Surviving Snowmagedon

We did what we had to do.  I got into DC the second Reagan National Airport opened Thursday after a combined 32 inches of snow shut down government offices for four days and brought the amazing Metro Transit System to a halt.  Then, I talked my way onto an earlier flight for free Monday to avoid the delay on my regularly-scheduled take-off due to the next round of snow.  Excellent timing for an excellent weekend! 

Since it's been a few weeks since we returned, I'll just give you the facts and then a bunch of pictures.

1. We visited the Iwo Jima memorial at sunset and rewarded our tromp through the snow with an amazing middle eastern meal at Lebanese Taverna.
   
   
   
2. The Natural History & American History Museums graced our itinerary.  Seeing an encased Giant Squid, the flag that inspired the Star-Spangled Banner, and President Lincoln's actual hat (and facial molds) were amazing.  The biggest surprise was walking into just another room in the museum (ok, there was a guard in this room) and coming across The Hope Diamond on a twirling pedestal.  45.52 carats of deep blue glory, cut down from 112 original carats when it was hauled out of India.  I'm not a big fan of diamonds usually (you have to spend money to forever insure them), but that was cool.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Hope Diamond
3. We stopped back into the Museum of the American Indian for lunch and accidentally discovered an art form I'd never dreamed existed: Peruvian Scissor Dancers.
   
   
   
4. One amazing dinner at a place called Founding Fathers.  Truly my kind of place, it proudly declared its use of tapwater and tries hard to purchase its food from family farms (many of them local).  I highly recommend the Straw and Hay pasta dish, which featured homemade noodles and a sauce I just couldn't figure out.
5. My favorite thing this time?  Would you believe the National Archives topped the chart?  Yes!  In the same room I got to see our copy of the Magna Carta, the Declaration of Independence, Consitution, and Bill of Rights!  It was the last week EVER you're allowed to take flash-free pictures, so you can see just how incredibly faded our Declaration really is.  Good for us, a lot of governments don't make it half as long as we have and yes, it made me proud to be an American.  I am not proud to announce, however, that the whole time I was in that room, I had the School House Rock Preamble song in my head courtesy of my 8th Grade History teacher, Mr. Madlung.
   
   
   
   
   
    
   Declaration of Independence
   
6. Hit the Botanical Gardens again for Orchid Week, rode the Metro, watched the Olympics and played Settlers of Catan in the hotel.  You can't beat DC.  I don't know what it is about that city, but I love it!