DC Trip

I saw a picture of somebody at Cherry Blossoms in DC on fb and I remembered that every year I always wanted to go but never got to. It was Monday and after thinking it over it was decided Thursday would be a day to go. Kids would be out of school as educational trip and see their cousins as well.

Jimmy and Pop could not go with us - had to work - so it was me, Nan and kids. We left at 7am and headed to turnpike. I did have GPS but when I grabbed the ticket from the booth, there were signs for Phili and Pittsburgh. I did not even look at GPS but both, Brandon and Nan said I had to go to Phili. I had part of a second to decide (had a car behind me) so I went towards Phili.

What do you think? It was wrong. We had to drive 18 miles each way to start all over. Closer to DC traffic got bad. Then even worse and then simply horrendous. 5 lanes, people drive like crazy, no turn signals (or signal with their arms hanging from the car windows), people squeezing in front of us. It was HARD to drive.

Kids, for some reason, call us Bob (Brandon especially) and laugh at it. At some point we saw a car that said Bob Wrights Air conditioner and kids burst out laughing. It was funny :)

We barely moved when we had 19 miles left till we hit about 12 miles left. Those 7 miles were the slowest in my life :)

When we were 2 miles close, we were supposed to cross a certain bridge but Nan thought it was the one we were passing and told me to turn here. As it turned out, it was not the one - it was the one before we needed to turn. At this point she did not even want to take calls from Greg who was getting very frustrated with us. We ended up with almost 5 hours one way and kids did a great job being patient.

We headed to Cherry Blossoms in Tara's car and were very lucky to find a parking spot right away. I could not believe how small parking lots are and how many cars! It was very hot - close to 90F and the first day for sun block.

I was surprised with two things - I thought cherry trees smelled but they did not have any scent. And I liked magnolias much more than cherry trees.
Magnolias

Magnolias

Many of cherry trees were very different - including colors. Those cherry trees represent friendship between American and Japanese people. Not so many original trees because they simply do not live for very long time.

Around Tidal Basin

Love this picture :) Cute little boogers' hineys :)

Close up

This one is super white

We took some pictures before heading to Jefferson Memorial. 

Brandon looks grumpy on this picture but he really was not :)

Kyra smelling non smelling flowers :)

Love this picture of two girl cousins :)

Me and the kiddos

The only picture Nan was in.

Even duck got in a picture :)

Brandon was not excited about having his picture taken. Jefferson Memorial is behind him

Kids were excited to count the steps to the top (42!). When we got to the top, I told all four kids a little bit about him and Kyra asked me if he was still alive. No, he was born even before Pop's Pop was born.

New Luther King Jr Memorial across from us.

It was fun. If it was up to me, I would have walked around the whole Tidal Basin but... Kids, although, were done with walking and just wanted to go see the animals.

ZOOOOOOOOO!!

First we sure headed to see pandas. How could we possibly not try to if Kyra is sort of obsessed with them? 

One out of two pandas is enjoying lunch

There were so much information on pandas - how they sound, how little they are when they are born and even how female panda was able to have a baby (could not natural way) Kyra was walking around with her DS taking her own pictures.

More about pandas.

Kyra is in heaven :)

Besides those pandas there is another one called Red Panda. It kind of looks like panda but in fact the closest relative of this animal is raccoon. Can't believe that! :)

I LOVE how they have a statue for the animal that you stand near!

Adelyn likes elephants the most, so that was our next stop after pandas.

Great Apes

There were three of them - seemed like Dad, Mom and a baby. It was so cute! I was so amazed at how smart there were! Before Dad sat down at the cement floor, he put a bunch of hay under his bottom and only then sat down. How smart is that? 

Here the kids are right next to the gorilla - Dad. So cool!

King of the jungle :)

Now Brandon's imagined heaven. One of rattlesnakes

Eyelash Palm Pitviper. Seriously? What a name! They can be even pink color! Imagine that! They are the smallest of poisonous snakes in Central America.

One of my most favorite pictures. It was so funny when Brandon looked at those turtles with their slow elegant moves (which reminded me of Finding Nemo) and said: "Awwww, they are so cute!" Out of the mouth almost 8-year old! :) Loved it!

White's Treefrog. This funny looking frog secretes chemicals that lower human blood pressure. Amazing!

Blue Poison Frog. Interesting, that in the wild, this frog manufactures a dangerous skin secretion from chemicals in its diet but in zoos, without the same meal of rain forest ants, this frog does not produce those toxins. Mother Nature!

Reptile Discovery Center

Last mist splash before heading back to Adelyn and Caden's house.

At last, picture of all 4 kiddos which Tara managed to take while I ran to the gift shop to get a couple of postcards and a fridge magnet.

Again, thank goodness, Tara drove. I would have gone crazy driving through city bumper to bumper. Would like to come back to Georgetown sometimes, I was in this little town in 2003 but it started to storm so we had to leave early. This time we only drove through but the atmosphere is.. so like a magnet. I want to go back and walk along the street and window shop in the little shops.. And stop at famous cupcake cafe :)

At their house kids got ordered pizza and Tara made home made cookies. How can you beat that? No school, trip to DC, pizza, cookies and run around with cousins?? It is 5 star kind of trip :)

On the way home I got confused between making selection on my GPS - to choose the shortest, fastest or unrestricted route. I think I chose one of the first two and oh boy. I thought the lady who was announcing my way was drunk. I never drove so complicated way, turn here and turn there and make this exit.. I ended up going home through Towson and York (do not ask). Long way but what a fun trip - so worthwhile the long ride in the car!!!