A Little Visit to DC

Bob and I took a little trip to our nation's capital on Mother's Day weekend. 

{that little sentence just cost me about 10 minutes search to see if I should use capital or capitol.  I think I have it right, but I won't bet the farm on it.  I will only admit to being an elementary school teacher ~ of the lower grades.  I'm obviously getting weaker all the time in spelling and grammar.  But I do remember that the principal is your PAL ~ is there a little ditty for this dilemma?}

Any hoo, we headed off to DC {easier}  for a wedding of Bob's coworker.  They had booked us into a hotel in a newer area called National Harbor across the street from the Gaylord Hotel.  This is the view out of our window looking at the edge of the Gaylord and the Potomac River.  National Harbor seems to be a small area on the river with some hotels, lots of restaurants and shops. It wasn't too far from Reagan airport, and you could take water taxis from that dock in the picture.

After our adventure exploring the freeway and bridges, using both the GPS in the rental car and my IPad, we arrived at our hotel in time for the western themed rehearsal dinner hosted at the hotel by the groom.

{Gotta love that talking GPS and I quote "keep to the right and keep to the left as you exit ~ Huh?  We kept to the right and to the left and crossed the bridge next to our lane and could see our exit but were prevented by the concrete barrier from actually exiting.  We adapted}    

Saturday was the wedding, but we had the morning and early afternoon to explore.  We have been to DC before, and "done" most of the city sights so we decided to get back on the highway and head to the Chesapeake Bay.

There is a really big bridge not too far from Annapolis that crosses part of the bay.

I'm not so crazy about these big bridges.  And my husband is a bridge engineer.  I close my eyes, luckily he's driving.

The wedding was Saturday evening.  We boarded a boat and went up and down the Potomac.   It was so beautiful to see the buildings lit up at night.  The wedding was small and intimate and just so special being on the river. 

Sunday morning we headed to Mount Vernon.  We'd never been before.

Now that's a lawn.  How did they mow that back in the day?

What a beautiful home. 

This was the greenhouse or summer house.  I guess I should look in that book we bought in the gift shop.  The gardens around it were so pretty.

Approaching the main house.  You can just glimpse the river in front of the house.

After we had we toured the museum, gift shops, and had lunch we were ready to go to Part 2 of our Sunday adventure.

When we were trying to decide what to do on Sunday, I knew Mount Vernon would be the first thing but then I was stumped.  So I just looked at the map and Manassas VA just popped out at me.  I know very little Civil War history but I did recognize this name and the battle of Bull Run.  { I hate to admit it but I think it is from Gone With the Wind, the only Civil War book I've read a million times.}

We did the driving tour of the battlefields and it was very interesting.  I must confess that I was confused when I'd read the little signs, because they would mention various Generals etc, and you could tell that they assumed you knew a little about the outcome of the battles.  I didn't know if a general was from the north or the south, although, as I texted a TX friend who IS a big war buff, at least I know who WON the war;-)

A terrible battle was fought at this peaceful little spot.  It was terrible to remember how much blood was shed here.  It really is hard to even imagine it.

So many have paid for the life we have today.

 And are paying.

Virginia is a lush, green, beautiful state.

So glad we had the chance to go back.

We will come again.