Gary-Summer: March 27, 2023

Monday, March 27, 2023

March 27, 2023 - Washington DC

Title: March 27, 2023 - Washington DC

Hike Info : Description : Background : Extra Photo's

Hike Info:

Type:Tourist
Walk: 2.9 miles

Description:

Another morning. I get up at 7 and get going. Today will be a longer day as we hope to visit:

Federal Appellate Court of DC
Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum
National Zoo
Rock Creek Park
Politics and Prose Bookstore

We shall see how much we actually do. Granola is the choice for breakfast. We manage to leave a few minutes before 9:30. Our first order is to take the Metro from NoMa to Judiciary Square Station. Then walk to the Air and Space Museum. One thing before talking about the museum, is how we got there. The first notable building is the Appellate Court of Washington DC. Next to the Supreme Court, this is the most important court in the United States. This is where many of our nation’s laws get challenged. Then a block further is the DC Federal Court. This court has been in the news consistently during the past year. I understand there are 21 Federal judges (the web site says there are 50 of them) there and each has decided cases concerning the January 6th defendants.

There is major construction going on at the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum

Wright Brother's plane

. I started leading us toward where I think the entrance is, but Sherri notices arrows pointing another way. She is right. We get in about 10:15. The very first thing we see is the Wright Brothers display. The display goes through the development of the plane and the brothers subsequent improvements on it. By seeing the plane, you understand how it actually flew. It resembles more of a kite, at least in materials. I also started realizing that it took about ten years from the very first flight to it being substantial enough to be used in war. And then another 50-60 years before flying was available to anybody who had some extra dollars in their pocket. In the meantime, we were looking beyond our sky to go to the moon. Without them, the train would still be the best way to get around. Our Washington DC trip would take four days instead of less than six hours.

Atlas Thrusters

There is an exhibit of civil aviation. I think of my best man Dennis. He has made two planes and in the final stages of a third. The exhibit showed several ways these small planes made an impact: medical transport, disaster relief, and assistance in navigation. The next we saw was the start of the massive planes which were being developed after World War II for commercial aviation. (The following month, Sherri and I went to Castle Air Museum and saw lots of war birds. Goes as a compliment to this museum.)We then went upstairs to an exhibit on speed-from race cars to speed boats. This was not very interesting to me. But what was coming up was.

Mercury

There were separate exhibits on discovering our universe and space flight. There were several displays on how we find out what is out there-some of it seems almost like magic. From sensing where exoplanets are to determining that a planet exists. Most of this is more very intense work rather than luck. Several sensing devices, including the Mars rover were on display. Each was fascinating to look at.

Gemini

But the highlight to me was the manned space flight. 54 years ago, I remember seeing a badly burnt Mercury space capsule. While I was on that trip, the Apollo craft landed on the moon-I was in Canada then. So this part of the exhibit has a lot of interest to me. We must have come in backwards as the display is going from the moon landing backwards. I marvel at the giant nozzles used to blast off the rocket to the moon. And then there are the various capsules. Each of them: the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo, look so much smaller than what I remember. I doubt I could get into any of them. The Museum had set up a video timeline from the time the Russians challenged the United States for supremacy to the landing on the moon. The video shows both how this was a challenge, not only technically, but culturally. Civil Rights, assassinations, and the Vietnam War were all going on. But there was a moment, when the words, The Eagle has landed and Armstrong’s words of One small step for a man; one large step for mankind, it was a time we all could come together and celebrate an achievement for all of mankind.

Apollo

We left the Air and Space Museum after this and set a course to the Smithsonian National Zoo . This was a course down to L’Enfant Plaza Station. We take the Silver Line to Metro Center where we hop on the Red Line. This brings us to Woodley Park, which is about a quarter mile from the Zoo’s entrance. But first, we figure we need something to eat. There is Lillies which is reported to have an Italian cuisine. But Duke’s Counter is on our side of the road and a few steps close. This won out. I have a Pastrami on Weck sandwich while Sherri had an East Side Brisket. Each was huge and good. No need for dinner tonight.

Lesser Kudo

Red Panda

While we eat, a pretty good rain shower happens. It is good to have such timing. By the time we left, there was a slight drizzle. I had a zoo pass for the day and we went in. The first animal we see is a cheetah on the prowl. Gorgeous animal. But Sherri really wants to see the pandas. When we came to the enclosure, there were no pandas out. Maybe this is a bust. But now, as we climb up, in a separate area is a red panda. He is on the move from his little house out and back again.

Giant Panda

And then there is the panda house. There they are! The first panda we see reminds me of my teddy bear. They are cute. None of them interact with each other. One seems to understand what retirement life is about. Enjoyable seeing these creatures. It is very easy to fall in love with them.

We continue on and tour the elephant house. This is a huge caverness building. Two elephants are playing with a block while a third watches on. Then on to a small mammal house. Which some of these are apes. This is a lot more spacious than our reptile house in Fresno. The path we follow leads us downward. On the zoo’s website, it says the full path descends 220’ and I do believe it. By the time we reach the bottom, Sherri and I decide that progressing on to the rest of Rock Creek Park is not in the cards for today.

We try to exit the zoo as Google says to, but there is a fence in the way. But it looks like we can take a bridge across and wander up some steep streets-well, maybe not as steep as San Francisco, but steep enough for our tired legs. We cross the bridge on Harvard St, then use 18th St to cut over to Ontario which leads us up to Columbia-all roads are SW. We caught the L2 bus there. It appears that our Metro cards on the bus may not be updated, but the driver has us continue on.

Politics and Prose

We reach the Politics and Prose Bookstore at 5pm and wander around. It is much bigger than the Kramer’s store from yesterday. They even have some Ruth Bader Ginsburg socks for sale-Sherri is tempted, but resists, buying them for the girls. I wander through pulling a book here, looking at a cover there. But I know that anything I buy now I will need to lug around an airport and train. So I resist. One book caught my attention, My Travels with Mrs. Kennedy by Clint Hill. In Osher book club, we had read Zero Fail which Hill played a major part as the Secret Service agent in charge of Jacquiline Kennedy.

When we leave the bookstore, it is closing in on 6pm. We catch the L2 down to Van Ness Station where we descend down into the belly of the Metro. We pick up the Red Line and sit all the way to NoMa Station, and our room. There we find the dishwasher seems to run, but there is no water in it. So another text to Trinity. After resting we go to the store, pick up more supplies and rest the rest of the night. I go to bed at 10pm.

Background

Trip Advisor: Duke’s Counter. We happened upon this place when we were going to the National Zoo-it is right across from the entrance. We were hungry and Duke’s filled us up good. Think more of an English type of eating experience. Not only were the servings large, but they were tasty. Our table was close to others, so we were able to eyeball each other’s food and enjoy the scent and sight of what they ordered as well. The furnishings are minimal, but with food tasting like it does, who cares?

Extra Photo's