Post date: May 28, 2011 5:8:40 AM
Dear Students and Parents,
Whada week! Although the DC trip was your (student's) last overnight trip with DCS, it was my first -- and what a fantastic indoctrination it was!
The way the kids work together and parents take care of things was so heartening and encouraging. As a result, I'm looking into an overnight trip first thing next year to the Point Montara Light House youth hostel. It happens every time... I participate in a DCS event and am continually blown away by how great the kids and families are and raise my investment accordingly.
So, back to DC, itinerary style:
Sunday
1:30 AM arrive DCS, re-re-re-read itinerary, clean room, bite nails.
2:50 AM kids and parents arrive, mingle, shush ourselves, load luggage, get on bus
4:15 AM arrive SFO, wait for ticket agent to wake up, check in
5:00 AM quiet, tense, glitch-less security check
5:10 AM arrive at gate, vent energy via "trashcan" & ball game
6:00 AM load plane, trade seats, chat-a-bit, sleep
----- From here on, time is a blur, so I'll leave it off -----
Arrive Atlanta: find airport food, watch crowds, wait for flight, board, trade seats (and again)
Arrive Baltimore/Washington: claim luggage, call for bus, drive to DC, meet tour guides
Dinner: Phillips restaurant
WalkThrough: FDR Memorial, walk through the park, tour Jefferson Memorial, drive to hotel
Overnight: Dulles Marriott. Kids fall asleep immediately upon arrival
Monday
5:30 AM (2:30 AM body time): wake up (sort of), breakfast, pack day-pack
Drive: out of town and through some beautiful rural countryside
Mount Vernon: tour some old, old, buildings and hear great stories -- quite a man & woman
Lunch: Roy Rogers restaurant. burgers & chicken (standard local fare)
Capitol Building guided tour. Impressive place and such intricate detail everywhere!
Library of Congress: I don't remember much there, except trying to count 78 moving bodies.
Holocaust Museum: an important and sad experience... strong impact to those who allowed it
Dinner: Washington Mall food court. Paralyzing indecision.
Back to DC with DJ Evan, then a rousing card games on the 3rd floor floor, then off to bed
Tuesday:
Drive: another (even more) beautiful countryside drive
Gettysburg: great movie at visitor center, and the best guided tour I've ever experienced. Wow.
Lunch: Pike Restaurant buffet. Local blueberry pie
Drive back to DC. Sleepy bus
Congressional session: saw floor debate on healthcare bill. The future, decided today.
Wander, mostly lost, through the capitol building. Best way to see the real deal, actually.
Meeting with Mike Honda, great questions from kids
Lincoln Memorial: big man, bigger chair
Dinner: Sizzling Express. Leave iPad on table in backpack
Shopping: Tourist shop.
Drive: Back to dinner spot, get iPad (whew), then to hotel
Wednesday:
6:30 late wake-up, pack bags, leave various items in room for later panic-retrieval
Whitehouse
Ford's Theatre museum
Vietnam War Memorial
Lunch: Reagan Building food court
Museums: any/all of the Smithsonian Institute
Impressions:
About the founding fathers and the birth of our Nation: impecable ideals, untested implementation
About war: how costly the price and fragile the peace
About being a tourist: saturation sets in quickly so it takes conscious effort to stay tuned in and inquisitive. Our kids did it well, for the most part.
About group travel: Our kids are flexible, cooperative, and can have a good time with each other anywhere!
I went to school yesterday afternoon and again this morning. It was great to hear that the group there had a good time. Roller coasters, SLAC, Monterey, ComputerHistory, and a great group brunch! Nice to be back!
Looking forward to being back together at DCS on Tuesday.
Chris