SBA, Day 3 - National Archives and Smithsonian Natural History Museum

Me: I need some quotes for today, guys.

DH: Metal detectors suck.

JRF: Those people said they want to buy the Hope Diamond. I don't think they are aware of the back story.*

The day did not dawn bright. But it also did not dawn wet. We were willing to accept cool and overcast and headed down to breakfast in fits and starts. It may not surprise anyone in the family that DH and I discovered the people we met last night at the Cheesecake Factory are in the room next to ours in the hotel. They also joined us for breakfast. [Later in the day we ran into them at the Smithsonian and they laughingly told us where they would be eating supper, in case we were interested.] It was a Moose Moment.**

In any event, JRF and I returned to the room to find DH taking his morning nap. [It's the time change, people! I am telling you that we just need to leave well enough alone and stop this time-change madness.] I finished my airport novel. DH woke up. And we got started.

Who cares? We are on vacation.

Heading down into the Metro. It is a long way down.

Checking the trains.

Heading out of the Metro.

You are here. We checked maps a lot.

After departing fares in the Metro, we purchased passes and learned the ropes of the system FOR TODAY.*** We found our stop and headed to the National Archives, stopping to take touristy photos along the way.

JRH saw the sign. We have talked some about the election. "Oh, it's a new Trump hotel," said he.

This is a gorgeous old building. I wonder where the sign will go.

In some places the sidewalks go under/through the buildings.

Inside is huge. We could have a party.

Yeah, just a reminder that April 15/18 is coming soon. The IRS building.

The light was red so we did not go inside.

You cannot take photos in the National Archives. You have to wait in line and go through a metal detector. You are supposed to be OK with your watch and belt buckle, but you are not.**** The security is nice and the folks in line all shared "Have you seen this?" recommendations. Currently the Archives have a number of displays that are quite interesting, but we were there for THE BIG THREE - The Declaration of Independence, The Constitution of the United States, The Bill of Rights.*****

We also enjoyed the videos and audio of Teddy Roosevelt (one of DH's favorites) and the displays that gave a glimpse of the amazing and overwhelming job of the archives and their staff. These folks work for us. They are the great filing cabinet of the United States.******

As we left the Archives the Smithsonian beckoned, but lunch sounded good too. We stopped in the cafe in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden.******* Of course we looked at the sculpture by some artists we "know" and some that are new to us.

JRF sitting in one of the granite seats of "Six-Part Seating by Scott Burton. It is one of only two works you can touch.

"Six-Part Seating" by Scott Burton

"Spider" by Louise Bourgeois - We saw three of her "Spider(s)" in NYC years ago. Amazing.

A work by Joan Miro, "Personnage Gothique, Oiseau-Éclair"

Typewriter Eraser, Scale X by Claes Oldenburg and Coosie Van Bruggen (Don't you just love this?)

I knew this was a Chagall - hiding in the weeds  - almost lost.

Orphée by Mark Chagall

"An Entrance to the Paris Metropolitain," by Hector Guimard (It really is)

"Graft "by Roxy Paine

A closeup of the "graft" perhaps in the work pictured above.

"House 1" by Roy Lichtenstein (It appears to be flat, but has a slight angle and the work changes as you move past it.)

JRF walking towards "Four-sided Pyramid" by Sol LeWitt

Moondog by Tony Smith

JRF has been studying art and competing in the Art Smart competition for the state University Interscholastic League so he has been exposed to many works. It was fun to view and discuss the sculptures with him.

The Smithsonian Natural History Museum was very close and so we wandered through looking at gems and bones, animals and insects, and DINOSAURS (as well as finding the folks from the hotel). We were disappointed that the gallery with the Hope Diamond was closed for some reason. We had to be satisfied with other gem displays and a holographic postcard of the famous stone.

Dinosaurs:

We knew we were getting close when we saw the dinosaur skull sculpture/metal casting (?).

Lots of bones.

OK. I know they are corny, but I love these photos. Me: "Move your hand up just a little. Cool, I just got a photo of you holding hands with Tyrannosaurus!" JRF: <Sigh>

We could look into a workshop where some folks were cleaning fossils! They were using what looked like microscopes and the images were transmitted to screens so that the public could observe.

They made me empty my backpack at the door. Not really - archaeologist gear. [Although it does kind of remind me of the contents of my pack when dog-walking/adventuring in the wild.]

Gems and Rocks:

Diamonds are not necessarily a girl's best friend.

Really? Darn.

A strangely faceted aquamarine (my birthstone). The original stone was two feet long before cutting.

This topaz was bigger than my hand.

"Look into my crystal ball. What do you see?"

I see a young man in a Driftwood Texas shirt taking a photo - upside-down!

I don't remember what this was, but it was beautiful.

Garnets - some of my favorites.

Some examples of the different colors of garnets.

Another stunning stone. Yes, 401.5 carat amethyst!

A few other amazing quartz gems.

OK. A few more rocks and gems.

Some are so strangely beautiful.

Wait. How did this get in here? A beautiful necklace of pearls and amethyst (and maybe diamonds too) by Paloma Picasso.

A few more interesting crystals.

This hematite looked like a sculpture.

 Animals and Insects:

I suppose if I had to do this for a drink I would be in better shape or else I would never take a drink.

Cheetah with his supper

Aardvark - Go Anteaters!

OK. You caught me - a photo of a photo of some of the insect collection. We missed the butterfly house as there was a line.

Elephant at the entrance. The guys were talking about the elephant and I almost missed it.

JRF taking photos.

Bones/Skeletons:

OK. I love bones. I love skeletons. I don't know why, I just do. This exhibit was amazing. These are not all of the photos...just some of my favorites.
 

Man and some close relatives.

Isn't this a glorious bat?

Monkeys

Giraffe

You don't want to be swimming with these guys.

The birds were fabulous.

Woodpecker.

Stork and Pelican

Shore birds

Leatherback turtle

Frogs/toads

Galapagos tortoise

The snakes looked like they were moving (I stayed back.)

And there were Mummies and burial items. I didn't think it right to post the mummies. So, here are some grave artifacts including jewelry, ceramics, and a doll.

We discovered we were in need of a soda and a seat. So we went downstairs for a rest and then to peruse the stores.

Guys on the move. We were looking for a soda.

DC is very recycling conscious.

$5 Dino Poop anyone?

The candy was silly.

We agreed we had walked enough today. So we headed to the Metro station, but had to go around (towards the Washington Monument) to get there.

Assorted stuff on the way home:

"March or die" took off ahead of us. I wanted a photo of the food vendor.

We walked toward the monuments/memorials, but this is about as close as we got, today.

There was a good deal of construction. It was nice to see a sign explaining things.

Yeah, pretty cool.

A memorial tree outside the Department of Agriculture (the building in the background).  The memorial honors food inspectors killed in the line of duty at a California sausage plant.********

Back into the Metro we went.

No eating, smoking, animals, music, littering and pretty much anything else.

Checking the map - we are on the wrong platform.

Souvenir T-shirt.

Yet another campaign sign, but this one fiction. We aren't voting for this guy.

The boys were moving fast.

Yup, Friendship Heights.

The Metro seems much further underground than other subways I have known (I haven't known that many, but these stairs are steep).

And last, but not least, we realized it is Pi Day! Yes, it is 3-14 and we must have a pie for Pi Day. We went to our maps once again and located Potomac Pizza. It was a good celebration.

The guys' pizza.

Going...

Going... (trust me when I say that it was soon gone.)

I had a slice of mushroom, black olive, and onion.

Pi celebration over we headed back through another sculpture display and then through the mall to the hotel.

It was a good day. Tomorrow? More monuments and museums, I suspect.

Stone slabs

Different colors

Different shapes

We never found an explanation.

NOTES:

*http://mentalfloss.com/article/19579/quick-10-10-victims-hope-diamond-curse
**JRF is named for Daddy, who was nicknamed "Moose." Daddy never went anywhere that he didn't run into someone he knew. It was no surprise to us that we have made new friends and then run into them all over town.
***They are having some "we haven't budgeted for long term repairs" and so some chaos reigned (Trains were supposed to arrive and didn't. 5 trains arrived on the other side before any on the side we were on - of course - but since we were on the wrong side, we crossed over and caught one of them). Hey, it's an adventure.
****We will dress differently tomorrow.
*****It's a bit like trying to see the Mona Lisa. There are no real lines. You have to weave through the crowd. It helps if your aunt and uncle (who don't care and know how to work this) run interference some.
******I have requested documents from the National Archives on three (3) occasions - the military records of my grandfathers, RHM and HCF, as well as the records of my great uncle, JEF (all WWI). Each time I received what records were available. In one case it was two or three sheets of paper. But twice the archives had the entire military records - some 60 or so pages each - with fingerprints and physical descriptions, commendations, death notices, and letters, including a letter from my great grandfather to the Department of the Navy (although the handwriting makes me think it was written by my great grandmother). How amazing to hold copies of documents almost 100 years old! The Archives kept them safe for us.
*******http://www.nga.gov/content/dam/ngaweb/visit/pdf/sculpturegardenmap.pdf
See also -  http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/mar/14/louise-bourgeois-feminist-art-sculptor-bilbao-guggenheim-women
********http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/06/ceremonies-to-honor-meat-inspectors-killed-in-2000/#.VueNwxjysQ0

Final note: Some of these photos are mine. Some were taken by JRF. I am not entirely sure which are which today.