DC!

     Tuesday morning was an early one. Once we had packed our bags and eaten our oatmeal (bleck), we climbed into our dinghy and rowed to shore. We had left White Seal on a city mooring, which is far safer than leaving it anchored. We walked about one mile into the center of Annapolis to get showers, then our friend Laura picked us up and generously dropped us off at the Metro station. After much debate, we managed to figure out how to get our Metro tickets, and we rode into DC.
     After we got there and were walking around on the National Mall, my mom decided to spontaneously call up our family friend, Jim Blair. Fortunately for us, he was not currently busy, and said he would pick us up in 45 minutes for a tour of DC. Mr. Blair is a retired National Geographic photographer with endless stories of worldly travels and amazing events, so this was an AWESOME tour. I got to sit in the passenger seat as we drove around the city. We stopped for lunch at Ben's Chili Bowl, (where the Obama family has dined), then we went and explored Georgetown University. (If I could get into Georgetown, I know I would thoroughly enjoy living there.) Everywhere we went, Mr. Blair told us about how different neighborhoods have changed through the civil rights movement and other eras of US history. We also journeyed up to Great Falls, a beautiful canyon that the Potomac River runs through. Later on we went back to his house and had a delicious dinner with his lovely wife, Elise. It was a fascinating day, I learned so much.
      That night and for the rest of our visit, we stayed with some other friends, Mark and Greg. They're a ton of fun. Plus we got to sleep in actual beds and shower in free, clean, warm showers! Ah, the perks of having friends that live in houses...
     I won't go into great detail describing everything we did in DC, there was just too much. However there were a few things that were outstandingly amazing. We visited the National Museum of the American Indian, the Library of Congress, the National Museum of Natural History, The Newseum, and also walked on the mall and rode the Metro lots too. I have been to Washington before, but every time you visit there is more to discover. If I had to recommend two things to visit in DC, I would say the Library of Congress and the Museum of Natural History. The architecture is absolutely magnificent in the Library of Congress, it's by far the nicest building I have ever seen. And the Museum of Natural History just all around wonderful. There are fascinating exhibits on everything imaginable. There is definitely something for everyone, from dinosaurs to butterflies to evolution.
     We got a ride back to the boat yesterday from Mark and Greg. Today we are hoping to go into Annapolis and do some chore-like things, such as a hardware store run and a shower mission. Tonight we might meet up with the Kellmans (our friends in Annapolis) for dinner at their house again. We will probably be out of here in the next couple of days for more sailing on the Chesapeake.
      Overall, the Annapolis/ DC chapter of this trip has been a great one. When the computer gets charged I will upload pictures!