of my adventures, follow me on Twitter, and leave comments on the blog (subscribe!) or you can email me as well!
Thank you for following me on my journey!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Maryland - Part II (Baltimore)
I say I live in the DC area, and technically that's true, but for all official purposes I live in the state of Maryland. I have to admit, I have a fondness for this place- I've been here more or less the past 6 years. Established in 1788, much of Maryland's history has been shaped by a long love affair with all things aquatic and maritime. For my journey, I decided to explore this state by immersing myself in to water-based activities. I visited the cities of Annapolis and Baltimore- both famed for their access to water- and had a great time! You already read about my adventures in Annapolis, so here's where I went in Baltimore:
NATIONAL AQUARIUM- BALTIMORE
Those of you that have been following me the past few months know that I already went to an aquarium in DC. Well, this aquarium is the "sister" to that small, ancient location. Five levels of exotic aquatic creatures (and more!) are easily visible on Baltimore's Harbor and have been calling to me ever since my first visit to the city in 2002. I went on a thankfully sunny Sunday in October (hey- I told you I was behind on my entries!) with a good friend of mine and her two sons, ages 1 and 3. As someone without kids, I had an interesting time learning to manage toddlers but it was a great time overall.
I'll go ahead and say the downsides to my visit first. Frankly, the NAB is EXPENSIVE. Basic adult admission is $24.95 (which is coincidentally about the price I paid to enter an entire amusement park back home in Pittsburgh- but I digress). You can add on the dolphin show for $3 more ($27.95) and a 4D movie on top of that for another $2 ($29.95). In other words, $30 to go in and visit. Because the boys were too young to sit through the 4D movies (we'd missed the last Dora the Explorer showing of the day), we opted to only add on the dolphin show (from what the employees told us, 4D movies are 3D movies where the fourth "D" involves vibrating and moving seats, and water being squirted on you). Thankfully, the ticket agent didn't charge the $19.95 for my friend's 3 year old that she should have- only kids 2 and younger get in for free. Once inside, we paid another $2 to use a locker for our stuff (but a really neat kid-holding backpack thingy was free to use). Already spent more money than I had anticipated and I had yet to see anything! According to the website, there are days/times that are cheaper to enter- I would suggest any grown up sans kids interested in going to utilize those specials.
Once inside and actually on the move though, you can see the money they receive is put to good use. Everything looked new- not one sign looked worn or dated. The first stop we made was an employee holding some sort of lizard out for small kids to see and learn about in an open space I'm guessing they use for children's activities. Unfortunately, there was no touching allowed due to salmonella risks (which was really disappointing to me but I understood). Then there was a giant open pool with a humongous tortoise splashing around with sting rays (they were EVERYWHERE) and other random giant fish. There were also some shark tanks overlooking this pool. We went up moving ramps to each floor and saw tanks of all sizes holding a variety of creatures. Surprisingly, there were more than just water creatures on display- a room filled with puffins stands out to me as we tried our best to convince the 3 year old that they weren't penguins. The fifth floor is actually VERY warm- I'm assuming to resemble a rain forest- and is allegedly filled with all sorts of tropical birds, though we only say two pink birds and an old turtle in our time there. The jellyfish have their own separate area (ironically near the cafeteria) in sci-fi looking tubes, panels, and domes that allow you to marvel at how they move around.
The dolphin show was kind of neat. Seven or so dolphins did very basic tricks- but nothing on a Sea World level even though there is a splash- zone and you DO get wet if you sit in said splash zone. We learned how to tell dolphin fins apart, and a "random" guest from the audience got to come up and touch the dolphins. Two different women were talking about dolphin information, but between the room echoes distorting the sound and keeping the kids occupied and focused, I have no idea what either of them were talking about.
Overall, a wonderful place. I would certainly return- during a money saving time period- and would love to experience these 4D movies for myself.
HISTORIC SHIPS IN BALTIMORE (BALTIMORE MARITIME MUSEUM)
It was pretty chilly on the November day I decided to travel to Baltimore from DC and visit the Historic Ships. As the self-proclaimed Queen of Public Transportation, I rode the Metro from my home to Union Station in DC and took the MARC train for $7 to Baltimore Penn Station. From there, I took the free Charm City Circulator down to the Harbor (which is where the Aquarium is also, but when I went with my friend we drove). The entire process took me probably an hour and a half from the Metro station nearest my house and the ticket booth where I purchased my $18 ticket to tour all four ships.
The four ships represent military life at sea from the mid 1800s up through the 1980s. There is also a free lighthouse (the Seven foot Knoll Lighthouse) that has stood in place for more than 130 years- but I didn't get a chance to go in there. I had a friend (who suggested I name this entry Maryland Part II - Holy Ship!!) who was coming to meet me, and I didn't want to totally bore him to death with my exploration of all four ships (though he did end up joining me for the last two).
I think I pretty much entered them in historical order, starting with the USS Constellation- a wooden ship that was used to thwart illegal slave trading in her early years (successfully stopping at least three ships and freeing the African aboard), carried famine relief to Ireland in the years before World War I, and also served as a practice ship for the US Navy. I was amazed at how large the ship was on the inside- from the outside looking in it seems as if everyone would be packed into one tiny space, but I found (after carefully climbing and descending the very steep ladder like stairs) three levels of space used for various purposes, including sleeping quarters for all ranks of men, storage areas, cannons and weapons, etc. A lot of the spaces were under renovation, but there were signs in place explaining what was going on and what the object or area was used for.
From there I went to the LV116 Chesapeake, which was a lighthouse ship that was later used by the US Coast Guard. This was probably the least exciting of the ships (to me) but it prepped me for the ladders and small entry ways I would expect on the next ship I would board. The main highlight aboard was a small exhibit about dogs that served on the ships and how they boosted morale among the crew.
After that I went into the USS Torsk, a World War II submarine that boasts over 10,000 dives and was the last US Navy vessel to sink an enemy ship in that conflict. The deck of the Torsk is kind of rickety looking, but my friend (who joined me by this point) reminded me that in general you wouldn't be walking on top of the ship anyway, seeing as it was designed to be underwater. Again lots of steep stair-ladders, and this time small doorways to squeeze our bodies through as well. This ship was really interesting, getting to walk past torpedoes, radar rooms, and a mini-cafeteria that had a television playing some really great classical music with movie clips. The main downside- other than being slightly too tall and too pudgy to move around freely without having to think about the angle I would approach doors- is that throughout the ship there were touches of things obviously not from that time period (like plastic Bic pens that looked fresh from Office Depot) that were a bit distracting.
Finally we went to the USCG Taney, the last ship floating that fought in Pearl Harbor. The ship also was a part of the search for Amelia Earhart, fought in the Vietnam War, and was a part of the largest marijuana bust in US history- 160 tons. Certainly the largest of the ships, the Taney was the easiest to move around, and had an entire room dedicated to the attack on Pearl Harbor, with a video playing of interviews of survivors of the events.
Now, I am sure everyone is wondering "Terri, why haven't you blogged about Maryland crab?" Well, I'm the genius that decided to visit Maryland during the off season for crab. I'll have to come back, maybe on a food centered entry, when crabs are plentiful and don't cost two arms and a third of your soul to get a decent sized cake. As a rule, I don't eat crab legs or pick through crustacean bodies because they look like giant bugs to me- but I'll eat crab cakes and soups and dips and just about anything made with the actual meat. Just an FYI for when I head to Maine and am faced with lobsters!
I also was disappointed that the public isn't allowed to tour the Domino sugar factory located in the city. I'm kind of developing a "thing" of touring factories after visiting Bacardi in Puerto Rico. I'm already plotting on Hershey in Pennsylvania, and Jack Daniels in Tennessee. My friend told me that the dot of the "I" in the glowing sign is over 6 feet tall, and that workers who clean it have to wear special suits to avoid sticking to the lettering because of the sugary fumes that emit from the building. Would have been nice to tour for myself and hear this from an official rep- but alas, that wasn't possible.
With that, I've completed my journey into Maryland! Please feel free to visit (and like!) my Facebook page, leave your comments below, or Tweet me with your thoughts and ideas.
Thanks for reading!
NATIONAL AQUARIUM- BALTIMORE
Those of you that have been following me the past few months know that I already went to an aquarium in DC. Well, this aquarium is the "sister" to that small, ancient location. Five levels of exotic aquatic creatures (and more!) are easily visible on Baltimore's Harbor and have been calling to me ever since my first visit to the city in 2002. I went on a thankfully sunny Sunday in October (hey- I told you I was behind on my entries!) with a good friend of mine and her two sons, ages 1 and 3. As someone without kids, I had an interesting time learning to manage toddlers but it was a great time overall.
 |
| Dolphin Show |
I'll go ahead and say the downsides to my visit first. Frankly, the NAB is EXPENSIVE. Basic adult admission is $24.95 (which is coincidentally about the price I paid to enter an entire amusement park back home in Pittsburgh- but I digress). You can add on the dolphin show for $3 more ($27.95) and a 4D movie on top of that for another $2 ($29.95). In other words, $30 to go in and visit. Because the boys were too young to sit through the 4D movies (we'd missed the last Dora the Explorer showing of the day), we opted to only add on the dolphin show (from what the employees told us, 4D movies are 3D movies where the fourth "D" involves vibrating and moving seats, and water being squirted on you). Thankfully, the ticket agent didn't charge the $19.95 for my friend's 3 year old that she should have- only kids 2 and younger get in for free. Once inside, we paid another $2 to use a locker for our stuff (but a really neat kid-holding backpack thingy was free to use). Already spent more money than I had anticipated and I had yet to see anything! According to the website, there are days/times that are cheaper to enter- I would suggest any grown up sans kids interested in going to utilize those specials.
 |
| Jelly Fish |
Once inside and actually on the move though, you can see the money they receive is put to good use. Everything looked new- not one sign looked worn or dated. The first stop we made was an employee holding some sort of lizard out for small kids to see and learn about in an open space I'm guessing they use for children's activities. Unfortunately, there was no touching allowed due to salmonella risks (which was really disappointing to me but I understood). Then there was a giant open pool with a humongous tortoise splashing around with sting rays (they were EVERYWHERE) and other random giant fish. There were also some shark tanks overlooking this pool. We went up moving ramps to each floor and saw tanks of all sizes holding a variety of creatures. Surprisingly, there were more than just water creatures on display- a room filled with puffins stands out to me as we tried our best to convince the 3 year old that they weren't penguins. The fifth floor is actually VERY warm- I'm assuming to resemble a rain forest- and is allegedly filled with all sorts of tropical birds, though we only say two pink birds and an old turtle in our time there. The jellyfish have their own separate area (ironically near the cafeteria) in sci-fi looking tubes, panels, and domes that allow you to marvel at how they move around.
 |
| My friend's son watching the dolphins in their tank |
The dolphin show was kind of neat. Seven or so dolphins did very basic tricks- but nothing on a Sea World level even though there is a splash- zone and you DO get wet if you sit in said splash zone. We learned how to tell dolphin fins apart, and a "random" guest from the audience got to come up and touch the dolphins. Two different women were talking about dolphin information, but between the room echoes distorting the sound and keeping the kids occupied and focused, I have no idea what either of them were talking about.
Overall, a wonderful place. I would certainly return- during a money saving time period- and would love to experience these 4D movies for myself.
 |
| USS Constellation |
HISTORIC SHIPS IN BALTIMORE (BALTIMORE MARITIME MUSEUM)
It was pretty chilly on the November day I decided to travel to Baltimore from DC and visit the Historic Ships. As the self-proclaimed Queen of Public Transportation, I rode the Metro from my home to Union Station in DC and took the MARC train for $7 to Baltimore Penn Station. From there, I took the free Charm City Circulator down to the Harbor (which is where the Aquarium is also, but when I went with my friend we drove). The entire process took me probably an hour and a half from the Metro station nearest my house and the ticket booth where I purchased my $18 ticket to tour all four ships.
The four ships represent military life at sea from the mid 1800s up through the 1980s. There is also a free lighthouse (the Seven foot Knoll Lighthouse) that has stood in place for more than 130 years- but I didn't get a chance to go in there. I had a friend (who suggested I name this entry Maryland Part II - Holy Ship!!) who was coming to meet me, and I didn't want to totally bore him to death with my exploration of all four ships (though he did end up joining me for the last two).
I think I pretty much entered them in historical order, starting with the USS Constellation- a wooden ship that was used to thwart illegal slave trading in her early years (successfully stopping at least three ships and freeing the African aboard), carried famine relief to Ireland in the years before World War I, and also served as a practice ship for the US Navy. I was amazed at how large the ship was on the inside- from the outside looking in it seems as if everyone would be packed into one tiny space, but I found (after carefully climbing and descending the very steep ladder like stairs) three levels of space used for various purposes, including sleeping quarters for all ranks of men, storage areas, cannons and weapons, etc. A lot of the spaces were under renovation, but there were signs in place explaining what was going on and what the object or area was used for.
 |
| View of the Chesapeake, the Torsk, and the Aquarium |
From there I went to the LV116 Chesapeake, which was a lighthouse ship that was later used by the US Coast Guard. This was probably the least exciting of the ships (to me) but it prepped me for the ladders and small entry ways I would expect on the next ship I would board. The main highlight aboard was a small exhibit about dogs that served on the ships and how they boosted morale among the crew.
After that I went into the USS Torsk, a World War II submarine that boasts over 10,000 dives and was the last US Navy vessel to sink an enemy ship in that conflict. The deck of the Torsk is kind of rickety looking, but my friend (who joined me by this point) reminded me that in general you wouldn't be walking on top of the ship anyway, seeing as it was designed to be underwater. Again lots of steep stair-ladders, and this time small doorways to squeeze our bodies through as well. This ship was really interesting, getting to walk past torpedoes, radar rooms, and a mini-cafeteria that had a television playing some really great classical music with movie clips. The main downside- other than being slightly too tall and too pudgy to move around freely without having to think about the angle I would approach doors- is that throughout the ship there were touches of things obviously not from that time period (like plastic Bic pens that looked fresh from Office Depot) that were a bit distracting.
 |
| USS Torsk |
Finally we went to the USCG Taney, the last ship floating that fought in Pearl Harbor. The ship also was a part of the search for Amelia Earhart, fought in the Vietnam War, and was a part of the largest marijuana bust in US history- 160 tons. Certainly the largest of the ships, the Taney was the easiest to move around, and had an entire room dedicated to the attack on Pearl Harbor, with a video playing of interviews of survivors of the events.
 |
| USCG Taney |
Now, I am sure everyone is wondering "Terri, why haven't you blogged about Maryland crab?" Well, I'm the genius that decided to visit Maryland during the off season for crab. I'll have to come back, maybe on a food centered entry, when crabs are plentiful and don't cost two arms and a third of your soul to get a decent sized cake. As a rule, I don't eat crab legs or pick through crustacean bodies because they look like giant bugs to me- but I'll eat crab cakes and soups and dips and just about anything made with the actual meat. Just an FYI for when I head to Maine and am faced with lobsters!
I also was disappointed that the public isn't allowed to tour the Domino sugar factory located in the city. I'm kind of developing a "thing" of touring factories after visiting Bacardi in Puerto Rico. I'm already plotting on Hershey in Pennsylvania, and Jack Daniels in Tennessee. My friend told me that the dot of the "I" in the glowing sign is over 6 feet tall, and that workers who clean it have to wear special suits to avoid sticking to the lettering because of the sugary fumes that emit from the building. Would have been nice to tour for myself and hear this from an official rep- but alas, that wasn't possible.
With that, I've completed my journey into Maryland! Please feel free to visit (and like!) my Facebook page, leave your comments below, or Tweet me with your thoughts and ideas.
Thanks for reading!
Monday, December 12, 2011
Maryland - Part I (Annapolis)
Hello readers! I apologize that I have not posted in several weeks. It isn't due to a lack of interest or exploration, just a matter of my personal and professional life getting a lot busier and more hectic than I anticipated. I had my Internet and cable disconnected in my apartment because it was simply TOO expensive ($120/ month!), and have not yet activated an alternative month-by-month service. If you have any suggestions (such as Cricket or Verizon- two companies I've already been told to look into by friends) please feel free to let me know! You don't realize how much you USE the Internet until you don't have it at your disposal whenever you wish. I also came down with a seriously terrible flu/bronchitis/upper respiratory infection/pink eye illness combo that had me out of commission for over a week, slowing progress in posting even more (don't worry- I'm all better now!) I have about 4 entries in process, so please bear with me!
I had a very good friend (Alicia) come and visit me from Connecticut for my long Veteran's Day weekend. Being a great friend and good sport, she joined me on my adventure to Annapolis- the capital of Maryland. We spent a day there, visiting three locations: The Annapolis Maritime Museum, the US Naval Academy, and the Alex Haley Memorial. We were instantly impressed with how clean, quaint, and colonial the city looked- in fact she noted that it reminded her a lot of Connecticut!
THE ANNAPOLIS MARITIME MUSEUM
I learned about this place by doing Google searches for "Maryland tourism". Almost every site listed mentioned this quaint museum, so I just HAD to check it out. I was expecting a semi-large space with information about Maryland aquatics, boat history, and how the water has affected Maryland (or at least Annapolis) culture. I kind of got that. It was a very small (but free!) building that my friend and I later learned used to be an oyster shucking plant. Essentially it was a room, with a split up boat in the middle, a murky tank and giant oyster model in the back corner, and a few interactive exhibits along the walls. Inside the tank were fish native to the Chesapeake Bay (and horseshoe crabs- which look completely scary and creepy but are harmless- according to both the staff and my Connecticut friend who is also familiar with them...I personally don't want to find out either way).
I had a very good friend (Alicia) come and visit me from Connecticut for my long Veteran's Day weekend. Being a great friend and good sport, she joined me on my adventure to Annapolis- the capital of Maryland. We spent a day there, visiting three locations: The Annapolis Maritime Museum, the US Naval Academy, and the Alex Haley Memorial. We were instantly impressed with how clean, quaint, and colonial the city looked- in fact she noted that it reminded her a lot of Connecticut!
THE ANNAPOLIS MARITIME MUSEUM
I learned about this place by doing Google searches for "Maryland tourism". Almost every site listed mentioned this quaint museum, so I just HAD to check it out. I was expecting a semi-large space with information about Maryland aquatics, boat history, and how the water has affected Maryland (or at least Annapolis) culture. I kind of got that. It was a very small (but free!) building that my friend and I later learned used to be an oyster shucking plant. Essentially it was a room, with a split up boat in the middle, a murky tank and giant oyster model in the back corner, and a few interactive exhibits along the walls. Inside the tank were fish native to the Chesapeake Bay (and horseshoe crabs- which look completely scary and creepy but are harmless- according to both the staff and my Connecticut friend who is also familiar with them...I personally don't want to find out either way).
 |
| Inside of the Maritime Museum |
I was slightly disappointed, but a good sport I still walked around and checked it out- and I'm glad I did. The split up boat is a decades old oyster boat separated to show you the construction and allow small kids to climb in and through (I didn't feel small enough to fool around with that, so kudos to the men and women who do that every day!) The interactive displays in the back talk about the history of oyster harvesting as an industry- with videos showing different methods use to collect them from the water, how to open them, etc. There was a giant oyster model with LED lights that showed different parts of the oyster. In the back, there was an actual stand that would have been used by workers as they stood, shucking oysters trying to fill buckets as quickly as possible, as well as equipment and antique products that would have been made in the plant. The displays claimed this was one of the few industries blacks and whites could work side by side in....but all the photos they showed and used in displays- I only saw blacks (no biggie though). Outside, along the back, there is a dock, with signs talking about both the history and fragile ecosystem of the Chesapeake Bay. Kind of surreal reading about all the different ships and events that happened while in the background expensive sailboats and yachts are bobbing in the water.
Overall, very cute museum even though it is small. Just a tip, there is street parking available- but not much. and for some reason, we left there ready to sit down to a meal. This is a great place to bring small kids who have never been to a museum before- a perfect balance of learning that some things you can touch and other things you cannot.
Overall, I enjoyed my visit. It was a very well organized and executed museum- even if it is a little hidden on campus (Preeble Hall is where you wanna go- past the gigantor building that has the crypt of John Paul Jones in it). Be prepared to show ID when you enter the campus. There is very limited street parking, and they tow if you are there longer than 2 hours (a lesson we thankfully didn't have to learn the hard way!) The day we went, some special dance or something was going on, and it instantly had me wishing I was going to a military ball with someone! I'd love to return to the campus someday for a more thorough tour, but even if I never do, the Navy thoroughly impressed me!
First off- wowza. Before I get into details, this has to be the most immaculate campus of anything I have ever seen. I was in full history geek mode the entire time...and I loved it! Alicia and I wandered in and out of several buildings (one of which had a reproduction of a 1909 Wright Military Flyer...long story as to how I knew that on-sight) and I took pictures on our scenic walk. The primary purpose of my visit, however, was to get to the museum located on their campus that covers the naval history from around the world, but with special emphasis on the American Navy and the development of the USNA as we know it today. Admission was free- but I think it's because we arrived later in the day because I distinctly remember reading about admission fees somewhere online...but I digress.
 |
| Wright Military 1909 Flyer replica on display on the campus |
In two levels, you get a very thorough background of naval history. On the upper floor, there are stations that explain how each part of ships worked (via exhibit displays- nothing hands on though) You also learn about model shipbuilding, as there are dozens and dozens of ship models around the room, most of which are centuries old and were made my prisoners of various countries and conflicts. Some of the more interesting ones were made of animal bones with crude tools. The first floor specifically discusses that American Navy and it's development from our colonial days up through now where USNA alum have flown into space. We both really enjoyed out visit there, and highlights for me were displays of all the class rings from every year of the Academy's existence, and a giant flag that said "Don't Give Up the Ship!" I was also surprised at how many names I already knew and recognized (such as Oliver Hazard Perry- who was the namesake of my rival high school...even though I still am not a fan of that place, the fact that I had an instant connection with a person featured in the museum was cool to me).
 |
| Rings from every class of the USNA |
 |
| Don't Give Up The Ship! |
 |
| Alex Haley reading to children (statues of course) |
Long before I was totally aware that a TV miniseries had broken so many grounds about the story of Kunte Kinte and his descendants making a life in an ever changing America, I read the book. Mind you, I was old enough to even have been born when Roots first came on television, but I was old enough to know that the book was one of America's great novels- and that if I was going to consider myself well-read (which I did and to an extent still do) the 700+ page book was going to have to be tackled. The summer of 1996, it took me four weeks, but I finished that book and I'd never felt prouder of myself and of my heritage as an African-American. Mind you, I skimmed a few pages when Chicken George just kept doing things I considered foolish, but I READ that book. I've been a Haley fan ever since. Learning by chance that a memorial was dedicated to him, I knew I wanted to see it!
Situated on the water, approximately in the same location Kunte Kinte would have arrived from Africa, the memorial is broken into three sections. First is a sign with the explanation of the memorial off to the side and under some trees. Then there is a quartet of statues, Haley reading to children. Finally, along the water, are proverbs and sayings from African and African American culture (and Roots) that speak to importance of family, unity, faith, etc. Alicia said that she liked that it wasn't really big and "memorial" like, but just blended in with everything else, so that everyone can walk up and take claim to such inspiring information. i have to say I agree. Even though it was our last stop (not only was it now nightfall, but we had a date with a dance floor in mere hours back in DC!) it was the stop that made me feel the warmest. I could see my 13 year old self shutting the back cover, smiling and thinking about all of these things that happened so long before I even got here, and could feel almost a sense of closure getting so close to place where that history began.
For more pictures (90+) of my time in Annapolis or any of my adventures, please feel free to visit my Facebook page. Follow me on Twitter, and comment below with your feedback and ideas and opinions!
Thank you for reading!
Friday, October 21, 2011
Virginia - Part I
First off, let me say I am not that big on the state of Virginia to begin with (sorry!). It just never struck me as a place I would want to spend a lot of time, and most every time I've needed to go into or through the state, I have dealt with frustrating experiences, but I decided to take on the state with fresh eyes and see what I could see. After all, 50 states means 50 states!
Second, I thought it would be important to note that many of the places I WANTED to see were not easily accessible- or for that matter very friendly as far as trying to help me GET there by any means necessary (I'm looking at you Luray Caverns and Monticello!) As a non-driver (for now), I accept that buses, trains, planes, cabs, and my two feet are going to be my only options until such time I have a driver's license and vehicle. I'm not opposed to taking a bus to someplace and hoofing it or cabbing it to my final destination- even though it will be expensive and time consuming. But to not even be able to tell me the closest Greyhound or Amtrak stations without various customer service reps speaking to/emailing me like I was a complete idiot was very frustrating.
Third, I have a TON of friends from Virginia (mostly from the Tidewater region: Portsmouth, Richmond, Norfolk, Hampton, etc.), so I want to thank them for all of their advice on visiting places- and where to avoid. I think that I got a pretty decent selection, and for Part I, I will focus on my adventures at Arlington National Cemetery and the National Firearms Museum.
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
I actually went to the Cemetery in August- the same day I completed the first half of Washington, DC, but since this was technically Virginia, I decided to wait to discuss my time there. Most of these pictures were taken on my crappy Blackberry Tour with a few taken on my iPod when the Blackberry decided to die (you know RIM...I'm trying really hard to remain faithful to the Blackberry brand, but this piece of junk is working my last technological nerve...however, I digress!).
I spent about two hours there, which I thought would be plenty of time, but ended up being hardly sufficient. I was quite surprised at how much learning and beauty there was to take in. My first stop (after the Visitor's Center) was the building dedicated to women in the armed forces. An event was being held in there the day I went, so I didn't get to see the entire building, but the displays of various women's uniforms throughout the services and eras was very cool. From there, I hoofed it past the graves/memorial sites of Presidents Taft and Kennedy. I overheard the Tourmobile buses discuss notable graves but honestly I didn't focus too much on the announcements. There are THOUSANDS of graves there (300,000+), and the care taken to keep the grass trimmed, memorial trees pruned, and statues and tombstones clean is tremendous and to be commended. I took pictures of a few memorials and statues that I thought were especially striking, such as the Nurses Memorial, the Confederate Memorial, and the McClellan Gate (the original entrance to the Cemetery).
Second, I thought it would be important to note that many of the places I WANTED to see were not easily accessible- or for that matter very friendly as far as trying to help me GET there by any means necessary (I'm looking at you Luray Caverns and Monticello!) As a non-driver (for now), I accept that buses, trains, planes, cabs, and my two feet are going to be my only options until such time I have a driver's license and vehicle. I'm not opposed to taking a bus to someplace and hoofing it or cabbing it to my final destination- even though it will be expensive and time consuming. But to not even be able to tell me the closest Greyhound or Amtrak stations without various customer service reps speaking to/emailing me like I was a complete idiot was very frustrating.
Third, I have a TON of friends from Virginia (mostly from the Tidewater region: Portsmouth, Richmond, Norfolk, Hampton, etc.), so I want to thank them for all of their advice on visiting places- and where to avoid. I think that I got a pretty decent selection, and for Part I, I will focus on my adventures at Arlington National Cemetery and the National Firearms Museum.
 |
| View within the cemetery with Washington Monument in the background |
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
I actually went to the Cemetery in August- the same day I completed the first half of Washington, DC, but since this was technically Virginia, I decided to wait to discuss my time there. Most of these pictures were taken on my crappy Blackberry Tour with a few taken on my iPod when the Blackberry decided to die (you know RIM...I'm trying really hard to remain faithful to the Blackberry brand, but this piece of junk is working my last technological nerve...however, I digress!).
I spent about two hours there, which I thought would be plenty of time, but ended up being hardly sufficient. I was quite surprised at how much learning and beauty there was to take in. My first stop (after the Visitor's Center) was the building dedicated to women in the armed forces. An event was being held in there the day I went, so I didn't get to see the entire building, but the displays of various women's uniforms throughout the services and eras was very cool. From there, I hoofed it past the graves/memorial sites of Presidents Taft and Kennedy. I overheard the Tourmobile buses discuss notable graves but honestly I didn't focus too much on the announcements. There are THOUSANDS of graves there (300,000+), and the care taken to keep the grass trimmed, memorial trees pruned, and statues and tombstones clean is tremendous and to be commended. I took pictures of a few memorials and statues that I thought were especially striking, such as the Nurses Memorial, the Confederate Memorial, and the McClellan Gate (the original entrance to the Cemetery).
 |
| The McClellan Gate (photo from the Arlington National Cemetery website- much nicer than what I was able to capture!) |
I also watched the Changing of the Guard ceremony that in the summer takes place every 30 minutes at the Tomb of the Unknowns (other times of the year, the change happens every hour). The Tomb of the Unknowns (or Tomb of the Unknown Solider- an unidentified American soldier from WWI) has been guarded by the US Army 24/7 since July 2, 1937. The Changing of the Guards is a ritual that relieves whichever soldier is on current watch from his protective marching back and forth in front of the Tomb. It involves two soldiers coming out, one of whom gives the commands as the other two do a bunch of fancy gun-work to eventually have the solider that was on duty march off with the commanding solider (I will go on the record and say I have not a clue about the formal ranks of these individuals or the formal names for the movements they completed- but I have total respect for them!). I wasn't able to actually RECORD the ceremony (again, I only had a dying Blackberry at the time, not my nifty new digital camera) but anyone familiar with military or marching band movements will be able to appreciate the precision and synchronization needed to perform this without any errors. I would suggest watching it for anyone interested in US history, or military history in general.
 |
| I wasn't THIS tired at the end of the day, but it was indeed a lot of walking |
I truly only had two downsides to my visit to Arlington National Cemetery. One was that getting up to some of the memorials to get a closer look or take pictures was a little awkward having to literally walk over graves to get to them (most especially with the Confederate and Nurses Memorials). This made me feel like I was being disrespectful, even though other people strolled through the sometimes too-thick grass with no hesitation. Perhaps I've just watched too many zombie movies- but I was really paranoid walking over grave sites and was just WAITING for a skeletal hand to grab my ankles lol.
Other than that, I would say take advantage of the Tourmobile for two reasons: the sun and company. Again, I was there in the middle of August, and even my veteran walking legs were tired and worn out climbing the hills and wandering through the unbelievably large Cemetery. I was hot, thirsty, and worn out by the time I hobbled back to the Visitor Center to rest before heading back home. Second, because the place is so huge, I often found myself completely alone. It can be either very peaceful- or very creepy- to be the only breathing human around and as far as you can see there is nothing but trees and tombstones. I always felt better when I could see someone stooping to read a name or aiming their cameras in the distance to photograph a statue. Again, perhaps I've watched too many horror movies! (*UPDATE* As of 10/31/2011, Tourmobile will no longer exist. Sorry!)
I actually learned about this place by chance. I was at work, and a visitor came and asked me about a gun museum he had heard about. I had no clue what he was talking about, but a quick Google search had me learning about the National Rifle Association and their collection in the National Firearms Museum. Even though the visitor didn't want to follow the seemingly lengthy Metro directions to get there, I was officially intrigued and decided I would go along and find this museum myself.
I went out on a rainy Wednesday and rode the Metrorail for over an hour to reach the end of the orange line, caught a Fairfax County Cue bus and rode for about 30 minutes, and then walked just over a half mile and found myself standing at the NRA headquarters with signs indicating that the museum was also on the property. For a brief second, I was nervous. Everything I had ever heard about the NRA wasn't exactly welcoming- that it was an organization full of white, mostly male, uber-conservative hunting maniacs led by Charlton Heston that collected guns and animal heads like trophies. I am probably a complete 180-degrees away from that image. However, my courage kicked in and I walked through the glass doors bold as brass, determined to see this museum regardless of who would greet me on the interior of it!
 |
| Den display in the Peterson Gallery |
I have to admit that after my visit to the Andy Warhol Museum, this has been my most rewarding site find thus far! The first thing I noticed was a room full of rifles and hand guns in state-of-the-art glass cases, a wall of certificates and awards, and what looked like a very ornate smoker's den to the far right (complete with carved ivory tusks framing a faux fireplace) and a glass enclosed display of Gatlings aimed at the visitor (with bullet casing art in the background) to the far left. I had stepped into the first gallery of the Museum- the Robert E. Peterson Gallery. Filled with guns once owned by people such as JFK and Annie Oakley, and other odd and end curiosity pieces, this room set the tone for the quality one could expect from the rest of the facility.
Organized in pretty linear format (historically), the museum goes from the earliest guns (including the oldest "gun" (arm cannon) on display in America that dates to 1350, and a gun that came over on the Mayflower), up through the Revolutionary War (with special emphasis on Virginia's militia) and the development of the Second Amendment- the right to bear arms, of course. From there, you begin to learn about advancements of gun machinery and manufacturing and how these developments helped (and hurt) up through and beyond the Civil War. Displays about WWI and WWII (including a cool "bomb scene" where Allied Forces are picking through the abandoned weapons of defeated Nazi troops). They have a replica of Teddy Roosevelt's study that you can walk in see displays about his storied history with rifles. There are displays about the guns in children's toys from the 40s and 50s, guns used in games (as in amusement park target games and paintball), and of course sport and hunting displays. One really neat fact I learned is that the Beretta company is the oldest family owned business in the world, having been in business since the 1400s.
 |
| Display of the uniforms and weapons of the Virginia Militia |
I didn't check out the gift shop, I didn't have spare cash and it didn't look that impressive to begin with. I did, however, read more information about the NRA (which was displayed everywhere) including a brochure aimed directly at women that highlighted the benefits of membership for both genders. I appreciated that although guns and weapons can be a political hot-button topic, nothing (other than the historic presentation of the Second Amendment) came across as blatantly trying to sway the visitor one way or the other. I also liked that throughout the museum were computer stations where you can learn very detailed information about each and every artifact in the collection by selecting the gallery and case it is displayed in. While some of the exhibits (such as the current temporary display about guns in movies) were made awkward by encasing them in sometimes cabinet looking fixtures, overall this museum was outstanding. I would encourage everyone to check it out!
 |
| Golden Rugers on display- look at that detail work! |
As always, I encourage you to check out and "like" my Facebook page. Feel free to email me at fiftystates5years @ yahoo.com with questions, comments, or suggestions. Follow me on Twitter (@50states5years), and by all means leave your thoughts in the comments section below!
I'm having a really great time planning these outings, and it's exciting that so many people have been so supportive! I've planned out my Maryland excursions (hint, I'll have my sea-legs by the end of all these adventures!) and will finish up Virginia before Thanksgiving.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
BONUS: Puerto Rico - Old San Juan and the Bacardi Factory
Ok, I know the challenge is to visit all fifty states and DC by the close of August 2016. But a recent cruise I took with my best friend found me spending a day and a half in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico and I figured this would be a neat bonus entry. Understand that I literally had one day and a few hours to explore the city, so I didn't have the time I normally would take to plan a visit, but I think you'll enjoy the places I did get to check out.
LOS CASTILLLOS (THE CASTLES)
Old San Juan is America's oldest city, and home to two beautiful former Spanish military forts: Fort San Felipe del Morro (construction starting in 1539) and Fort San Cristobal (completed in 1783). Both have seen countless battles, but now stand as physical evidence of Europe's desire to sail west, conquer new lands, and control the sea. I spent a total of about 4 hours between the two of them, and even then I found myself rushing through some places (I needed to get back to my hotel and to the airport and still do some shopping in the meantime!) Admission to one of the forts (or castles- since that's what they look like and are sometimes called) is $3, but if you want to visit both, ride the free trolley that goes from door to door (and through Old San Juan in the process of doing so), and you'll pay only $5 and just need to keep your receipt- which will also let you back into each site for 7 days after the date of purchase.
The day after my friend and I returned from our cruise, we started wandering around Old San Juan in search of authentic Puerto Rican food- which was much harder than I imagined it would have been. We came upon Cafe Puerto Rico by chance on Calle O'Donnell (O'Donnell Street) which is really close to San Cristobal. A small yet sophisticated spot with wine bottles all around, our waiter was very polite in explaining was each food meant and how "authentic" each dish was. I ate alcapurria fritters (seasoned yucca with meat), mofongos rellenos con masitas de cerdo (yucca and plantain mash stuffed with onions and pork), and had flan and creme brulee (yes I know creme brulee isn't Puerto Rican, but I love it so I get it whenever possible!). My friend had conch meat with a lemony butter sauce, and red snapper (which she politely asked if they could remove the head before bringing it out)- both of which she said were delicious as well. Moderately priced (I spent about $40 with tax and tip but could easily have cut that to about $25 with different food choices), i would highly recommend this to anyone looking for tasty local cuisine.
THE BACARDI FACTORY
Old San Juan was wonderful. I would love to go back when I have more time. I tried to see some of the local museums, only to find they are all closed on Mondays which just happened to be the day of the week I was walking around. I also want to try one of these pastries with cheese and either papaya or guava in them- everywhere I went that sold them they were sold out- including Cafe Puerto Rico. They MUST be delicious if no one can keep them in stock!
Also, if you speak any Spanish at all, I would suggest you brush up. Although almost everyone speaks English, Spanish is the language spoken primarily. That's fine- except there are some people who will try and rip you off if they think you don't understand what they are saying to each other (like the cab drivers who tried to double our fare to Bacardi after debating with his fellow cabbies what he should charge us. I, however, studied Spanish for eight years, and although I cannot jump into SPEAKING it without first planning out my words, I can understand a good 75% of casual Spanish conversation with no issues! Needless to say we were charged the proper amount after I busted him!) Also, hope that the buses are running- a $12 taxi would have only been a 50-cent bus ride had both bus companies not been on strike the weekend I was there.
I hope you enjoyed your US bonus in Puerto Rico! You can see more pictures (which as of October 9th I am still in the process of adding captions to...) on my Facebook page. Feel free to email me (fiftystates5years@yahoo.com) and be sure to follow me on Twitter (@50states5years) for my next adventures!
**UPDATE 5/6/2013**
Apparently many of my Puerto Rico pictures have gone MIA in the cyber universe. While this is very sad, I am going to hope that I can still find them either on my digital camera or in my personal Facebook albums
 |
Castillo San Cristobal side view
Castillo San Felipe del Morro entrance (image from Globaltrek since my personal photograph seems to have been deleted! *sad face*)
|
Old San Juan is America's oldest city, and home to two beautiful former Spanish military forts: Fort San Felipe del Morro (construction starting in 1539) and Fort San Cristobal (completed in 1783). Both have seen countless battles, but now stand as physical evidence of Europe's desire to sail west, conquer new lands, and control the sea. I spent a total of about 4 hours between the two of them, and even then I found myself rushing through some places (I needed to get back to my hotel and to the airport and still do some shopping in the meantime!) Admission to one of the forts (or castles- since that's what they look like and are sometimes called) is $3, but if you want to visit both, ride the free trolley that goes from door to door (and through Old San Juan in the process of doing so), and you'll pay only $5 and just need to keep your receipt- which will also let you back into each site for 7 days after the date of purchase.
 |
| Lighthouse at El Morro |
As a history nerd/Indiana Jones wanna-be, I have to admit that these two places were a dream to me. First, they are MUCH bigger than they seem from the outside- I think I only saw about 60% of each site. Second, it seems like this would be common sense, but wear not just comfortable shoes, but tennis shoes/sneakers when visiting. There are many steep and winding passages and stairwells in each location- worn smooth by centuries of footsteps. A cute pair of sandals or flats could send you tumbling into a minor injury. Finally, try and go with a friend-- I found myself completely alone many times while wandering the castles (especially in El Morro!) and it can be a bit creepy walking into dimly lit tunnels and corridors alone.
 |
| Centuries old drawing believed to have been drawn by a Spanish prisoner |
With that said, you could really feel a difference in character between the two forts. Notable highlights of San Cristobal were displays of Spanish military uniforms ranging from the late 1400s until the early 1900s, and the in-tact dungeons where there are preserved examples of early graffiti believed to have been drawn by a Spanish prisoner hundreds of years ago. At El Morro, there were much more off-limit areas due to renovation or construction- and understandably so seeing as it's about 200 years older than San Cristobal. There were also bright green iguanas- that move much faster than you'd think because I couldn't snap a photo of one to save my life! There is also a light house, an auxiliary "mini-fort" and a bright yellow courtyard in El Morro.
I truly enjoyed both locations- and the park rangers were extremely friendly!
 |
| Onioned Pork Mofongo |
 |
| Bacardi Factory Gift Store |
Ah, the total irony of visiting the Bacardi grounds but not being an alcohol drinker! Even if you have never taken a sip of rum in your life, this was a fun quirky way to spend part of our first day in Puerto Rico. Make sure you request an English tour, as they alternate between English and Spanish tours throughout the day. Once you get your tour ticket, you are given two additional drink tickets that entitle you to two free beverages (with or without Bacardi in them!) at a bar located in an outdoor pavilion. You ride a tram into a building where three four separate guides will tell you the history of Bacardi, show you a video about how the company grew, discuss the distillation process, and teach you about the history and preparation of three famous Bacardi drinks: the Cuba Libre, the original Daiquiri, and the Mojito.
The entire tour took less than an hour- and was overall a fun experience. I even had a sip of rum punch to celebrate being there. The gift shop had great (but pricey!) gift sets that included Bacardi products and bar paraphernalia. Some of the stranger items were mojito flavored lip gloss and Bacardi branded lingerie, but I'm sure someone is buying it otherwise they wouldn't sell it. What bothered me was one family from New York, who had their daughter (who couldn't have been more than eight) on a tour learning about alcohol, and the father asking the tour guide for Bacardi recipe information because he was "trying to start a rum company in Brooklyn". On so many levels, this family was just inappropriate for this outing- but that doesn't diminish the overall fun my friend and I had while there.
 |
| Largest Distillery in the World |
Also, if you speak any Spanish at all, I would suggest you brush up. Although almost everyone speaks English, Spanish is the language spoken primarily. That's fine- except there are some people who will try and rip you off if they think you don't understand what they are saying to each other (like the cab drivers who tried to double our fare to Bacardi after debating with his fellow cabbies what he should charge us. I, however, studied Spanish for eight years, and although I cannot jump into SPEAKING it without first planning out my words, I can understand a good 75% of casual Spanish conversation with no issues! Needless to say we were charged the proper amount after I busted him!) Also, hope that the buses are running- a $12 taxi would have only been a 50-cent bus ride had both bus companies not been on strike the weekend I was there.
I hope you enjoyed your US bonus in Puerto Rico! You can see more pictures (which as of October 9th I am still in the process of adding captions to...) on my Facebook page. Feel free to email me (fiftystates5years@yahoo.com) and be sure to follow me on Twitter (@50states5years) for my next adventures!
**UPDATE 5/6/2013**
Apparently many of my Puerto Rico pictures have gone MIA in the cyber universe. While this is very sad, I am going to hope that I can still find them either on my digital camera or in my personal Facebook albums
Friday, September 23, 2011
Washington, DC - Part II
My next few experiences are spread out over the course of about five weeks. As I mentioned earlier, the DC Metro area had been hit with an earthquake and a hurricane in less than two weeks which kind of put a damper on my travel plans. Either way, these are all things I haven't done before- so I'm sharing them with you! This will be my last installment for Washington, DC and I am a little misty eyed about it- my first stop of 51 completed!
Recall that my best friend was coming to visit me from New Jersey. Traffic was so horrible coming into the area that we missed our tour of the Capitol Building, and my passes for the House and Senate are still sitting on my living room table unused. I would like to point out that the process of reserving a tour online for the Capitol was very easy, but trying to reschedule (so that someone else could take our spots, I'm considerate!) was a NIGHTMARE. Following the instructions simply got me a second confirmation email sent to me- not a cancellation notice or a prompt to change the date or time. After two tries I gave up and hoped someone would see my efforts on their end. I will probably go later at some point in my life, but for the purpose of this blog I will not be able to post about it.
THE WHITE HOUSE
I also wasn't aware there was so much hoopla to try and get White House passes (seriously, pick up to ten vague dates as far as six months in advance? I understand it's the POTUS, but that's a bit ridiculous. Especially since you aren't even GUARANTEED any of the dates you request!). I put in requests for two separate dates- one of which was to to be this Saturday, but a last minute White House event cancelled that and had me rescheduled for the day BEFORE my original date in the middle of the work day. Epic fail White House!
Despite all this, I still managed to get a tour. Keep in mind that cameras and purses/bags are absolutely not permitted, so (again) I only have some bad shots of the outside taken with my camera phone to show you. The good thing is that there are several souvenir guides on sale all over the city that show the interior rooms- which by the way are absolutely grandiose and beautiful (especially if you like antiques and old stuff). Not too sure how practical it would be to actually LIVE there, but it is rather nice to imagine the First Family walking around and doing normal stuff like we would.
The confirmation you receive (which you MUST bring with you) advises that you should arrive at least 15 minutes before your assigned time. This is 100% necessary, as there are THREE checkpoints where you will be required to show your ID before you can even enter. Everyone must be accounted for- even babies- a fact I learned while one family was referred to a supervisor because their 5 or 6 month old wasn't listed on their party. The tour is self led- meaning there is no official guide. You walk on a predetermined path past the most popular room on the East side of the building (not the Oval Office or West Wing) and pretty much just look at all the antiques racked up over the years by different Presidents and their families. All but one of the guards stationed in each room were pretty quiet- with the one exception being a guard who obviously loves his job and was having a great time telling stories about events that took place in his room (the largest room in the White House). It was much appreciated, and very entertaining. You get to walk through the hallway where the President made the announcement about Osama Bin Laden's death (which isn't as grandiose as it looked on television) and hen head out the doors to leave. The entire process takes between 30-45 minutes, depending on how into reading labels you are. The cool part for me was as I was asking a guard a question on my way out, I saw what looked like Charlie Sheen in my peripheral vision (which of course made no sense) to be told that was one of President Bush's brothers (hopefully he wasn't pulling my leg)!
Very cool experience if you are super patriotic or obsessed with the Presidency- but if you find yourself unable to go, Googled pics of the most popular rooms will give you the same experience.
THE INTERNATIONAL SPY MUSEUM
After that, you gain access to the galleries. I was very impressed with the amount of information in each room. There were games, hands on activities, and short videos that were appropriate for all ages. There was even an "air duct" that you could crawl through. I was also very impressed with the way the information was presented, how the topics and subjects themes blended almost effortlessly, and how BIG the museum itself actually is. Who knew there was THAT much space inside of what looks like a teeny tiny building? We spent two hours there, and even then had to rush through some areas because the museum was about to close! My favorite galleries were about the Civil War era lady-spies, and the Russian KGB.
Towards the end of our stay we were approached by a staff person asking if we were staying for the adults-only tour afterwards. He explained that for about $10 more, we would go on a specialized spy mission and afterwards get a free cocktail. We had no other plans, so we went, and had an even BETTER time than in the museum! (Special thanks to our tour guide Miguel who probably thought me and my BFF were absolutely certifiably goofy by the end of the tour lol) Making up code names, tapping into "video surveillance" and "phone conversations", breaking into a man's "house" to search his office, making a getaway, and deciding on if our spy organization had been compromised was waaaaaayyy more fun than anything I've ever done in a museum before (and I love museums!). I won't go into too many details because you truly should check it out for yourselves- hint hint fellas, it makes a GREAT date. My best friend and I were one of two non-couple duos there. Everyone else was obviously in some sort of relationship.
I was 100% overjoyed with my experience, and feel it was worth every penny! But I do have two down sides to my trip here.
First, the wild out of control kids. I get it parents; you want your children to have fun, learn, etc. I don't even expect kids to be quiet or even walk calmly in places like this that encourage interaction. But the children that were in the museum that afternoon were totally insane. Yelling and squealing like they were in a playground. Climbing on displays (and not the ones you are allowed to climb on). Opening doors that said "Do Not Open" while parents stood by and said nothing. One little girl kept running (and I mean RUNNING) into me so frequently that the fourth time she did it I grabbed her arm and told her I would tell her mother on her if she did it again. Only then did her mom apologize to me even though she witnessed all the other instances! I don't mean to get preachy, but it's unfair to everyone around if your kids don't know how to act reasonably around other people. The main selling point for me that day to go on the adults only after hours tour was the fact that there wouldn't be kids around- and that's a shame.
Second, the bartender at the end of the after hours portion was absolutely terrible. I don't drink alcohol, so all I was going to get was a tonic water with lime juice. I had to wait nearly 15 minutes for him to make everyone else's drinks (there were only about 8 of us total in my group) because he was completely unaware of how to make drinks, and when he figured it out, he took his sweet time to make them. When I finally got to order my water, he gave me a spiel about how he was new (OK, cool I get it now) and how he hoped to make lots of tips from my group (um, what? I don't think you are supposed to cajole your customers into giving you tips!) I feel for the guy, but I was a little put off by that.
THE MLK MEMORIAL
I made the trek (and by trek I mean about a 25-30 minute walk from the Air and Space Museum because there are no buses or subway stops close to the actual monument) down to the memorial the day it was originally supposed to be dedicated after I got off work. In case you missed the news, Hurricane Irene ended up causing the festivities to be postponed "indefinitely", but also left hundreds of people that had traveled to DC left without any formal programming.
As you can see, the weather cleared up, and it seemed everyone came down to the site regardless of the fact that all formal activities were off. It was PACKED, and I was very nervous of an overeager camera phone photographer was going to bump someone (namely me!) too hard by mistake and we would go flying into the Tidal Basin because there were no rails or other boundaries keeping you from jump hopping into the black water. The monument is kind of hidden if you aren't determined to find it- the National Parks Service hasn't yet updated the outside signage, and to be honest, I simply followed the flow of Black people to ensure I was going the right way. (Hint, stick to Independence Avenue and keep walking until about halfway past the (currently under rennovation) Reflecting Pool- the walkway to MLK will be on the left hand side of the street). It was a bit tricky trying to cross a busy street with no traffic signals or formal walkways to get TO the memorial, but as a city slicker I was ok with that.
Cool experience since it was new, but I don't see myself making that long walk there (or back) anytime soon again.
THE NATIONAL AQUARIUM
I have to admit that I was very hesitant to go to this place. One, I was skeptical about going to a teeny tiny aquarium when I have had my heart set on getting to the uber big one in Baltimore, Maryland for years. Turns out they are sister aquariums. So, after walking from the White House and ending up near their facility (in the basement of another Federal Building) I dedcided to go ahead and experience it for myself.
Overall, I think this place was worth my $9.95. The few staff members I actually got to meet were very friendly and seemed proud of their jobs, and they hinted at membership twice- but not in a used car salesman way, which I thought was appropriate. This place looks like it is SCREAMING for financial assistance, but that's probably because everything was so old. This is America's first aquarium, and it's current physical location has been in place since the 1930s. Everything was neat and clean, if not a little too dark, and there was a much wider variety of animals than I was expecting. Many of the fish seemed used to being gawked at, and returned the favor. One fish in particular followed me along the case- as if making sure I didn't try anything funny, which was a total hoot. I appreciated that many cases had notes added to them about interesting things happening at that time within them (for example, the shark tank pointed out the two types of shark eggs that were inside. First, who knew sharks laid eggs?? And second, the fact that one varitey looked like brown silly string and the other was shaped like a corkscrew really shocked me...I mean, corkscrew shaped eggs? Wow!) At 2PM there are various animal feedings that you can observe- the day I went was for the pirahanas, but I was way too early to watch that (even though your reciept from admission allows you to enter and exit once during the day, so I could have come back). The most frustrating parts were that many of the animals were sleeping (like the sharks- I thought they had died until I saw their bodies breathing!) or were missing altogether (like the octopi). Also, the pictures and names above many of the tanks did not match what was actually in there, so many of the fish I have no clue what they were. The gift shop was packed with stuff (almost to the point to too mnay options) and they had a lot of cute options for any and everything even partially related to the sea and nature available (including Sponge Bob...which made me chuckle when I saw him there).
The kids in the aquarium were very excited, and I think this would be a good warm-up place to bring kids that haven't been to a really big aquarium or zoo yet. I could also see this as a really cute date spot, or a place to cool down after navigating the busy DC tourist pedestrian traffic.
You can see the rest of my pictures on my Facebook page (and make sure you "like" it as well! Oh, and cut me some slack, I wasn't able to take my new camera with me so there are grainy Blackberry photos. AND kudos to those that take pictures of swimming fish...that was very frustrating getting their attention long enough to take a photo without them whizzing past my poor cell phone!) Finally make sure you give me your feedback on places I should go (or avoid!) and let me know how you are liking things thus far.
Thanks for reading! I hope to have more updates for you soon!
Recall that my best friend was coming to visit me from New Jersey. Traffic was so horrible coming into the area that we missed our tour of the Capitol Building, and my passes for the House and Senate are still sitting on my living room table unused. I would like to point out that the process of reserving a tour online for the Capitol was very easy, but trying to reschedule (so that someone else could take our spots, I'm considerate!) was a NIGHTMARE. Following the instructions simply got me a second confirmation email sent to me- not a cancellation notice or a prompt to change the date or time. After two tries I gave up and hoped someone would see my efforts on their end. I will probably go later at some point in my life, but for the purpose of this blog I will not be able to post about it.
THE WHITE HOUSE
I also wasn't aware there was so much hoopla to try and get White House passes (seriously, pick up to ten vague dates as far as six months in advance? I understand it's the POTUS, but that's a bit ridiculous. Especially since you aren't even GUARANTEED any of the dates you request!). I put in requests for two separate dates- one of which was to to be this Saturday, but a last minute White House event cancelled that and had me rescheduled for the day BEFORE my original date in the middle of the work day. Epic fail White House!
Despite all this, I still managed to get a tour. Keep in mind that cameras and purses/bags are absolutely not permitted, so (again) I only have some bad shots of the outside taken with my camera phone to show you. The good thing is that there are several souvenir guides on sale all over the city that show the interior rooms- which by the way are absolutely grandiose and beautiful (especially if you like antiques and old stuff). Not too sure how practical it would be to actually LIVE there, but it is rather nice to imagine the First Family walking around and doing normal stuff like we would.
The confirmation you receive (which you MUST bring with you) advises that you should arrive at least 15 minutes before your assigned time. This is 100% necessary, as there are THREE checkpoints where you will be required to show your ID before you can even enter. Everyone must be accounted for- even babies- a fact I learned while one family was referred to a supervisor because their 5 or 6 month old wasn't listed on their party. The tour is self led- meaning there is no official guide. You walk on a predetermined path past the most popular room on the East side of the building (not the Oval Office or West Wing) and pretty much just look at all the antiques racked up over the years by different Presidents and their families. All but one of the guards stationed in each room were pretty quiet- with the one exception being a guard who obviously loves his job and was having a great time telling stories about events that took place in his room (the largest room in the White House). It was much appreciated, and very entertaining. You get to walk through the hallway where the President made the announcement about Osama Bin Laden's death (which isn't as grandiose as it looked on television) and hen head out the doors to leave. The entire process takes between 30-45 minutes, depending on how into reading labels you are. The cool part for me was as I was asking a guard a question on my way out, I saw what looked like Charlie Sheen in my peripheral vision (which of course made no sense) to be told that was one of President Bush's brothers (hopefully he wasn't pulling my leg)!
Very cool experience if you are super patriotic or obsessed with the Presidency- but if you find yourself unable to go, Googled pics of the most popular rooms will give you the same experience.
 |
| (image from AOL Travel) |
THE INTERNATIONAL SPY MUSEUM
I have to admit, I'm very spoiled by living in the DC area. This is one of the many private museums in the city that you have to pay to enter (versus the Smithsonians and the National Gallery of Art that are free), so I had high expectations. $21 dollars (yes I'm counting my online transaction fee!) is pretty steep for someone who is looking at having to pay her first student loan bill in mere weeks, but I went ahead and decided to go. (By the way, cameras are not allowed in here so the only pic I have IS of my ticket. Everything else is from the Internet. Also, not very spy-like to put my entire government name on my ticket! I've blocked out my last name for my own privacy.)
First, you are herded into an elevator, where an employee tells you that you have 5 minutes to assume the identity of a generic profile that will be on the walls of the room your are let into. That was a bit nerve racking (I wasn't prepared for memory tests! lol) but I got my cover down. Then you are led into a theater to watch a brief movie about espionage that is kind of an intro to what you are about to see. This was pretty decent- except at some point either other tourists got too pushy or someone didn't man the doors properly, because a second group not only burst in for the middle of our film, they had the gall to walk in front of the screen as if the twenty or so other people in the room weren't watching a film!
 |
| One of the galleries (image from businessweek.com) |
Towards the end of our stay we were approached by a staff person asking if we were staying for the adults-only tour afterwards. He explained that for about $10 more, we would go on a specialized spy mission and afterwards get a free cocktail. We had no other plans, so we went, and had an even BETTER time than in the museum! (Special thanks to our tour guide Miguel who probably thought me and my BFF were absolutely certifiably goofy by the end of the tour lol) Making up code names, tapping into "video surveillance" and "phone conversations", breaking into a man's "house" to search his office, making a getaway, and deciding on if our spy organization had been compromised was waaaaaayyy more fun than anything I've ever done in a museum before (and I love museums!). I won't go into too many details because you truly should check it out for yourselves- hint hint fellas, it makes a GREAT date. My best friend and I were one of two non-couple duos there. Everyone else was obviously in some sort of relationship.
 |
| Cracking into a safe on the "adult only" after hours experience. (image from americanzoom.org) |
I was 100% overjoyed with my experience, and feel it was worth every penny! But I do have two down sides to my trip here.
First, the wild out of control kids. I get it parents; you want your children to have fun, learn, etc. I don't even expect kids to be quiet or even walk calmly in places like this that encourage interaction. But the children that were in the museum that afternoon were totally insane. Yelling and squealing like they were in a playground. Climbing on displays (and not the ones you are allowed to climb on). Opening doors that said "Do Not Open" while parents stood by and said nothing. One little girl kept running (and I mean RUNNING) into me so frequently that the fourth time she did it I grabbed her arm and told her I would tell her mother on her if she did it again. Only then did her mom apologize to me even though she witnessed all the other instances! I don't mean to get preachy, but it's unfair to everyone around if your kids don't know how to act reasonably around other people. The main selling point for me that day to go on the adults only after hours tour was the fact that there wouldn't be kids around- and that's a shame.
Second, the bartender at the end of the after hours portion was absolutely terrible. I don't drink alcohol, so all I was going to get was a tonic water with lime juice. I had to wait nearly 15 minutes for him to make everyone else's drinks (there were only about 8 of us total in my group) because he was completely unaware of how to make drinks, and when he figured it out, he took his sweet time to make them. When I finally got to order my water, he gave me a spiel about how he was new (OK, cool I get it now) and how he hoped to make lots of tips from my group (um, what? I don't think you are supposed to cajole your customers into giving you tips!) I feel for the guy, but I was a little put off by that.
THE MLK MEMORIAL
I made the trek (and by trek I mean about a 25-30 minute walk from the Air and Space Museum because there are no buses or subway stops close to the actual monument) down to the memorial the day it was originally supposed to be dedicated after I got off work. In case you missed the news, Hurricane Irene ended up causing the festivities to be postponed "indefinitely", but also left hundreds of people that had traveled to DC left without any formal programming.
As you can see, the weather cleared up, and it seemed everyone came down to the site regardless of the fact that all formal activities were off. It was PACKED, and I was very nervous of an overeager camera phone photographer was going to bump someone (namely me!) too hard by mistake and we would go flying into the Tidal Basin because there were no rails or other boundaries keeping you from jump hopping into the black water. The monument is kind of hidden if you aren't determined to find it- the National Parks Service hasn't yet updated the outside signage, and to be honest, I simply followed the flow of Black people to ensure I was going the right way. (Hint, stick to Independence Avenue and keep walking until about halfway past the (currently under rennovation) Reflecting Pool- the walkway to MLK will be on the left hand side of the street). It was a bit tricky trying to cross a busy street with no traffic signals or formal walkways to get TO the memorial, but as a city slicker I was ok with that.
Cool experience since it was new, but I don't see myself making that long walk there (or back) anytime soon again.
THE NATIONAL AQUARIUM
I have to admit that I was very hesitant to go to this place. One, I was skeptical about going to a teeny tiny aquarium when I have had my heart set on getting to the uber big one in Baltimore, Maryland for years. Turns out they are sister aquariums. So, after walking from the White House and ending up near their facility (in the basement of another Federal Building) I dedcided to go ahead and experience it for myself.
Overall, I think this place was worth my $9.95. The few staff members I actually got to meet were very friendly and seemed proud of their jobs, and they hinted at membership twice- but not in a used car salesman way, which I thought was appropriate. This place looks like it is SCREAMING for financial assistance, but that's probably because everything was so old. This is America's first aquarium, and it's current physical location has been in place since the 1930s. Everything was neat and clean, if not a little too dark, and there was a much wider variety of animals than I was expecting. Many of the fish seemed used to being gawked at, and returned the favor. One fish in particular followed me along the case- as if making sure I didn't try anything funny, which was a total hoot. I appreciated that many cases had notes added to them about interesting things happening at that time within them (for example, the shark tank pointed out the two types of shark eggs that were inside. First, who knew sharks laid eggs?? And second, the fact that one varitey looked like brown silly string and the other was shaped like a corkscrew really shocked me...I mean, corkscrew shaped eggs? Wow!) At 2PM there are various animal feedings that you can observe- the day I went was for the pirahanas, but I was way too early to watch that (even though your reciept from admission allows you to enter and exit once during the day, so I could have come back). The most frustrating parts were that many of the animals were sleeping (like the sharks- I thought they had died until I saw their bodies breathing!) or were missing altogether (like the octopi). Also, the pictures and names above many of the tanks did not match what was actually in there, so many of the fish I have no clue what they were. The gift shop was packed with stuff (almost to the point to too mnay options) and they had a lot of cute options for any and everything even partially related to the sea and nature available (including Sponge Bob...which made me chuckle when I saw him there).
 |
| He wanted me to know who was boss! |
The kids in the aquarium were very excited, and I think this would be a good warm-up place to bring kids that haven't been to a really big aquarium or zoo yet. I could also see this as a really cute date spot, or a place to cool down after navigating the busy DC tourist pedestrian traffic.
You can see the rest of my pictures on my Facebook page (and make sure you "like" it as well! Oh, and cut me some slack, I wasn't able to take my new camera with me so there are grainy Blackberry photos. AND kudos to those that take pictures of swimming fish...that was very frustrating getting their attention long enough to take a photo without them whizzing past my poor cell phone!) Finally make sure you give me your feedback on places I should go (or avoid!) and let me know how you are liking things thus far.
Thanks for reading! I hope to have more updates for you soon!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)