This year, Teacher Leader Institute was in Arlington, Virginia. I wasn’t too thrilled about the location as last summer was in Florida and my colleague and I went out several days early to play at Disney World! We had a blast. I didn’t see how Washington, DC could compare. Boy, was I wrong! Trevor got to come with me this trip and we had the very best time, EVER. Just wish the conference could be in DC every year. Every possible second outside the conference was spent touring all the national monuments and sites and yet, we still only skimmed the surface.
My most favorite Smithsonian was the Museum of Natural History. Thanks to the Payne’s tip, we went on a Tuesday and the butterfly exhibit was free! I could have stayed in there for hours and hours. We learned all about different kinds of butterflies, how they long they live (some butterflies metamorphous without any mouth parts and only live as long as their energy lasts while others live two weeks or longer), and where most butterflies come from!
This one hitched a ride for quite some time!
Later that night we went to the movie “Night at the Museum Battle of the Smithsonian” at the Smithsonian! It was so cool to have seen the places that were in the movie and be right there where the movie took place!
We took a bus tour that stops at each of the monuments. It was absolutely amazing to see these places and feel the patriotic feeling that engulfs you. We were awestruck!
Waiting for the tour bus.
What a handsome guy!
At Arlington Cemetary we got to watch the changing of the gaurds. Such a sobering experience to witness and see all those who have given their lives for our freedom.
My favorite monument…the Lincoln Memorial!
While we were on the bus tour we tried to get off to get tickets to the Printing and Engraving tour and thought we’d look around the Holocaust Museum while we waited for the next bus to come around. We raised our hand to get off at that particular stop but the bus guy didn’t see us and drove to the next stop. We were fine with that since we had tons to see. Later that day, we found out that had we gotten off the bus we may very well have been in the Holocaust Museum when a shooter entered the building shooting 3 people. We could have been one of those three people. But, fortunately were watched and protected in a major way.
There were magnolia trees all over DC. The flowers smelled so very good and the blooms were the size of my head! Huge and gloriously beautiful.
2 comments:
Wow DC! I love that place. I agree until you go there you don't realize what is out there. I just love the history that DC has. It is an amazing place. That is so crazy about the shooting. I'm so glad you missed your exit!!!
First of all I'm so glad you didn't get off the bus! Second your pictures of all the sites are great! I just love magnolia trees; they are all over in Missouri and wow are they pretty! I thought Arlington was such a quiet and peacful place. I could have stayed there and enjoyed the spirit for hours. And most of all Jessie is glad you made it to see the butterflies!
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