Tampa Bay Rays vs Cincinnati Reds

Port Charlotte, Florida: Professional baseball has returned to Charlotte County with the inaugural spring training game for the Tampa Bay Rays. The memories of 2008 filled the stadium as the American League Championship trophy was on display in the team store, the championship flag was raised in left field and the roster was stocked full of the players that made the championship run possible. But unfortunately the Rays fell to the Cincinnati Reds 7-0 in the opening day of spring training.

Cincinnati broke the scoreless tie in the fifth inning. Ramon Hernandez, Jacque Jones and Willy Taveras singled to load the bases for the Reds. Then Jerry Hairston Jr. cleared the bases with a grand slam. Adam Rosales then reached base on an error to put another runner aboard. Darnell McDonald drove Rosales home with a single to center, giving Cincinnati a 5-0 lead.

The Reds posted two more runs in the ninth inning. Daryle Ward singled to center with two outs to get things started. Then Adam Rosales delivered a two run home run to give the Reds the 7-0 victory.

Jonny Cueto picked up the win for Cincinnati. Randy Choate was charged with the loss for Tampa Bay.

For more photos from the inaugural Rays spring training game, visit my Rays/Reds game gallery.

Tampa Bay Rays

St. Petersburg, Florida: The Tampa Bay Rays are a major league baseball team in St. Petersburg. They play in the East Division of the America League.

The team entered the league as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays as part of the 1998 league expansion. The club plays its home games at Tropicana Field, one of the last few remaining dome stadiums in the league.

The Devil Rays played their first game on March 31, 1998 at Tropicana Field against the Detroit Tigers. Then they reached another major milestone in 1999 when Wade Boggs collected his 3,000th career hit on August 7th.

The Devil Rays struggles through the early years, finishing in last place of the division every year of existence until 2004. In 2004 the club finished 70-91 and in fourth place of the division, a first for both (first time winning over 70 games and first time not finishing in last place). But the club returned to its usual basement dwelling the following season and remained there for the next few years.

Following the 2005 season, Stuart Sternberg took over Naimoli’s spot as managing general partners and began to rebuild the organization. From the front office to the playing field, Sternberg looked to change the face of the Devil Rays. Sternberg replaced the front office management and brought in Joe Maddon as head coach of the club. They also made $10 million dollars of improvements to Tropicana Field, adding club seating, Rays touch tank and the Ted Williams Hall of Fame.

The changes in the organization increases the attendance at the stadium, with the 2006 home opener having a higher attendance than the inaugural game of 1998. But the team continued to struggle on the field, finishing the season with the worst record in baseball at 61-101. One unusual occurrence of the season occurred against Seattle on September 2nd when the Devils Rays turned a 2-6-2 triple play. This was the first time in baseball history for that to occur,

The Devil Rays continued to build the franchise, building the term around young players. In 2007, Tampa Bay fielded the youngest lineup in baseball since 1983 Twins. The offense and was placed near the top of many statistical categories. But the bullpen could not get the job done and the Devil Rays finished last again for the ninth time in ten seasons.

Following the 2007 season, front office management decided it was time to transform the club again. This time they changed the name and uniforms of the team. They dropped the devil from the name and became the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays then changed their uniforms in hopes that they can shed some of the past results.

Coming into the 2008, the future looked bright for the Rays. They began the season winning a franchise record 18 games in spring training. The Rays followed it up with an opening day win at Baltimore, first opening day win in seven seasons. By Memorial Day weekend, the Rays were in first place in the division and held the best record in baseball. By August 29th, the Rays secured their first winning season and on September 20th they clinched playoff berth by winning the division. They defeated the Chicago White Sox in the divisional series and the Boston Red Sox in the league championship to reach the World Series in their first playoff appearance. The Rays eventually fell to the Philadelphia Phillies 4 games to 1.

The Rays did not make the playoffs in 2009, but did finish with the third best record in the division. With the core of the roster being built around youth and a strong farm system, the Tampa Bay Rays should be contenders for years to come.

The Rays have played their home games at Tropicana Field since the team entered the league. They have also played two series at Disney’s Wide World of Sport Complex in the 2007 and 2008 seasons. There are plans to build a new retractable roof stadium along the Bayfront in St. Petersburg, but nothing has been started yet. The Rays hold spring training at Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte, Florida.

The Rays currently have nine teams in their farm system:

• Durham Bulls (AAA, International League)
• Montgomery Biscuits (AA, Southern League)
• Charlotte Stone Crabs (A+, Florida State League)
• Bowling Green Hot Rods (A, Midwest League)
• Hudson Valley Renegades (A-, New York-Penn League)
• Princeton Rays (R, Appalachian League)
• Gulf Coast Rays (R, Gulf Coast League)
• DSL Rays (R, Dominican Summer League)
• VSL Rays (R, Venezuelan Summer League)

The Rays have one player in the Hall of Fame, Wade Boggs. They also have retired two jersey numbers, Wade Boggs (12) and Jackie Robinson (42).

For photos from the Rays, visit my Tampa Bay Rays picture page. Here you can find game photo, player photos and spring training pictures.

Charlotte Sports Park

Port Charlotte, Florida: Charlotte Sports Park is a baseball stadium located in Port Charlotte, Florida. The 7,000 spectator stadium is home to the Tampa Bay Rays and Charlotte Stone Crabs.

Originally built in 1988, Ranger Stadium was the spring training home of the Texas Rangers and Florida State League Charlotte Rangers. The complex saw many historical moments in baseball during its time with the Rangers including the signing of Alex Rodriguez, Michael Jordan playing baseball for the White Sox and the announcement of Nolan Ryan’s retirement. At the end of the 2001 season, the Texas Rangers determined that the stadium could no longer accommodate their operations and moved the team to Arizona.

The stadium was renamed Charlotte County Stadium following the relocation of the Rangers. The stadium remained without a professional team for several years. During this time, it played host to amateur baseball, concerts and fairs.

In 2007, the stadium became home to sanction baseball once again. This time the semi-pro Charlotte County Redfish called the stadium home. They played at Charlotte County Stadium for one year before the league went bankrupt.

The stadium underwent a $27 million dollar refurbishment in 2008-2009 to make way for their new tenant, the Tampa Bay Rays. During the remodel, the stadium was gutted to the concrete framework and rebuilt. New seating, outfield berms, the baseball boardwalk, new clubhouse facilities and more were added. Following the remodel, the stadium took the name Charlotte Sports Park.

Professional baseball returned to Charlotte Sports Park in the 2009 season. The Tampa Bay Rays played their first spring training game in the newly renovated stadium on February 25, 2009 against the Cincinnati Reds. The stadium is also home to the minor league Charlotte Stone Crabs, an A-Advanced affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, who played their inaugural game at Charlotte Sports Park on April 9, 2009. The Gulf Coast Rays play their games at the complex as well with day games played on the back fields and night games in the stadium.

For pictures of the stadium visit my Charlotte Sport Park photo page. For pictures from the teams that call Charlotte Sports Park home, visit the Tampa Bay Rays or Charlotte Stone Crabs photo pages.

National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden

Washington, DC: Located outside the National Gallery of Art on the National Mall lies the Sculpture Garden. The garden is a mix of artwork and native plants that makes it a tranquil setting amongst the hustle and bustle of busy DC.

Opened in 1999, the gardens is home to the Gallery of Art’s contemporary sculpture collection. The seventeen exhibits are scattered among six acres of native American trees, flowers and shrubbery. In addition to the permanent sculptures, the gardens are also homes to several exhibitions throughout the year.

The centerpiece of the Sculpture Gardens is the water fountain. The fountain offers a place for guests to sit and relax while enjoying the wonderful views the gardens have to offer. During the winter, the fountain doubles as an outdoor ice skating rink.

There is also a café inside the fences of the garden. The Pavilion Café is opened year round and offers views of the gardens along with a menu consisting of sandwiches, salads and more.

For more photos, click on the photo above or visit my Sculpture Garden photo page.

National Air and Space Museum

Washington, DC: On the south side of the National Mall lies the most popular of the Smithsonian Institute’s museums. Accommodating over nine million visitors annually, the National Air and Space Museum is home to over 50,000 aviation related artifacts ranging from helmets to actual aircraft and rockets.

The museum’s existence began by an act of Congress in 1946 declaring the need for a national museum to house the growing aviation collection. President Harry Truman singed the act into law, establishing the National Air Museum as a branch of the Smithsonian Institute.

During the early days of the museum, the exhibits were housed in the Smithsonian Arts and Sciences building. In 1948, the museum received possession of the 1903 Wright Brothers Flyer, the keystone of aviation history.

The aircraft collection continued to grow and in 1958 President Dwight Eisenhower approved the planning of a new facility. It wasn’t until 1972 before Congress approved the funding to construct the facility. The design for the new building was created by the firm of Obata & Kassabaum. By November of 1972, construction had begun on the new museum facility.

It was also during this time that the museum saw a change in name. The United States was right in the middle of the Space Race and it was only fitting that the museum also represent the history of the space program. The museum then became known as the National Air and Space Museum.

In a grand opening ceremony featuring the ribbon cutting by a robotic arm controlled by the signal sent from space by the Viking 1 spacecraft, the National Air and Space Museum was opened to the public on July 1, 1976. The ceremony was attended by President Gerald Ford, Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, Chief Supreme Court Justice Warren Berger and many more in the star studded grand opening.

The current collections on display at the museum on the mall include:

• Milestones of Flight; located at the National Mall entrance and contains the Spirit of St. Louis, Sputnik 1, Space Ship One, Viking Lander, Mercury 7 and more.
• America by Air; Boeing 747 front section, Boeing 247, Douglas DC-3 and more.
• Flight Simulator Zone; multiple interactive flight simulators.
• Military Unmanned Aerial Vehicles; DarkStar, Pioneer, Predator, Boeing X-45A and more.
• Golden Age of Flight; Northrop Gamma Polar Star, Beech Staggerwing, Hughes H-1 and more.
• Jet Aviation; Messerschmitt Schwalbe, Lockheed XP-80 Shooting Star, McDonnell FH-1 Phantom and more.
• Early Flight; Lilienthal Hang Glider, Wright Military Flyer, Curtiss Headless Pusher and more.
• Welcome Center; Independence Avenue entrance containing the Voyager and other informative displays.
• How Things Fly; forces of flight, flight simulators, Boeing 757 fuselage and more.
• Looking at Earth; Lockheed U-2, GOES satellite and more.
• Explore the Universe; telescopes, Hubble Telescope backup mirror and more.
• Lunar Exploration Vehicles; Ranger, Lunar Orbiter, Lunar Module and more.
• Moving Beyond Earth; under construction.
• Space Race; Skylab, Cruise Missile, Viking Missile, Jupiter rocket, Tomahawk cruise missile and more.
• Sea-Air Operations; Boeing F4B-4, Grumman F4F, Douglas A-4C and more.
• World War II Aviation; Spitfire VII, Messerschmitt G-6, North American P-51D Mustang and more.
• Legend, Memory and the Great War in the Air; Fokker D.VII, Albatros D.Va, Pflaz D.XII and more.
• Exploring the Planets; Voyager spacecraft, Mars Rover and more.
• Barron Hilton Pioneers of Flight; Fokker T-2, Douglas World Cruiser, Bell 206 Spirit of Texas, Lockheed 5B Vega and more.
• Wright Brothers and the Invention of the Aerial Age; 1903 Wright Flyer, Wright gliders and more.
• Apollo to the Moon; F-1 engine, Skylab 4, Lunar Vehicle and more.
• Alan Bean: Painting Apollo, First Artist on Another World
• Beyond the Limits; history of computer technology’s assistance to flight.

The collection owned by the National Air and Space Museum is so large that it all can not be displayed in the museum. In 2003, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center opened on the property of Dulles International Airport. Here the public can see exhibits that are too large to fit in the museum on the National Mall such as a Air France Concorde jet, Enola Gay superfortress, space shuttler Enterprise and many more. The thousands of artifacts not on display to the public are stored at the Paul E. Garber Preservation, Restoration and Storage Facility in Silver Hill, Maryland.

For more pictures, click on the photo above or visit my Air and Space Museum photo page.

Day Four: Washington DC Trip

Washington, DC: President’s Day marked the final day of our Washington DC Trip. The day began with me taking a solo stroll through the National Mall, photographing the monuments along the way to the Lincoln Memorial. Along the way, I stopped by the Washington Monument, World War II Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial. The fact that I was already walking for over an hour and my family was waiting for me to return with breakfast kept me from finishing the circle through the remainder of the monuments.

After breakfast, we toured the hotel and the museum inside the hotel prior to checking out of our room. We checked our baggage at the hotel so we could make a few more stops before flying out of town in the evening.

We hailed a cab and took the ten minute cab ride over to the National Air and Space Museum. The three story museum had exhibits from throughout the history of flight both on earth and in space. The museum was definitely a hit for our son.

After finishing the museum, we crossed the National Mall enroute to the Sculpture Garden at the National Museum of Art. Here my wife and son took advantage of the cold weather by ice skating on the outdoor skating rink.

We began the walk back towards the Willard Intercontinental. Along the way, we made a stop at the Old Post Office Pavilion. Here we took the elevator to the top of the observation tower for an aerial view of Washington DC. We grabbed lunch at Potbelly’s for the last time before leaving the city.

Tired from a hectic trip, we hung out at the lounge in the hotel awaiting time to head back to the airport. We then took the cab ride back to Reagan National Airport to board our US Airways flight back to Tampa International.

The trip was exciting and exhausting, we crammed in a bunch of attractions in a little bit of time. While we managed to see a lot, we only touched the surface of all there is to do in Washington DC. When returning home, we looked at our travel guides and saw we missed a bunch of stuff we wanted to do so a return trip is definitely in the future.

For more photos from the trip, visit my Washington DC photo page.

Madame Tussauds Washington DC

Washington, DC: Madame Tussauds in the heart of downtown Washington brings history to life. Here guests can mingle beside a mix of historical figures and current celebrities along with a few interactive exhibits along the way.

The story of Madame Tussaud begins in France during the late 1700’s. Tussaud learned wax working from Dr. Philippe Curtius. She created her first wax figure in 1777, a figure of Voltaire. She continued to create figures of many prominent Revolution era citizens. The death of her mentor led to the creation of the traveling museum as she hit the road with to works created by her and Dr. Curtius. Tussaud established her first permanent museum in London in 1835. Marie Tussaud passed away in 1850 and the control of the collection went to her family. Today there are museums in Amsterdam, Berlin, Hollywood, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, London, Shanghai and Washington, DC.

The Washington DC museum opened to the public in 2007. The vast majority of the exhibits on display are of political nature. The exhibits include:

• Historical Figures; George Washington, Martin Luther King Jr, Abraham Lincoln, Rosa Parks, Ben Franklin and more.
• Political Figures; Ronald Reagan, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton and more.
• Popular Musicians; Madonna, Beyonce, Marvin Gaye and more.
• Sports Stars; Babe Ruth, Tiger Woods, Muhammad Ali and more.
• Cultural Figures; Jackie Kennedy, Buzz Aldrin, Madam Tussaud and more.
• World Leaders; Winston Churchill, George W Bush, John F Kennedy and more.
• Hollywood Stars; Denzel Washington, Angelina Jolie, Will Smith, Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts and more.

The exhibits are interactive and guests are free to pose with the figures. You can also sit in the presidential box with Abe Lincoln, deliver a speech at the presidential podium with secret service protection, sit at the oval office with Obama and much more.

For more photos, visit my Madame Tussauds Washington DC photo page.

Washington National Cathedral

Washington, DC: Located on top of Mount Saint Alban sits the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, more commonly known as the Washington National Cathedral. The cathedral is the sixth largest in the world and the second largest in the country. It is the final resting place for many well known Americans and has been the site of some of the country’s historic moments.

The idea of a National Cathedral was a portion of Pierre L’Enfant’s master plan for Washington DC. The plan commissioned by President George Washington called for a “great church for national purposes.”

In 1893, President Benjamin Harrison signed a charter to establish the cathedral. Reverend Henry Yates Satterlee then purchased land on Mount Saint Alban in 1896 and the project was in motion.

The cornerstone was laid on September 29, 1907 in a ceremony by President Theodore Roosevelt and the Bishop of London. The eighty three year construction of the cathedral would be the longest construction project in DC. The first phase of the project, the Bethlehem Chapel was completed in 1912 and the final stone was placed in 1990.

Throughout the history of the cathedral, many historic events have taken place here. It became site of services for the end of World War I and for memorial services for World War II, Vietnam War and the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. In 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr performed his final Sunday sermon in the Canterbury Pulpit before being assassinated in Memphis. The cathedral also held the Presidential prayer service for Franklin D Roosevelt in 1937, Ronald Regan in 1985, George HW Bush in 1989, George W Bush in 2001/2005 and Barrack Obama in 2009. It was also the site of the
Presidential funerals of Woodrow Wilson, Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford.

In addition to the services, the cathedral is the final resting place for over 220 people. The list of those interred within the cathedral include; President Woodrow Wilson, Edith Wilson, Helen Keller, Anne Sullivan, Larz Anderson, George Dewey, Cordell Hull.

The cathedral was ranked third on the list of America’s Favorite Architecture by the American Institute of Architects in 2007 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. It is based on the Gothic architecture featuring flying buttresses, vaulted ceilings and multiple stained glass windows. The Gloria in Excelsis Tower is the highest point in Washington DC and includes the Pilgrim Observation Gallery, a public observation deck providing magnificent views of the city. The cathedral boasts 231 stained glass windows, 228 angels and 112 gargoyles.

The 231 stained glass windows each tell a story of either biblical or American history. One of the most famous of the windows is the Space Window. The Space Window celebrates the accomplishments of the space program and the window even contains a lunar rock. Other windows commemorate the Lewis and Clark expeditions, Civil War, the Creation, the Last Judgment and many more.

Today the Washington National Cathedral hosts over 700,000 visitors annually.

For more photos, visit my National Cathedral photo page.

National Postal Museum

Washington, DC: Inside the lower level of the historic city post office lies the National Postal Museum. Here guests can learn about the history of the postal service from its inception in 1775 through today.

The collection of stamps by the Smithsonian Institute began in 1886 with a donation of Confederate postage stamps, this was the beginning of The National Philatelic Collection. From 1908 to 1963, the collection was on display at the Arts and Industry building. In 1964, the growing collection was moved to the National Museum of American History.

The collection continued to grow and expanded to include the history of the postal service, mail delivery and stamp production. They collection began to outgrow the exhibit space at the American History museum and was in need of a dedicated museum. In 1990, the Smithsonian Institute entered into a joint agreement with the United State Postal Service to operate a National Postal Museum.

The National Postal Museum opened to the public in 1993. The museum is housed in the ground floor of the historic city post office in downtown DC. The post office was built in 1914 and served the postal duties for Washington DC until 1986.

The museum is home to the world’s largest collection of stamps. It also features several historical looks at the history of the postal service including mail delivery, uniforms, postal inspectors, and the vehicles used to transport mail from stagecoaches to airplanes. There are interactive exhibits in which you can create a letter, view the route it will take to the address and mail it from the museum.

For more photos, visit my Postal Museum photo gallery.

Arlington National Cemetery: Memorial Drive

Arlington, Virginia: Spanning from the Lincoln Memorial to the Hemicycle, Memorial Drive is not only the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery but also a symbolic link between the Union and Confederacy.

Memorial Drive was dedicated by President Herbert Hoover in 1932. It begins with the Memorial Bridge. The symbolic bridge spanning the Potomac River connects the North and South into one nation. The eastern entrance of the bridge is guarded by the “Art of War” sculptures, Sacrifice and Valor.

On Memorial Drive between and the cemetery gates lie several monuments that are not officially a part of the cemetery. These monuments include:

• Seabees Memorial
• Armored Memorial
• United Spanish War Veterans Memorial
• Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd Monument
• 101st Airborne Division Memorial
• 4th Infantry Division Monument

Once you pass through the memorials, you are now at the Hemicycle that makes up the western boundary of Memorial Drive. The walls of the Hemicycle make up the Women in Military Service Memorial. To either side of the Hemicycle are the north and south iron gates to the cemetery. The north gate or Schley Gate is names after Admiral Winfield Scott Schley and the south gate, Roosevelt Gate is named after President Theodore Roosevelt.

Memorial Drive is the main entrance into Arlington National Cemetery that hosts over four million visitors a year.

For more photos, visit my Arlington National Cemetery photo page.

Day Three: Washington DC Trip

Washington, DC: Day three started with breakfast at the hotel. We enjoyed room service breakfast before beginning our day of touring the city. After breakfast we hopped on the tour bus at the stop in front of our hotel and began the bus tour.

We traveled the bus tour through northwest DC, Embassy Row, Georgetown and out into Arlington National Cemetery. We rode the tour until it reached the south side of the National Mall where we disembarked for lunch.

Lunch was at the food court of the Air and Space Museum. We ate at the cafeteria and sampled some space ice cream. We browsed a few of the first floor exhibits before heading back out on the street. We did not go into detail in the museum since we planned on retuning tomorrow.

We headed on foot towards the US Capitol, taking in the sites along the way of the Supreme Court, Library of Congress and the Congressional office buildings. We continued walking towards Union Station and the National Postal Museum.

We then toured the National Postal Museum. The museum took a look back at the history of the postal service and mail delivery service throughout the years. My son created a postcard and mailed them back home before we left.

After completing the tour of the National Postal Museum, we hopped back on the bus, this time enroute to the National Cathedral. We took a docent tour of the cathedral that included the smaller chapels along the sides of the cathedral, several of the tombs and the catacombs beneath the church.

Following the cathedral, we then took the double decker bus back into town and to the hotel. The exhausted from all the places we visited in the little time in town started to set in. We spent some time relaxing at the hotel and grabbing dinner in the room.

After a few hours of relaxation, we decided to hit the town one more time before it got too late. This time we headed over to Madame Tussauds Washington. The museum contained wax replicas of politician, celebrities and sports star. Several of the figures were interactive and all of them appeared life like.

We completed the night with our nightly stroll around the White House before heading back to the hotel to complete the day.

For more pictures from the trip, visit my Washington DC photo page.

National Museum of American History

Washington, DC: The National Museum of American History houses some of the artifacts that helped shape the American way of life. From the original Star Spangled Banner to the Ruby Red Slippers from the Wizard of Oz, the museum covers our country’s history and culture from its inception to present day.

In 1955, President Dwight D. Eisenhower authorized $36 million dollars for the Museum of History and Technology. Construction of the 750,000 square foot museum began on August 22, 1958.

The museum opened to the public in 1964. It contained three floors of exhibition space that showcased our nation’s history from the Revolutionary War to present day. In 1980, the name was changed to the National Museum of American History as the exhibits focused solely on the experiences of the American people.

Today the museum houses the following permanent exhibits:

• Invention at Play; interactive activities.
• Julia Child’s Kitchen
• Science in American Life; Ira Remsen laboratory, Gilbert chemistry set, backyard bomb shelter and more.
• Spark Lab
• Landmark Objects; Red Cross Ambulance, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, George Washington Sculpture, Greensboro Lunch Counter, John Bull Locomotive and Vassar telescope.
• Archives Center
• Dibner Library
• Stories on Money; colonial shilling, 1849 gold coin, clam money and more.
• Lighting a Revolution-Electricity Hall; Thomas Edison demonstration bulb, early electrical appliances and more.
• Power Machinery; steam engines, steam turbines, internal combustion engines and more.
• America on the Move; Chicago “L” train, Southern Railway locomotive, Route 66 and more.
• On the Water: Stories from Maritime America; sailing ships, steamboats, fishing craft and more.
• Within these Walls; Georgian frame house, anti-slave almanac, World War 2 era cookbooks and more.
• Communities in a Changing Nation: The Promise of 19th Century America; union trading cards, South Carolina slave tags, model of cotton gin and more.
• First Ladies at the Smithsonian; inaugural day gowns for first ladies.
• Star Spangled Banner
• Documents Gallery
• National Treasures of Popular Culture; Dorothy’s ruby slippers from Wizard of Oz, Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis boxing gloves, Kermit the Frog and more.
• Musical Instruments; Servais Cello, Axelrod Quartet of Decorated Instruments and more.
• Abraham Lincoln: An Extraordinary Life; office suite used during presidency, top hat worn to Ford’s Theatre on night of assassination and more.
• American Presidency: A Glorious Burden; professional and personal artifacts from past presidents.
• Gunboat Philadelphia
• Price of Freedom; George Washington sword, Willys WWII jeep, Vietnam Huey, General Colin Powell uniform from Desert Storm and more.

The museum houses over three million artifacts so addition to the permanent exhibits, the museum also houses rotating exhibits and online only exhibits throughout the year. There is also a cafeteria and museum store.

For more photos, visit my Museum of American History photo page.

National Museum of Natural History

Washington, DC: The Museum of Natural History is one of the most popular museums of the Smithsonian Institute. Located along the National Mall in Washington DC, the museum is home to some of the natural wonders of the Earth. Here you can catch a glimpse of the rare Hope Diamond and marvel at life sized dinosaur skeletons in Dinosaur Hall.

The collection of specimens began back in the exploration era of the 1800’s. The National Museum was formed in 1858 and the collections were house in the Smithsonian Institution Building. As the collection grew, they were moved into the National Museum Building in 1881.

In 1911, the collection moved again into the newly created National Museum of Natural History. The museum continued to expand and today houses over 126 million specimens of animals, plants, minerals and other natural artifacts.

The following permanent exhibits are on display:

• Birds of DC; collection of bird species that can be seen in the DC area.
• African Elephant; large elephant located in the Rotunda.
• African Voices; inside look at the people and cultures from Africa.
• Hall of Mammals; collection of over 270 animal species and fossils.
• Discovery Room; hands-on family experiments.
• Dinosaur Hall; skeletons, fossils and more from over 3.5 billion years ago.
• Discovering Rastafari; origins and practices of the Rastafarian movement from Jamaica.
• FossiLab; lab that allows guests to watch the paleontologists at work.
• Sant Ocean Hall; look at sea life from all the Earth’s oceans.
• Butterflies & Plants: Partners in Evolution; process of evolution in relation to plants and butterflies.
• Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals; various rock formations including the Hope Diamond, gemstones, moon rocks, meteorites.
• Carmen Lucia Ruby; 23.1 carat Burmese ruby.
• Western Cultures Hall; a look into the cultures of Iraq, Egypt, Greece, Rome and more.
• Korea Gallery; Koran ceramics, painting and more from 6th century BC to present day.
• Osteology: Hall of Bones; skeletons from all species of life.
• Insect Zoo; collection of live insects and arthropods.
• Reptiles and Amphibians; preserved reptiles and amphibians.

Only small potion of the overall collection is actually on display for the five million visitors that come to the museum each year. Other artifacts are rotated through temporary exhibits, on traveling exhibits, on loan to other museums or housed in the large storage buildings owned by the museum.

For more photos, visit my Museum of Natural History photo page.

Petersen House

Washington, DC: Across the street from Ford’s Theatre is the Peterson Boarding House. The Peterson House will always have a place in history as being the house where Lincoln died following the presidential assassination in 1865.

Built by William Petersen in 1849, the boarding home entered the national spotlight following the assassination of President Lincoln. It was within the walls of this home where the president took his last breaths.

Following the shooting at Ford’s Theatre, doctors feared the President was too weak to survive the trip back to the White House. Boarder Henry Safford directed the attendants into the boarding house and the President was placed in a second floor bedroom.

The house quickly filled with political powers of the Lincoln cabinet. The boarding house became the center of the country. Mary Lincoln and family grieved in the front parlor while Secretary of War Edwin Stanton and other members of the cabinet conducted the investigation and ran the country from the back parlor under the watchful eye of armed soldiers outside.

Meanwhile the team of physicians including Anderson Ruffin Abbott continued to work on the President. However the efforts taken to save the President failed and President Lincoln died at 7:22 am on April 15, 1865.

The Federal government purchased the home in 1896 for $30,000. In 1933, the house reopened as a museum by the National Park Service to recreate the events following the assassination. Much of the belongings were sold to the Chicago Historical Society so the items in the home are replicas of the actual items that were in the home in the 1860’s.

Today the Petersen House is operated by the National Park Service as part of the Ford’s Theatre Historic Site. Guests can tour the entire site from the theatre to the boarding house and take a look back at the events of that fateful evening.

For more photos, please visit my Petersen House photo gallery.

Ford's Theatre

Washington, DC: Once one of the top production theaters in DC, Ford’s Theatre became the site of one of the darkest days in American history, the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.

Built in 1833, the building was home to the First Baptist Church of Washington. The congregation eventually moved out and in 1861, John Ford purchased the building and turned it into a theater. The theater suffered a fire in 1862 and had to rebuild.

The rebuilt theater was reopened in August of 1863. The theater continued to entertain the citizens of DC, packing the theater full for the presentation. The plays even attracted presidential appeal as President Abraham Lincoln saw the theater as an escape from the stresses of life.

But history forever changed on the night of April 14, 1865. President Lincoln and his wife Mary decided to visit Ford’s Theatre to see the play “Our American Cousin”. The President tried to make a quiet entrance into the theater but when the orchestra saw him enter, the began to play hail to the chief as they made their way to the presidential box.

Meanwhile behind the stage, John Wilkes Booth arrived at the theater and gave his horse to a stagehand and asked him to tend to it until he returned. Booth made his way through the under stage areas of the theater and eventually up to the presidential box. Booth, a famous actor slipped a note to the guard and was granted access to the box. He jammed the inner door and sat there waiting for the right moment. Then during a funny line in the play, Booth broke through the door and shot President Lincoln in the head. Booth jumped from the box onto the stage below and shouted “Sic simper tyrannis” before taking off out the back door.

The President was taken across the street to the Petersen House where he later died from his injuries. Booth escaped DC and headed into Virginia before being caught by the cavalry several days later.

After the assassination, the federal government took over the theater, banning its use as a theater and paying John Ford $100,000 for the property. The government turned the building into an office of the War Department. The War Department used the building in multiple capacities until a collapse in 1893 that killed 22 and injured 68. The building was repaired and used as a warehouse until 1931.

The building remained abandoned until the lobbying of politicians Melvin Hildreth and Milton Young convinced Congress to fund the restoration of the theater. In 1964, Congress approved funding for the restoration of Ford’s Theatre and in 1968 the project was completed.

In 1968, Ford’s Theatre reopened to the public as a theater and a museum. The theater began to produce plays and musicals while the National Park Service ran a museum documenting the assassination of President Lincoln. The theater saw another major renovation and reopened in February 2009.

Today the theater, museum and neighboring Petersen House are part of the Ford’s Theatre Historic Site. The site managed by the National Park Service allows guests to learn about the history surrounding the theatre and the events of the assassination.

For more photos, visit my Ford’s Theatre photo gallery.

Open Top Sightseeing Washington

Washington, DC: One of the best ways to see the sights of Washington DC is aboard the double decker buses operated by Open Top Sightseeing. Operating 26 stops throughout DC, the buses are one of the easiest ways for tourists to get around the city.

The tour headquarters is located inside Union Station. Here you can purchase tickets for the hop on-hop off double decker bus tours. The passes are good for two consecutive days and provide unlimited on and off throughout the day.

There are 26 stops on the route that allow easy access to many of the cities tourist destinations. The stops in the order they appear on the route and the main attractions they service are:

• Stop 1; Union Station, Postal Museum and National Japanese American Memorial.
• Stop 2; US Capitol, Supreme Court, Library of Congress, Botanical Gardens and Sewall-Belmont House.
• Stop 3; National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of American History, National Archives, National Gallery of Art, Old Post Office Pavilion, IRS and EPA.
• Stop 4; Marriott Metro Center, National Museum of Women in the Arts and Macy’s.
• Stop 5; Chinatown, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Smithsonian American Art Museum, National Portrait Gallery, Washington Convention Center.
• Stop 6; Ford’s Theatre, Peterson House, FBI and Spy Museum.
• Stop 7; The White House, National Aquarium, White House Visitor’s Center and Ronald Regan Building.
• Stop 8; St. Matthew’s Cathedral and National Geographic Explorer Hall.
• Stop 9; Dupont Circle.
• Stop 10; Hilton Hotel.
• Stop 11; Woodley Park and National Zoo.
• Stop 12; Washington National Cathedral.
• Stop 13; Embassy Row.
• Stop 14; The Georgetown Inn.
• Stop 15; Georgetown, Old Stone House and River Cruise connection.
• Stop 16; Four Seasons Hotel.
• Stop 17; Hotel Stop.
• Stop 18; Arlington National Cemetery.
• Stop 19; Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, Korean War Memorial, DC War Memorial and National World War II Memorial.
• Stop 20; Washington Monument
• Stop 21; Smithsonian Arts and Industry Building, Holocaust Memorial Museum, Bureau of Engraving, Sackler Freer Galleries, Smithsonian Castle.
• Stop 22; National Air & Space Museum, National Museum of the American Indian and Botanical Gardens.
• Stop 23; Photo Stop of US Capitol and Washington Monument.
• Stop 24; National Gallery of Art, US Capitol and Supreme Court.
• Stop 25; Liaison Capitol Hill and Hyatt.
• Stop 26; Union Station.

In addition to the hop on/hop off tour, Open Top Sightseeing also operates a night time lights tour and a bus/river cruise combo tour.

Whether you chose to stop at each of the stops or just ride the bus on its two hour plus narrated tour of the city, it is one of the best ways to get around the city and learn about its rich history.

For photos from DC, visit my Washington DC photo page.

Day Two: Washington DC Trip

Washington, DC: Day two of the trip got off to an early start. We hit the streets walking to the Grand Hyatt Hotel at 11th Street and H St for breakfast. On the ground level of the hotel is the Grand Buffet, an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet with made to order omelets, and the usual breakfast items.

After breakfast, we hopped on the Red Line at Metro Center and headed to Union Station to begin our tours for the day. At Union Station, we met up with Grey Line Tours and picked up our two day passes for Open Top Sightseeing, a double decker bus tour of Washington DC.

We began the bus tour at Union Station and rode the bus tour to the Ford’s Theatre stop. We toured the Ford’s Theatre and went across the street to the Peterson House where President Lincoln spent his last few hours before he died.

We then took the short walk from the Ford’s Theatre to the National Museum of Natural History. The highlights of the museums were Mammal Hall, the dinosaur artifacts and the Hope Diamond.

From there we walked next door to the National Museum of American History. The three story museum was a look back at some of the items from American History.

Once we completed the tour of the American History Museum, we hopped back on the tour bus and took the complete tour through the city. The tour lasted almost 3 hours as we took the bus almost completely around the 26 stops.

We disembarked the tour bus at the Washington Monument and walked back to our hotel from there. Passing through the National Mall and other landmarks among the way. We strolled over to National Place for dinner, eating at Five Guys Burgers and Fries.

After dinner we took a walk through President’s Park and around the White House. We browsed a few shops near the White House before returning to the hotel for the night.

For more pictures from the trip, visit the Washington DC photo page.

White House Visitor’s Center

Washington, DC: Unless you are lucky enough to go on a school trip, be a political power house or crash a state dinner like the Salahi’s, the White House Visitor’s Center is the closest the average American will get to being inside the White House. Located inside the Department of Commerce building, the center features White House artifacts from past presidencies.

The Visitor’s Center opened in 1995 provides an insight look into life at the White House. It includes exhibits in First Families, Symbols and Images, White House Architectures, White House Interiors, Working White House and Ceremonies & Celebrations. The exhibits include actual artifacts from within the White House like china, invitations, Preisident Roosevelt’s radio microphone and many more. There is an informative movie that depicts life in the White House. There is also a gift shop to purchase White House souveniers.

Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, regular public tours of the White House have stopped. Currently, the only way to tour the White House is by being in a pre-approved group of ten or more with endorsement by a member of Congress. Otherwise, the visitor’s center is the closest you will get to being inside the White House.

For more photos, visit my White House Visitor’s Center photo page.

National Zoo

Washington, DC: Located north of downtown DC in Rock Creek Park lies the National Zoo. The zoo has been entertaining visitors for years with the variety of wildlife that call to park home.

The zoo was formed in 1889 by an Act of Congress, identifying the need for species conservation and place for recreation. The zoo became under the control of the Smithsonian Institute in 1890. The design of the zoo came from Samuel Langley, William Temple Hornaday and Frederick Law Olmsted. The 163 acre zoo provides a refuge for the wildlife and great public viewing for the guests of the zoo.

The main functions of the zoo was conservation and education, a philosophy that still exists to this day. This was evident in the 1950’s as the focus of the zoo shifted from being just a wildlife attraction to more on long term conservation of the animals with the hiring of a full time veterinarian to provide specialized care for the animals. During the 1960’s the efforts moved into the breeding of threatened and endangered species. Today the zoo has over 2,000 animals from over 400 different species.

One of the popular endangered species to call the National Zoo home are the giant pandas. The zoo has provided residence for the pandas since 1972. The pandas come to the zoo on loan from China and are still under the control of the Chinese government. The first pair of pandas Hsing Hsing and Ling Ling arrived in 1972. In 2000, they were replaced with Mei Xiang and Tian Tian. In 2005, the panda population grew to three with the birth of Tai Shan. The pandas are typically on a ten year loan from China.

The layout of the zoo is one of its great features. The animal habitats are laid out amongst lush landscaping that makes you feel like you are in the home of the animal, not in the middle of Washington DC. The zoo is laid out nicely and easy to navigate through the exhibits. The exhibits and the animals they include:

• Asia Trail; fishing cats, sloth bears, clouded leopards, Asian otters and Red Pandas.
• Fujifilm Giant Panda Habitat; giant panda
• Cheetah Conservations Station; cheetah, zebra, maned wolves and Oryx.
• Olmstead Walk; emus, horses
• Bird House; bared owls, whooping cranes, vultures, flamingos and more.
• Elephant House; Asian elephants.
• Beaver Valley; bald eagles, river otters, seals, sea lions, spectacled bears and more.
• Small Mammal House; Tamarins, marmosets, howler monkey, ferrets, naked mole rats and more.
• Great Ape House; gorillas and orangutans.
• Gibbon Ridge; gibbons and siamang.
• Lemur Island; lemurs and anteaters.
• Reptile Discovery Center; geckos, skinks, lizards, crocodiles, snakes, turtles, frogs and more.
• Think Tank; macaques and orangutans.
• Invertebrates; octopus, sea stars, millipedes and more.
• Great Cats; lions and tigers.
• Kids Farm; donkeys, goats and cows.

Today the zoo entertains over two million visitors each year coming to observe and learn about the many species of animals that reside at the zoo.

For more photos of the zoo and its animals, visit my National Zoo photo page.

Willard InterContinental Washington

Washington, DC: Two blocks from the White House lies a hotel etched in the history of Washington DC. The Willard InterContinental has entertained thousands of guests including heads of state, writers and average Americans while also serving as a playground for powerful politicians.

There has been a hotel on the site of the Willard since 1816. Henry Willard bought the property in 1850 and established the Willard hotel. Willard merged several row houses together to form a 100 room hotel. The hotel began to attract politician including Franklin Pierce.

The Willard Hall became a centerpiece in Washington’s nightlife. PT Barnum’s act Jenny Lind performed regularly and attracted many visitors including President Millard Fillmore. The hall was also the first place in Washington DC to see a motion picture.

The Willard continued to gain popularity among the political class. In 1859 a ball was held for Lord Napier and over 1,800 guests attended. The guest list included Sam Houston, Jefferson Davis, Stephen Douglas and William Seward. Then in 1860 the first Japanese ambassadors to visit the United States stayed at the hotel.

The country then entered into the Civil War and the Willard was once again at the forefront. Following the election of Jefferson Davis, representatives of the Union and the Confederacy met at the Willard for a Peace Conference. This was the last attempt to peacefully avoid a war between the North and South. The meeting was unsuccessful and the resulting Civil War followed.

After the election of President Lincoln, a plot to assassinate Lincoln was uncovered. On February 23, 1861, Detective Alan Pinkerton moved Lincoln in the early morning to take cover inside the Willard. Grateful for the safety of the Willard, President Lincoln remained there until his inauguration on March 4th. During this time, Lincoln conducted normal business at the hotel, holding meetings in the lobby and working out of his guest room. His first check as President went to pay his bill at the Willard.

The Willard became the center of the Union war efforts. The leaders of the Union found its close proximity to the President to be essential in planning of the war. With the flurry of Union troop activity outside, hotel guest Julia Ward Howe was awoken by the sound of troops marching down Pennsylvania Avenue singing “John Brown’s Body”. She was inspired to write new words to the song and the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” was written, becoming the anthem of the Union Troops.

Ulysses Grant later called the Willard his second home. Introduced to the Willard during the Civil War as a Union Commander, Grant spent many nights here during his presidency. After a day at the White House, Grant would come to the Willard and unwind from the day, drinking brandy and smoking his cigars in the lobby. During this time, he was often approached by citizens trying to get his support for their cause, he described then as lobbyists and the term lives on through today. It is believed that the lobby of the Willard is still haunted by the ghost of Grant as some guests say they can smell his cigar in the lobby.

The 20th century began with the Willard leading the pack. The construction of the new Willard Hotel began and at 12 stories, became the cities first skyscraper. The building was opened in 1901 and construction was completed by 1904.

In 1923, the Willard became the home of the President. Following the death of President Warren Harding, Calvin Coolidge took over the office of the President. Allowing Mrs. Harding time to vacate the White House, Coolidge took residency at the Willard. During that time, the presidential flag flew in front of the hotel as it became the temporary house of the President.

Tough financial times fell on the Willard following World War II. The hotel was sold by the Willard family in 1946. The hotel was mismanaged and eventually closed in 1968. But not before adding another chapter in the history books. In 1963, Dr Martin Luther King Jr stayed at the Willard prior to his march on Washington. It was from his guest room at the Willard that he wrote his world famous “I Have a Dream” speech.

A battle to revive Pennsylvania Avenue began and a plan to resurrect the Willard began. The Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation was formed in 1973 with the task of transforming Pennsylvania back into a thriving business district. The Willard dodged the wrecking ball in 1975 and in 1978 the plan to restore the Willard was submitted by Stuart Golding. The Oliver Carr Company joined Golding and they teamed up with Inter-Continental Hotels Group to bring the hotel back to life.

On August 20, 1986 the Willard InterContinental was reopened to the public. A grand gala much like the ones of the famed past took place. Politicians, Supreme Court Justices and other prominent people strolled down the famous red carpet of Peacock Alley and the hotel retuned to its glory.

There are 332 guest rooms with 40 of them being suites. The hotel features several restaurants including Café de Parc and the Occidental Grill. Guests can also grab afternoon tea in the famous Peacock Alley or enjoy drinks in the evening at the Round Robin Bar.

Today the continues to attract guests from all backgrounds. Every United States president from Franklin Pierce through today’ president Barack Obama has either stayed or attended a function at the Willard InterContinental, making it the “Crown Jewel of Pennsylvania”.

For more photos, visit my Willard InterContinental photo page.

Washington, DC: National Mall

Washington, DC: Lying between the United States Capitol and the Potomac River is the National Mall. An open area lined by museums and packed with monuments and memorials, it is one of the top tourist attractions in the capitol.

The original plan of Washington DC designed by Pierre L’Enfant called for a vast avenue that extended from the Capitol to a statue of George Washington south of the White House. The avenue was never created, but the area set aside for it later became the National Mall.

By the mid 1800’s, the Mall began to take shape. Andrew Jackson Downing designed a landscape plan and several parks were created. The Central Market opened along the railroad tracks and museums began to open along the perimeter of the Mall.

In 1901, a plan was enacted to redesign the Mall into what we know today. The buildings and train tracks were removed for the center of the Mall and replaces with wide open grassy fields lines with elm trees. A dirt pathway was created down the middle of the Mall to represent the grand avenue in L’Enfant’s original plan.

Today the National Mall is 309 acres and contains some of the nations most popular monuments. The monuments and museums located within the Mall include;

• Arts and Industry Building
• District of Columbia War Memorial
• FDR Memorial
• Freer Gallery of Art
• Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
• Jefferson Memorial
• Koran War Monument
• Lincoln Memorial
• Martin Luther King Jr National Memorial (planned)
• National Air and Space Museum
• National Gallery of Art
• National Museum of African American History and Culture (planned)
• National Museum of African Art
• National Museum of American History
• National Museum of Natural History
• National Museum of the American Indian
• Smithsonian Castle
• Ulysses S Grant Memorial
• United States Botanic Garden
• Washington Monument
• World War II Monument

The National Mall has also been site of some of our nation’s historic moments. In 1963, protesters marched on Washington in support of civil rights and over 200,000 people packed the Mall to hear Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream Speech”. Large groups also formed again in 1969 for the Vietnam War Rally, 2004 for the March for Women’s Lives and then in 2007 for an Opposition to the Iraq War. One of the largest crowds came for the inaguaration of President Barack Obama when a projected 2 million people packed the mall for the swearing in ceremony.

Over 24 million people visit the National Mall each year. Some to take in the sights of the Mall, some to stand up for what they believe in and other simply to take a break from urban life. So no matter what you’re looking for, one thing is for certain, the National Mall has something to offer for everyone.

For more photos from Washington DC, including the National Mall, please visit my Washington DC photo page.

US Airways

Tempe, Arizona: The sixth largest airline in the United States, US Airways is a major player in travel aviation. Together with their code share partners, US Airways performs 3,000 flights a day to over 200 destinations worldwide.

US Air was technically born in 1979, however its beginning goes back several decades before then. The timeline leading up to US Air actually begins with the DuPont family in 1939. They founded All American Aviation in 1939 to service the Ohio River valley. The company grew and later became All American Airways in 1949. Then as the airline began to focus solely on passenger traffic, it changed names to Alleghany Airlines in 1953.

Alleghany Airlines grew by leaps and bounds through the 60’s and 70’s. They merged with Lake Central Airlines and Mohawk Airlines to become one of the largest airlines in the Unites States. It was then that the front office changed the name of the airline to US Air.

 The airline continued to grow through the 80’s, absorbing even more airlines. They quickly merged with Pacific Southwest Airlines and Piedmont Airlines. Then in the 1990’s they added international service through a partnership with British Airways as well as purchasing Trump Shuttle.

But the 2000’s brought dark times to US Airways. Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the airline industry was dealt a heavy financial blow due to reduced passengers. The lost revenue forced US Airways into Chapter 11 bankruptcy. But the airline was able to quickly recover and move out of bankruptcy in 2003.

US Airways grew again in 2005 with a major merger with America West Airlines. The resulting mergers have placed US Airways in the top ten nationwide in traffic.

US Airways operates their routes in conjunction with US Airways Express. US Airways Express is a collection of regional airlines that provide code share service under the US Airways brand. These airlines include: Air Wisconsin, Chautauqua Airlines, Colgan Air, Mesa Airlines, Mesaba Airlines, Piedmont Airlines, PSA Airlines, Republic Airlines and Trans States Airlines. These regional airlines account for 302 of the 642 jets used to complete the daily US Airways schedule.

US Airways and several of its US Airways Express partners operates as a member of the Star Alliance. Star Alliance is the world’s largest airline alliance. US Airways along with 27 other airlines provide flights for over 607 million passengers a year.

The US Airways fleet consists of 340 aircraft. It is comprised of various models from Airbus, Boeing and Embraer. The US Airways Express fleet adds another 302 aircraft. The Express fleet consists of models from Bombardier and Embraer.

US Airways is based out of Tempe, Arizona. They operate three hubs; Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. From these three hubs, US Airways services 132 destinations world wide.

Click on the photo above to view my US Airways photo gallery.

 Updated January 3, 2012

Day One: Washington DC Trip

Washington, DC: We departed Tampa International Airport on Friday morning enroute to Washington DC for President’s Day weekend. We flew non-stop on US Air from Tampa to Reagan National Airport. Upon arrival in DC, we took a taxi ride to our hotel, the Willard Intercontinental. Our room was on the fourth floor of this luxurious hotel.

After dropping off our luggage we hit the city running. We headed up town enroute to the National Zoo. We traveled on foot, past the White House and up to the Farragut North Metro Station. While there was closer Metro Stations to the hotel, the first priority was lunch and we were heading to Potbelly’s on L Street. Lunch was great, great food and atmosphere.

With full stomachs, we continued our trip to the Metro Station. We boarded the Metro Red Line and headed north to the Cleveland Park station. From here we continued our trip on foot to the National Zoo.

The National Zoo was fantastic. We spent several hours touring the zoo and watching the animals. Because of the cold weather, there was not too many guests at the zoo so for the most part it felt like we were by ourselves. We saw several animals there that are not at any of the zoos in Florida, including the Giant Panda. While walking through the zoo, Marine One made two passes over the zoo, one inbound towards downtown DC and one on the way out.

After completing our visit of the zoo, we headed back downtown. We continued on foot towards the Woodley Park Metro Station in which the Metro would take us back into town. Once we arrived to Metro Station, we headed back towards our hotel for a break.

Before arriving at the hotel, we decided to make a stop at the White House Visitor’s Center located in the US Department of Commerce building across the street from our hotel.

We returned to the hotel after the visitor’s center for dinner. We ate dinner at the hotel via room service and rested in the room for a while.

Prior to turning in for the night, we hit the streets again once the sun went down for a night time stroll around the White House. We only walked to the south lawn and back for a spectacular view of the White House, Washington Monument and Treasury building lit up at night.

After the short walk, we returned back to the hotel to retire for the night and get ready for another day of touring tomorrow.

For photos from the trip, visit my Washington, DC photo page.

Caspersen Beach

Venice, Florida: Located at the southern tip of the island of Venice, lies a haven for shell seekers. Caspersen Beach attracts thousands of visitor’s each year hoping find some of the rare gems that wash up on the shore each day.

Sarasota County took possession of the land in 1968 when the Caspersen Family deeded the property to the County. The land was transformed into a public park with beach access. The family later sued the county to prove the need for the land as a public park and the county won in Federal Court and Caspersen Beach was here to stay.

Today the park is 177 acres of freshwater and saltwater marshes, mangroves and tidal flat along with over 9,000 feet of beachfront. The beach is one of the best places to find sharks teeth, a tradition that has called Venice the Shark’s Tooth Capital of the World. There is also a 1,000 foot boardwalk and a 1/4 mile nature trail. The far southern end of the beach has been preserved in its natural state.

The clear waters of the gulf combined with the hunt for prehistoric shark teeth keeps visitors coming back to the park on a yearly basis.

For more photos, visit my Caspersen Beach photo page

Coakley Railroad Park

Venice, Florida; The train depot under the Venice Avenue bridge is one of the last remaining pieces of railroad history in Sarasota County. The newly restored Venice Train Depot and the Coakley Railroad Park offer visitors a look back at the railroad that brought residents into the region.

Seaboard Airline Railroad decided to extend their route to Venice in 1910 by an order by Mrs. Potter Palmer, who demanded the railroad be extended further south as a stipulation to her purchase of land in Sarasota County. The railroad agreed and the rails were extended to a mark in which the real estate broker designated. The line was opened in 1911 and tickets were sold out of a freight car.

Venice prior to the extension of the railway was a small town with only about 50 families residing here at the time. The city had no schools, churches, stores or paved roads in the area. Travel through the area was done by mules or boat. It wasn’t until the railway was opened that Venice started to grow.

The popularity of the railroad increased and in 1926 the need for a passenger terminal was addressed. The Venice Train Depot was completed in 1927. The deport was created in Italian Renaissance style and contained 400 feet of platform space.

The railroad helped transform Venice from a small fishing village to a town. In 1960, the railway was a determining factor for Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus opening their winter headquarters in the City.

Train service to Venice was discontinued in 1971 and the station fell into disrepair. Sarasota County purchased the property in 1999 and work to restore the depot began. Using grants from multiple sources and funding from local governments, the $2.3 million dollar refurbishment was completed and the depot was reopened to the public.

Today the depot is part of the Rollins Coakley Railroad Park. The depot has a museum documenting the history of the railroad in Venice along with meeting space. In the exterior grounds of the park, there is a caboose available to tour along with walking paths and a statue of Gunther Gebel-Williams, famed circus performer. The train tracks were removed and replaced with a walking trail as part of the county’s rails to trails project.

For more photos, visit by Venice Depot photo page.