Back to the District of Columbia Part V

Okay, this is the last post in this series, mainly because I don't really know my roman numerals past this point. Sunday was our last day and we were determined to fit two more things in before we left: the National Archives and the National Portrait Gallery. But we had to go to Union Station first to store our luggage and ended up only having time for the National Archives. We didn't go here on the first trip (another intended to). We went through a few exhibits and got to see original copies of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Very cool. The Declaration was very faded, but still in decent condition considering its age. The Constitution was in much better condition. After lunch at Union Station, we hoped on the Metro for the airport. After a little layover in Chicago (first time I'd been there) we were finally back to good 'ole Oklahoma. It's good to be home.

Photos now on Flickr: http://flickr.com/photos/brad_holt/sets/72157613546211559/

Back to the District of Columbia Part IV

Today we left the convention around noon and headed for our US Capital tour. We intended to do this on the October trip but didn't get around to it. At the bus stop we met a couple from Ohio that was also at the convention. They hadn't been to DC in a while, so we told them some of some of the sights and showed them how to use the Metro rail. I'm somewhat of an expert on that thing after two trips. We went through the new visitor's center, which opened up just a few months ago. We got to go into the Senate Chamber and see them in action which, while a pretty boring issue, was interesting at the same time. We got to see the compass in the floor of the capital, which is the "center" of Washington DC and the four quarters originate from as well as a few other interesting things. Saturday night we ate steak at a hotel restaurant and watched the water, light and music show to end the night.

Photos now on Flickr: http://flickr.com/photos/brad_holt/sets/72157613546211559/

Back to the District of Columbia Part III

This morning I had to get up at 6:30 (yuck) for breakfast and the opening ceremony. I had a few classes then lunch. The food's quite good here, and paid for, so that's a plus especially in expensive DC. We happen to sit down with a couple from Lawton, so that was coincidental. After lunch we went to the Smithsonian Museum of American History on the Mall. It was closed when we were here in October, but it had re-opened. It was a fun place, we spent a lot of time there and took a lot of pictures (I'll post those to Flickr later). They had an exhibit on Route 66, and a lot of it had to do with Oklahoma, so that was really interesting. They had a portion of the highway from OK laid down, the OK Route 66 signs, two trucks with Oklahoma licence plates and one of them-- get this-- had an advertisement for a company in Shawnee. When the museum closed we had a couple of hours to kill before our "off-site" event at the Air & Space Museum, so we went up to the Washington Monument. We only got to see if from afar last trip. It's amazing how tall that thing is. Like, really, really tall. As we made our way back down to the mall toward the A&S, we still had a little white to kill and it was really cold, so we ducked into an art museum, which happened to be open even though the museums usually close at 5:30. Turns out they were showing a film that was open to the public. What film you ask? It was a Persian film with subtitles about two men trying to get two cows across the country and the tribulations they encountered. We decided to hang out by the restrooms for a while, but eventually browsed the rest of the museum. We saw some pretty interesting things. They had hieroglyphics and cave carvings from centuries ago. I thought only in DC can you duck in to kill time and see something from 2000 BC. Walking down the Mall in the same area we had just a few months back, I thought for just a second that we were still on that first trip. But I was pretty tired. Finally, it was time to go to dinner at the A&S Museum. They opened up the museum just for us, which may sound good, but I think there was just as many of us Mohawk people as there would normally be in regular visitors for this time of the year. I got to take a picture with Tommy Mohawk, which is our mascot, in case you didn't know. We ate, several times actually, as we had already been through this museum fairly extensively in October. After the event, a tour bus took us on a tour of the city and we got back around 11. So, too tired to post photos tonight, but maybe tomorrow. Until then...

Back to the District of Columbia Part II

Back tracking a little, before arriving at the OKC Airport. We stayed the night at an OKC hotel last night because our flight left so early. We stayed at one of those inexpensive joints on Meridian that has a shuttle to the airport. Here's how checking in worked, and I'll try to be as accurate as possible here:

I walk in to the front desk and hear something like "can I help you" from a back room.
I say "hello?"
"Yeah, what can I do for you"
"I have a reservation."
"Wit who?"
"Uhh, you."
"No, I mean what's the name?"
(And, remember up to this point I am still having this conversation with the other person not in the room. Finally they come up.)
"What's the name?"
I say "Holt" and hand her my confirmation sheet.
"And, uhh, what kind of room is it?"
"A two-bedroom suite."
"How many?"
"Two"
"And, uhh, what did you pay for it?"
"About $65."
"$65 exactly?"
"No, I think it was $65.33."
"And when you checking out?"
"Tomorrow."
"How much you say you pay for it again?"
"$65.33."
(Up to this point, she has never looked at the computer or wrote anything down. Finally she goes to the computer. I was kind of expecting her to ask what room number I was staying in next.)
Okay, yeah, uhh huh here it is.
"You need a receipt?"
"Yes, please." (Business expense here!)
She hands me a receipt saying I paid $0.00 for the room. I didn't even try to get that corrected.

One of the things we went over once I got to the convention was making the most of the face-time one has with his customers. This was a good example of the complete opposite of that.

This place in DC (actually we're in Maryland) is one nice hotel, and it is huge! It's built on the Potomac River (photo above). Everything is brand new, there's a shopping and dining center next door, but most of it's still being worked on. The resort it right on the river and it's very beautiful.

Back to the District of Columbia

In a last minute decision (as in Monday) I decided to go to the Mohawk ColorCenter convention in Washington DC, in a series of post I shall call... Back to the District of Columbia! That's a little throw-back to Back to the Future in case you missed it. Now, I know what you're thinking, what's a Mohawk ColorCenter Convention? Well, it's a flooring convention. Now, I know what you're thinking, flooring stores have conventions? Yeah, if your an all-special Mohawk ColorCenter store! It's pretty big too. We get to see and purchase the new products and displays for 2009 and there are seminars and such. There's a couple of events too, like one night we're going to eat dinner at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum and we get the place all to ourselves for three hours. Plus, I'm sure to sneak away and see some of the stuff missed on the October trip. In Oklahoma City now about to board, so until the next post...

DC Vacation Update: Day 4

At the White House!
Originally uploaded by brad_holt

Our final full day started with the White House. We went through the visitors center before the tour. I was pretty excited about going inside the White House. It just seemed sureal that one could do that, in this day anyway. What did I think? Well.... small, small, small! I couldn't believe how small the few rooms we got to see where. The blue, red and green rooms were a little startling. They're called those names for a reason. The State Dining Room was very understated though and quite elegant. We didn't get to see the East Room where the painting of George Washington hangs (the only thing saved from the WH before the British burned it) as some event was going on there. That was a little disappointing. At the end of the tour we got to go out the front door (!) and down the drive where we took a few pictures, knowing this is as close as we'll ever be to the WH again.
Quite tired from the WH tour, we blew off the Capital tour and had a long lunch and rest instead. We did an abbreviated tour of the Natural History Museum, mainly to see the dinosaurs, which were just amazing. Which ends our last full day here.
I must say... it was fun but I'm ready to head back home. It's too crowded, too loud and too fast-paced for this Okie!

DC Photos on Flickr

DC Vacation Update: Day 3

MonumentsNightTour_07Oct2008_ 045
Originally uploaded by brad_holt

Yesterday (Tuesday) we started the day by touring the Library of Congress Jefferson Building. We started not to go and just sleep in. You know... library... congress... sounds like a snore-fest waiting to happen anyway. But it was a very beautiful and interesting building. It's one of those that makes you think... they just don't build them like this any more. The building itself, and not necessarily anything in it is the attraction. The ceiling mosaics were amazing. Everything had a story behind it. While we were there we also got to see an original rough draft of the Declaration of Indepedence in Jefferson's handwriting with his notes-- marking this out, adding that, etc. It was pretty faded but still amazing to see.
Our second stop was the National Mall. We stopped briefly at the Smithsonian Castle and then it was on to the Air & Space Museum. We got to see many of the famous air and space craft we've all heard about.... Spirit of St. Louis, the Wright Brother's Plane, the Apollo 11 Spacecraft, the list goes on and on.
After a lot of walking, we went back to the hotel to rest for an hour. We ended up sleeping for four.
We just barely made it to Union Station to catch a twilight tour of the monuments. We stopped at the Jefferson, FDR, Korean, Vietnam, Lincoln and WW II memorials and monuments. We missed the bus after the Lincoln Memorial and had to hoof it to the WW II to try and catch up. It was pretty dark... a little scary. But we made it. After a late-night dinner at McDonalds in Union Station, we ended our latest day thus far... midnight.

DC Photos on Flickr

DC Vacation Update: Day 2

PhiladelphiaPA_06Oct2008_ 004
Originally uploaded by brad_holt

Today we took a bus to Philadephia, PA. This was an experience. We took what is called a "China Bus," which is a pretty inexpensive way to get there. We had to go to China Town, which was both weird and a little scary. And I should have seen this coming, half the people on the bus were Chinese. While I don't have a problem with this, I just hate not understanding what a person is saying. And, when it is happening all around you... it can cause some anxiety. I was wishing I had brought my headphones. Of course, there were the mangled-english signs which are always entertaining ("Not response for belonging" for example). The driver apparently could not speak English. I asked when the bus was leaving and he replied with an abrupt "Yes." When we got to Philadelphia, he kept yelling "Philadelphia off! New York stay on!" over and over. Okay... Philadelphia (or at least the part we started in) was a little scary. The people were lound, annoying and rude. That part wasn't enjoyable. But when we made it to "old town" things improved. It was very interesting seeing the Liberty Bell and touring Independence Hall, where the Constitution was approved. Benjamin Franklin's neighborhood was also interesting to see. It's amazing to think how old these buildings are (at least for the US) and all the history that had happened there. Tomorrow is the Smithsonian Museums and downtown. All this time and we have yet to see the White House!
DC Photos on Flickr

DC Vacation Update: Day 1

MtVernon_05Oct2008_ 005
Originally uploaded by brad_holt

Sunday was basically all about George Washington, with the exception of a morning trip to Arlington National Cemetery. While, of course, not a "fun" trip, it was very interesting to see the final resting places of people like JFK. I thought the Memorial Amphitheater building was amazing (more on Flickr). The afternoon we spent at Mt. Vernon, George and Martha Washington's estate. The area was very interesting and had a lot to look at. We toured the mansion as well as the many outbuildings and Washington's tomb. So, why else was the day about Washington except for Mt. Vernon? Okay, here we go: Our hotel is called One Washington Circle Hotel. We crossed Washington Circle to get to the metro. There was a statue of Washington on a horse in the circle. We went to Mt. Vernon. And, on our way back... we had dinner at... wait for it... George Washington University Hospital. Yes, we went into a hospital for the sole purpose of eating. It was the only thing open at the end of our day on the way back to the hotel. Hey, it wasn't that bad!


DC Photos on Flickr

I'm off to DC!

Tomorrow morning I leave for DC! I've been wanting to go for about 10 years now, so I hope it's not a big fat letdown! I'm sure it won't be. It's going to be a major state-fest, too. Oklahoma to Georgia to Maryland to DC (not really a state, I know) to Virginia to Pennsylvania and back. On Sunday, we're going to Arlington Cemetery and Mt. Vernon- George Washington's estate. Monday, we're going to Philadelphia to see Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Benjamin Franklin's Post Office and a dozen other buildings. Tuesday is the Library of Congress and Museums. Wednesday we get to go INTO the White House (which I'm pretty excited about because it's much harder to get into than it used to be), tour the Capital and visit the monuments. And Thursday we come back home. Depending on my level of tiredness, I may post the days photos in the evening on Flickr, so check it out and you can keep track of what we're doing (like you really care that much!)

Flickr Link