KP in DC 2010
Day 2, Tuesday April 20, 2010



We'll be eating breakfast at 6:15 this morning and then on the buses by 7:00 so we can make an early connection at Mount Vernon.

George and Martha Washington had servants and slaves who worked the many jobs needed to keep the plantation running.

This marker acknowledges slave contributions to the life of the Washington household.

After a drive up Massachusetts Avenue and trying to identify all the flags of the embassies, we had a wonderful tour of the National Cathedral.

Taking almost 100 years to complete, it is the sixth largest cathedral in the world. Built entirely of stone, there is no steel or iron structure, just stonework, in the same fashion as the Gothic cathedrals of Europe.  The stonework is beautiful and full of unique elements because of the stoneworkers artistic skills.
image: Jefferson Memorial
We did go to the Zoo, but there was only time to see the panda. She was eating lunch so we left and went to our own lunch at Regan Office Building.

From lunch we went along the drive where the Cherry Blossom Festival occurs in early April. The blossoms are gone by the school vacation week.

We visited the Jefferson Memorial, honoring our third president and the main author of the Declaration of Independence.
image: FDR memorial
It is just a short trip to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial which includes many water elements and is dedicated to recognition of physical disabilities, acknowleding them, but showing they need not be an impediment. FDR served more terms than any other president and is architect of the recovery from the Great Depression


image: bread line
Although our students are enjoying themselves, we did help them to understand that the statue into which they have added themselves does represent the bread lines in which people waited in order to get food for their families.

After FDR, we went to see Daniel's Story at Holocaust Museum. The exhibit presents the holocaust experience through the eyes of the children who lived or died during that time. No photos are allowed in the exhibit.

Back to the hotel, just missing the homeward bound commute so we can prepare for the dinner dance.
image: diner dance
Dinner dance

We got on board while it was still light and we watched the sun set, ate a good dinner and then...and then...DANCE!
image: buddies
Buddies!
image: some outside fun
The view from the bow moving up the Potomac.



Stay tuned!