Touring DC - White House & Pentagon
We got up really early to drive into downtown DC. Which most people don't do unless they live there because there's almost no parking. So we used the app from bestparking.com that was close and cheap (enough, at least by local standards). The tour starts at 0730, and we had to be there 15 minutes early, but the garages around here open at 7am. The White House tour website said not to bring anything except wallets, phones (which you can't use), keys, and umbrellas. Well, we got there and it's decorated for Christmas, and they let us take pics. But since we obeyed the website and only had smartphone cameras, the quality of the pictures in the rooms with multiple light sources are okay but could have been better. Also, wrangling two kids made it difficult to pause long enough to get something that wasn't slightly blurred. Kacey saw Sammy the dog on the lawn, but she was carrying our little one, so she didn't get a picture. To finish the tour, there was even a choir singing at the exit!
We were finished with the self-guided tour by 0830. Went to breakfast at a place which advertises having breakfast and website says opens at 8. Well, come to find out, the sign on the door says 9, and guy behind door says 10. I was gonna link the the place, but not after that experience. Anyways, we went to Au bon pain across the street. And sat there for an hour. Because we were tired. At 9 in the morning. After pulling ourselves together, we headed over to the National Mall/Ellipse to see National Christmas tree and trains. And even a derailment!
Stopped at the Corner Bakery Cafe for coffee while kids slept in the Baby Jogger Pod, which really has never let us down as an urban child mobility unit. After coffee, we drove over to Pentagon City mall and parked there to walk to the Pentagon for their tour. We got there way too early, but somehow entertained the kids. I carried Cori for most of the tour "so she could see". It was kinda weird to require an escort after previously having relatively open access just 15 months ago.
We had dinner at Harry's Smokehouse in the mall. It's pretty good for kids (noisy enough, easy to clean up), and they put us in a fairly unoccupied section. They also have beer and wine for the adultsts. Kids fell asleep on the drive home.
Tomorrow:
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All Trips From Our Assignment to Washington, DC
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All Trip Summaries
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| JFK's wondering why she's rubbing her eyes |
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| I really like the Washington Monument ornament's design. |
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| The Gingerbread White House |
We were finished with the self-guided tour by 0830. Went to breakfast at a place which advertises having breakfast and website says opens at 8. Well, come to find out, the sign on the door says 9, and guy behind door says 10. I was gonna link the the place, but not after that experience. Anyways, we went to Au bon pain across the street. And sat there for an hour. Because we were tired. At 9 in the morning. After pulling ourselves together, we headed over to the National Mall/Ellipse to see National Christmas tree and trains. And even a derailment!
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| The White House looks pretty good for having been rebuilt after Olympus Has Fallen and White House Down. |
Stopped at the Corner Bakery Cafe for coffee while kids slept in the Baby Jogger Pod, which really has never let us down as an urban child mobility unit. After coffee, we drove over to Pentagon City mall and parked there to walk to the Pentagon for their tour. We got there way too early, but somehow entertained the kids. I carried Cori for most of the tour "so she could see". It was kinda weird to require an escort after previously having relatively open access just 15 months ago.
We had dinner at Harry's Smokehouse in the mall. It's pretty good for kids (noisy enough, easy to clean up), and they put us in a fairly unoccupied section. They also have beer and wine for the adultsts. Kids fell asleep on the drive home.
◆
All Trips From Our Assignment to Washington, DC
◆
All Trip Summaries
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