Out and about...in Washington, DC

Somehow, I missed the "How to travel by Metro" part of my education. So of course the main point of the trip to Washington DC was to learn just how this transportation phenom operated, make an evaluation of efficacy, and then do a field experiment to test the theory. Bottom line: it works. That is, if you can figure out the stops you want (four different colors of trip lines, and the writing is teensy tiny for the stops - oh, and you will need a handy tourist map, acquired at the Archives bookstore AFTER you have made your first metro jump...), add up the fees, find the right money slots, avoid the wrong buttons, and so on.
We opted for the conventional tourist approach: look pitiful and bewildered (very easy, trust me), and wait for the Metro cop to come over and say, "could you use some help?". Say "YES, thank you sir", and it's a piece of cake.
Here we are, ready to embark. Courtney (left - Louisiana) and Carrie (middle - Wisconsin) decided to hoof it to a nearby indoor mall (oh to be young again)and experience the joys of Metro travel later after the reception, while Kathy (right - Arizona) and I bravely faced the underground beast. First stop - National Archives, to acquire aforesaid requisite map - and view the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and other documents of freedom. Don't forget to take in the short movies offered in the theater there, very informative and worth the extra 15 minutes. Oh - FYI, you have to go through metal detectors and security checks, in just about any building you enter in DC.

After the Archives, Kathy and I wanted to take in the World War II memorial. Both of our fathers served in the war so this memorial has special meaning for us. Although the day was sunny and bright, there had been a temperature drop from the previous week's 70 degrees to 20 windy degrees for our outing. Everyone kept telling us, it was the coldest day that winter. Of course. We decided to take a cab for the 12 blocks - we wanted to have ears to hear the speeches scheduled for later that afternoon at the reception.

When the memorial was dedicated, letters were sent to families of WW II participants to encourage them to send photos and information for the memorial kiosk display. About a dozen computer screens are available to type in the name of the person you want to see, bringing up the information and photos. This is my dad. He died Feb. 28, 1998 at the age of 80. The men, and women, who served during that war, have dwindled in number to just a handful now.

Before meeting the girls for lunch, Kathy and I went to the White House Visitor's Center, just a block from the White House. It was a wonderful assembly of displays recounting White House history, art, people, etc. I loved this quote from Lady Bird Johnson, among many others. A great prelude to actually going into the White House.