Day 2 of D.C.

Doubling up today. I had planned to update yesterday, but I had problem establishing an internet connection. With some help from our hosts, all has been straightened out.

Today was a full one. We slept in a bit after our long day yesterday. After getting out bed, I laced up my running shoes and with GPS in hand (always handy for the directionally challenged) went out for a run. Zig-zagging along the streets, I made my way past the Capitol building and down to the mall. It was around 9:30 AM and there were several tour buses unloading kids in brightly colored t-shirts, all getting ready for their tour of all things Washington D.C. If any of you who read this are runners, you will be able to relate to the joy of having new scenery to see to distract you from the putting of one foot in front of the other. I had one of those existential moments when looking at the scenery, I came up with the wondrous realization, "Holy crap! I am running past the Capitol building of the U.S.!" Brilliant and insightful, don't you think?

After I returned back for a shower and a little breakfast, we took off for our day's visit. We purchased our week passes for the Metro and negotiated the public transit to the Smithsonian. We started at the "Castle," and were greeted with some familiar props and displays from the movie, "Night at the Museum 2."

From there we went to the Air & Space Museum. We had an appointment to keep at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to keep in the afternoon, so we had to keep moving. We were a little rushed through the museum, but we stopped for the things we wanted to see. It's fascinating for me to see firsthand many of the artifacts of our cultural history just a few feet away. By they way, as you will see from the slideshow below, poor Able the monkey doesn't look nearly so happy and chipper as he did in the "Night at the Museum," movie.

After the Air and Space museum, we headed to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. No photos allowed, other than what was in the display area. The presses, sorters, and packagers were for eyes only, no cameras permitted. As we peered down from the viewing balcony, one fellow held up a sign, in what must have been a well-rehearsed display. Handwritten, on a piece of cardboard, the sign said, "We're blue-collar workers, but we have made more money than Bill Gates ever has.

We finished up by taking the Metro to the Eastern Market for some fresh groceries. We ate well tonight--we cooked up fresh, tomato basil pasta, some mild Carolina loose sausage, and finished it off with a putanesque sauce. Delicious. We bought some yogurt peanuts and dried fruit to snack on tomorrow. Fresh bread and some good cheese for sandwiches as well. Good eats.

Good day and a great time so far. Tomorrow the White House. Once again, no pictures allowed, but the girls are holding out hopes that Sasha and Malia, the President's daughters, will invite them over to play. We shall see.