The Rainforest
We knocked out a few Washington sights over the long weekend. It's nice to have a weekend when you can do some fun things but also have time to rest and relax, and last weekend was like that.
Saturday was the coldest day in a long time around here, so we headed to the tropics--the balmy deserts and jungles of the U.S. Botanic Garden, which sits caddy-corner to Harvey's office building and faces the National Mall on the other side. Our kids had visited there on field trips, but it was the first time for Harvey and me.
Rather than take a guided tour, we explored on our own. We wandered slowly and stopped to photograph the vibrant flowers blooming in the mist.
The kids investigated the green leafy plants, hairy cacti, and colorful fruit trees. They giggled at plant names like the "Old Man Cactus" (which you can see next to Judah, below).
Gracie showed us the cocoa tree she had learned about on her field trip and recited facts she remembered. We stopped to listen to a presentation on coffee trees; a volunteer taught us about the cherries and let the kids touch the unroasted beans. She showed us the two types of trees, arabica and robusta, and told us that the growing facility for the trees is in our very own neighborhood. The beautiful collection of orchids caught my attention, and the medicinal plants piqued my curiosity.
As we came full circle through the green wonderland, we braced ourselves for the cold and headed across the street to the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Its stunning architecture resembles no other Smithsonian museum on the mall. Inside, the structure is round, with curved corridors for each of the four floors. We rode the elevator up to begin at the top. Exhibits feature tribes from far North America to far South America, displaying their histories and cultures, which are diverse. The third floor houses a great children's area with interactive exhibits including a quiz show, a kayak, a skateboarding game, and a tepee.
Monday we drove to Washington National Cathedral, another attraction we had yet to visit. It's located near Embassy Row in Northwest DC, a beautiful area, also home of the private school that President Obama's daughters attend. Construction on the Cathedral began in 1907 but wasn't completed until 1990. Though not as impressive to me as some of the much older churches and cathedrals I've seen, it is gigantic and of course grand and amazing, especially the numerous stained-glass windows.
We had lunch at a nearby Mexican restaurant before we visited the Cathedral, and when we arrived around 1:30, we realized they were preparing for their annual MLK service, so we decided to hang around to experience at least part of it (depending on how the kids did).
The variegated events of our long weekend had one thing in common: they contributed to our family's trove of DC memories. And now we're snowed in, warm by the fire at home, a memory-making location that can't be beat--no matter where we live.
Saturday was the coldest day in a long time around here, so we headed to the tropics--the balmy deserts and jungles of the U.S. Botanic Garden, which sits caddy-corner to Harvey's office building and faces the National Mall on the other side. Our kids had visited there on field trips, but it was the first time for Harvey and me.
Rather than take a guided tour, we explored on our own. We wandered slowly and stopped to photograph the vibrant flowers blooming in the mist.
The kids investigated the green leafy plants, hairy cacti, and colorful fruit trees. They giggled at plant names like the "Old Man Cactus" (which you can see next to Judah, below).
Gracie showed us the cocoa tree she had learned about on her field trip and recited facts she remembered. We stopped to listen to a presentation on coffee trees; a volunteer taught us about the cherries and let the kids touch the unroasted beans. She showed us the two types of trees, arabica and robusta, and told us that the growing facility for the trees is in our very own neighborhood. The beautiful collection of orchids caught my attention, and the medicinal plants piqued my curiosity.
As we came full circle through the green wonderland, we braced ourselves for the cold and headed across the street to the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Its stunning architecture resembles no other Smithsonian museum on the mall. Inside, the structure is round, with curved corridors for each of the four floors. We rode the elevator up to begin at the top. Exhibits feature tribes from far North America to far South America, displaying their histories and cultures, which are diverse. The third floor houses a great children's area with interactive exhibits including a quiz show, a kayak, a skateboarding game, and a tepee.
Monday we drove to Washington National Cathedral, another attraction we had yet to visit. It's located near Embassy Row in Northwest DC, a beautiful area, also home of the private school that President Obama's daughters attend. Construction on the Cathedral began in 1907 but wasn't completed until 1990. Though not as impressive to me as some of the much older churches and cathedrals I've seen, it is gigantic and of course grand and amazing, especially the numerous stained-glass windows.
We had lunch at a nearby Mexican restaurant before we visited the Cathedral, and when we arrived around 1:30, we realized they were preparing for their annual MLK service, so we decided to hang around to experience at least part of it (depending on how the kids did).
The program began with a traditional African drumming group, and next came youth and Gospel choirs and a recording of an excerpt of King's final sermon, which he delivered from the pulpit at the Cathedral just a few days before his assassination. We stayed for about half of the show, before the kids completely melted down, and then we headed home. We were thankful we happened to be there for the program and got to take time to remember MLK and celebrate his legacy.
The variegated events of our long weekend had one thing in common: they contributed to our family's trove of DC memories. And now we're snowed in, warm by the fire at home, a memory-making location that can't be beat--no matter where we live.
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