About Iceland

Linda Lou Burton posting from Little Rock, Arkansas – I know you’re wondering – why on earth would anyone go almost to the Arctic Circle after journeying to the Equator? There’s a good story behind it, which I’ll save for later. But top reason to go to Iceland is much the same reason for going to Africa: I’ve wanted to for a very, very long time. And since you have to go through Europe to get back to the US from Africa, what’s a few hours more flying time to hop a bit further north? Here are some things you need to know.

How big is Iceland? Where is it? What does it look like?

Iceland is about the size of the US state of Virginia. Technically a part of Europe, it is perched in the North Atlantic between Norway and Greenland, just brushing the Arctic Circle. It is the biggest part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge that rises above sea level, and its central volcanic plateau erupts frequently. The interior consists of a plateau of sand and lava fields, mountains, and glaciers. Many rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands. Altogether a striking landscape of breathtaking waterfalls, bubbling geothermals, and rugged coastline.

How about Iceland’s weather?

With a name that speaks of ICE, and a location not that far from the North Pole, Iceland has a surprisingly temperate climate. The Gulf Stream gets credit for that, plus the fact that Iceland sits atop a massive magma hot spot called the Iceland Plume. Outdoor swimming goes on year-round thanks to geothermal pools; houses are heated that way as well. Still, expect frequent weather changes in a day’s time; layer up. Last-day-of-August highs and lows: Little Rock 90-73; Reykjavik 53-44.

Who lives in Iceland?

Iceland’s people population last year was estimated at 376,248; 89% of that is of Icelandic heritage. Most Icelanders are descendants of Norse and Gaelic settlers. Icelandic, a North Germanic language, is descended from Old West Norse. Rather than using family names, as is the custom in most Western nations, Icelanders carry patronymic or matronymic surnames, and refer to one another by their given name. Patronymic last names are based on the first name of the father; matronymic names on the first name of the mother. These follow the person’s given name, e.g. Elísabet Jónsdóttir (“Elísabet, Jón’s daughter, ” Jón, being the father), or Ólafur Katrínarson (“Ólafur, Katrín’s son,” Katrín being the mother).

As to the animal population, before humans settled in the 9th century, Iceland had only one land mammal, the Arctic fox. The rest of the creatures were either birds or marine animals. A millennium later, a wealth of life has adapted to the harsh climate, one of the most unique being the sturdy Icelandic horse, its bloodline so protected no imported horses are allowed. Sheep roam freely, reindeer too, but it’s the marine life that tops the list – whales, seals, dolphins, and 340 species of fish.

How does Iceland promote itself on its Visit Iceland site?

The coolest thing to see in Iceland today is a hot volcano. The Fagradalsfjall Volcano system awoke again on August 3, 2022, and is calm enough to sit close by and watch it spew and glow. Or you can go whale watching, berry picking, ice-cave exploring or simply sit on a tour bus and be driven from point to glorious point. Downtown Reykjavik is a walker’s paradise, plazas and parks and hop-on/hop-off buses. There are 266 museums in Iceland, 130 volcanoes, and an impressive array of restaurants. Seafood anyone?

https://www.visiticeland.com/

About Tanzania

Linda Lou Burton posting from Little Rock, Arkansas – After ten days in Kenya, with stops in Nairobi, Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Nakuru National Park, Maasai Mara National Reserve, and Amboseli National Park (where we’ll be peeking ahead at Mt Kilimanjaro!), we’ll cross the border into Tanzania. So what is the mystery of Tanzania? Here’s what I found.

How big is Tanzania? Where is it? What does it look like?

Tanzania is directly south of Kenya on Africa’s east coast, and for comparison to our US states, it’s bigger than Texas and almost as big as Alaska. Got that? Tanzania is mountainous and densely forested in the northeast, where 19,341-foot Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest point on the continent, is located. Three of Africa’s Great Lakes are partly within Tanzania. To the north and west lie Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake, and Lake Tanganyika, the continent’s deepest lake; to the south is Lake Malawi. The 885-mile Indian Ocean coastline is dotted with palm trees and white sands, with the Zanzibar Archipelago just off shore. Note Ngorongoro Crater there on the northern border!

How about Tanzania’s weather?

Climate varies greatly within Tanzania. It’s cool in the high mountainous regions, with temperatures ranging between 50-68 during cold and hot seasons respectively. The eastern shore is hot and humid. The rest of the country has temperatures rarely falling lower than 68. There are two major rainfall periods – October through December and March through May; as you might guess June through September are great times to visit for long sunny days!

Who lives in Tanzania?

Tanzania’s people population is estimated at 56.3 million, composed of about 120 ethnic, linguistic, and religious groups. These ethnic groups are primarily of Bantu origin; the pastoral Maasai are perhaps the most familiar. 64% of Tanzanians are Christian; 34% Muslim. Over 100 different languages are spoken in Tanzania, making it the most linguistically diverse country in East Africa. About 10% of Tanzanians speak Swahili as a first language and up to 90% as a second. Unlike its neighboring countries, Tanzania has not experienced large-scale ethnic conflicts, perhaps due to the effects of Swahili as a unifying language. As to animal wildlife, Tanzania has the largest animal population density of any country in the world. There are more animals per square mile of land in Tanzania than anywhere else, with 430 mammal species and 1,112 bird species. About 20% of Africa’s large mammals live in Tanzania.

How does Tanzania promote itself?

About a third of the country’s total area is protected to a degree as a national park, game reserve, marine park, forest reserve or the like. The Tanzania Tourism Board and Tanzania Parks websites offers choices of Things to Do and Places to Go, with plenty of information about all those parks and reserves. About Serengeti:  Serengeti National Park is undoubtedly the best-known wildlife sanctuary in the world, home to the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth – the great migration of wildebeest and zebra. The resident population of lion, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, and birds is also impressive. Serengeti won the TripAdvisor Travelers Choice Award in 2021, named as the Best of the Best National Park in the World.

https://www.tanzaniatourism.go.tz/en/

https://www.tanzaniaparks.go.tz/

About Kenya

Linda Lou Burton posting from Little Rock, Arkansas – Fast forward to 2022, and a notice from Globus Travels that they were “back in business with a bang” as COVID restrictions began to ease. So maybe THIS year I could spend a night on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater? Maybe THIS year I could sit on Karen Blixen’s front porch in Nairobi? Heck yeah!

I found the Tour I wanted. I checked in with son Rick. Do you still want to go to Africa? Heck yeah! We picked a date, and paid the deposit to reserve our spot. Now that the “daydream” was at the least a possibility, I dug into my favorite hobby: research. The tour begins in Kenya, so that’s where I started. Look what I found!

How big is Kenya? Where is it? What does it look like?

Kenya is an east African country roughly the size of the US state of Texas. Geographically diverse, the country rises from the shores of the Indian Ocean to the snow-capped peaks of 17,057-foot Mt Kenya. The Great Rift Valley takes a north-south route through the country, the Equator goes east-west through the middle. Lake Victoria, the world’s largest tropical lake, lies on the western border. The country is a mosaic of lion-gold savannah, rolling grassland, ancient rainforests, and volcanic plains.

How about Kenya’s weather?

Kenya has one of the most beautiful climates in the world, typically featuring long sunny days with clear blue skies, champagne-fresh air (especially up-country), golden evenings, and spectacular sunsets. Day and night are almost equal year round, with sunrise around 6 am and sunset around 6.30 pm. There is no summer/winter, rather rainy or dry seasons. The “long rains” occur from April to June; the “short rains” November to December. July and August are the coolest months; September through March the warmest. Note todays end-of-August highs/lows: Little Rock 92/70. Mombasa 83/70. Nairobi 72/59.

Who lives in Kenya?

Kenya’s 2021 people population was estimated at almost 55 million. There is a small ethnic minority of Arabs, Europeans, and Indians. The largest ethnic group is Kikuyu (8+ million); others of the many include Luhya, Luo, Somali, and Maasai (1+ million). 86% of Kenyans are Christian; 10% Muslim. The three largest cities are the capital, Nairobi (4.5 million), Mombasa (1.2 million) and Nakuru (580,000). As to animal wildlife, over 100 mammals and 400 species of birds live in Kenya. 238 animals are tracked regularly, and reports show 36,280 elephants, 29,200 giraffes, and 5,200 buffalo lead the ranks. The lion, Kenya’s national animal, has a population of approximately 2,500.

How does Kenya promote itself on its site, Magical Kenya?

Iconic Safaris is one of the choices of Things to Do in the Nature & Wildlife category. Since we’ll be going On Safari, I clicked that link.

Kenya is the classic African safari destination, with over 45 national parks, reserves, sanctuaries, and over 100 conservancies. Home to unique and diverse wildlife, Kenya offers incredible natural beauty and sensational game viewing opportunities. Discover and explore the magnificent wildlife in many ways – walking, a hot air balloon ride, horseback, game viewing vehicles, or simply from the comfort of your lodge/camp.

Check it out. Especially the video. Elephants! Rhinos! Land Rovers!

Other categories: Culture & Heritage. Adventure & Sports. Beach & Beyond.

https://magicalkenya.com/things-to-do/nature-wildlife/iconic-safaris/

Traveling Companionably

Linda Lou Burton posting from Little Rock, Arkansas – I’ve traveled a lot with my cats, Alex and Jack. John Steinbeck traveled with his French poodle, Charley. Mark Twain traveled with various folks in his lifetime, firm in his belief that “travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”

Anthony Bourdain is the kind of companion I would choose to travel with; my favorite traveler of all time. What he has done, and seen, and filmed, and  written about is out there for all to see; his gritty, unflinching view of the world as it is, and his insistence on telling the truth about it. And he saw travel as a two-way ride; “travel changes you,” he said. “As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life – and travel – leaves marks on you.”

As I began considering a visit to Africa some years ago, I thought about how such a trip would change me, and, of what kind of companion might approach this venture with attitudes similar to mine. Most people I knew had no desire to go to Africa! I had friends who had been; one on a mission to change things there; a few on a mission to climb a mountain; a few daring to race across the desert. I wanted to go to experience Africa, to meet people who live there, and to go away understanding the world a little bit better.

So I made a list, and whittled it down.

• 1st off the list – the Comparer! You know what I mean: “We don’t do things THAT way where I live!” “MY family always did it THIS way!”
• # 2 – the Whiner. “It’s too hot. It’s too noisy. It’s too far. It stinks! I’m tired!”
• # 3 – the Scaredy-Cat. “I’m not eating THAT! I can’t climb THAT! I’m not getting MY feet wet!”
• # 4 – the Bore. Droning on all day about nothing.
• # 5 – the Rigid. It’s got to be their way. Precise. No changes. No spontaneity! Point A straight to Point B, no stops, even to pee!
• # 6 – the Conjoined Twin. Connected to your hip. You can’t make a move without them, and they want to drag you everywhere they go.
• # 7 – the Humorless. Absolutely nothing is fun, or funny. No smiles.
• # 8 – the Blatantly Insensitive. Sneery nose up at anything different. No respect for others, their customs, or their way of life.
• # 9 – the Martyr. Jumps around to “caregive” instead of allowing others to do what they can.
• #10 – the Short Fuse. Blam!

An easygoing manner, a good sense of humor, and a taste for adventure top the “desirables” list. A willingness to try something new. A relentless curiosity. A Bourdain! I asked my retired son Rick (who had long expressed an interest in Italy) if he had a choice, where would he want to go – Africa, Europe, or Asia? He didn’t hesitate – “Well, Africa! Anybody can go to Europe. A trip to Africa would be the trip of a lifetime.”

Next step completed: my Africa travel companion chosen. Now, the planning. And the wait through the COVID years.

That Farm in Africa

Linda Lou Burton posting from Little Rock, Arkansas – The second thing that has me longing to go Africa is due to a woman named Karen, who “had a farm in Africa.” It was Karen Blixen, pen name Isak Dinesen, who wrote “Out of Africa.” It was Meryl Streep’s lovely sing-song recitation of the first line of that book that stuck with me from the 1980’s, when she and Robert Redford made the movie of the same name.

It was not until I actually read the book however, that I began to get a real sense of the magic of east Africa. Sydney Pollack turned Karen’s “love story” into a relationship with a good-looking English hunk. Yes, there were magnificent scenes of Kenyan scenery, and episodes of bravery, and tenderness, and the awful tragedy of losing both her lover and her farm. But that’s not the full story of the Karen Blixen to be found as penned by her own hand; though she was born in Denmark, Africa was the home of her heart. Her book, written in 1937 a few years after she was forced to leave, begins like this:

I had a farm in Africa, at the foot of the Ngong Hills. The Equator runs across these highlands, a hundred miles to the North, and the farm lay at an altitude of over six thousand feet. In the day-time you felt that you had got high up, near to the sun, but the early mornings and evenings were limpid and restful, and the nights were cold…The geographical position, and the height of the land combined to create a landscape that had not its like in all the world. There was no fat on it, and no luxuriance anywhere; it was Africa distilled up through six thousand feet, like the strong and refined essence of a continent. The views were immensely wide. Everything you saw made for greatness and freedom, and unequalled nobility…Up in this high air you breathed easily, drawing in a vital assurance and lightness of heart. In the highlands you woke up in the morning and thought: Here I am, where I ought to be.

Dinesen, Isak. Out of Africa and Shadows on the Grass. New York: Vintage International, 1988, pp 3-4.

Why do I want to go to Africa? I want to see THAT place. I want to sit on Karen’s front porch, looking across that broad lawn where her people, the Kikuyu squatters and the Somali servants who helped to run the farm; who picked the coffee and cared for the house, but most of all, who were a central part of her daily life – gathered every day. Her connection with the people of Africa is the real story.

When Karen lost her farm and returned to Denmark in 1931, her property was sold as large parcels for homes; the suburb that emerged is now called “Karen.” The original farmhouse changed hands several times, for a time housing a college; it was turned into a museum after the movie came out. Many of Karen’s original furnishings have been restored, and tours are offered continuously every day between 9:30 – 6.

I’ll be there soon.

Karen Blixen Museum, Nairobi, Kenya

https://www.museums.or.ke/karen-blixen/

On The Crater’s Rim

Linda Lou Burton posting from Little Rock, Arkansas — It started with a hotel. Being a Holiday Inn-Best Western-LaQuinta aficionado from years of budget travel with my kids, and later, my cats, I viewed “overnight accommodations” as being handy places to pull off the highway come evening, get a bath, and sleep. A cinnamon bun and coffee in the breakfast area the next day got me back on the road quickly.

One day, studying “places I’d like to go someday” I stumbled across a safari tour to Africa, with a stop at the Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge, described in words that struck like magic:

Regularly voted one of the best hotels in the world, this unique lodge clings to the rim of the magnificent Ngorongoro Crater, the largest and most perfect volcanic crater on Earth. Long and low, the lodge is built from local river stone and camouflaged with indigenous vines. Designed to blend completely into the landscape, it is entirely invisible from the floor of the Crater 600 meters below. Hugging the contours of the jagged Crater rim, the lodge takes its inspiration from the so-called “Cradle of Mankind,” the prehistoric site of Olduvai Gorge, which lies close by. Linked by arched stone passages and timbered decks, its walls are decorated with stylized prehistoric cave paintings and lit by flaring torches.

This of course sent me on a reading binge about the Ngorongoro Crater, as well as a pronunciation guide. (uhng gr raang gr ow)

Ngorongoro Crater is the world’s largest inactive, intact and unfilled volcanic caldera. The crater, which formed when a large volcano exploded and collapsed on itself two to three million years ago, is 2,000 feet deep and its floor covers 100 square miles. Estimates of the height of the original volcano range from 14,800 to 19,000 feet The crater floor is 5,900 feet above sea level. The crater was voted one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Eighth Wonder of the World. Deep within its immense walls is a breath-taking blue-green landscape dotted with plains, lakes and forests; an eerie, otherworldly “land that time forgot” thick with massive bull elephants, rhinos, wildebeests and the highest concentration of lions in Africa.

Next question was: How do I get there, and when can I go? This wasn’t just something, this was REALLY something!

It reminded me of the planning of my trip to Antarctica. I knew the where, and the when I wanted to do it, last question was the HOW? As part of a research team studying penguins (not possible), as crew on a Russian fishing ship (not desirable), or on a small cruise ship, and, which one of those?

I quickly found there are many “safari” tours hauling folks around the most alluring spots in Africa – those that promise sightings of “the big 5” or treks in gorilla country; those headed to shimmering deserts or mountain-top lakes or rivers surging with crocodiles; all offering opportunities to go rugged, or go luxury. Which would be the best “fit” for me?

The Globus Tours site offered a reasonable package– start in Nairobi, visit four camps in Kenya, then three in Tanzania – location of that fabulous hotel overlooking that other-worldly crater – and then end the trip with beach time in Zanzibar. What year could this reasonably happen?

Next step: enlist a fellow day dreamer to help believe it into reality. I pinned pictures of that hotel, and that crater, in easy view, to nudge me on.

Link to Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge

https://www.serenahotels.com/ngorongoro

Dragging George

Linda Lou Burton posting from Little Rock, Arkansas – Have you heard the one about Bob and George, two best friends? These guys had been golfing fanatics since their college days, and now, retired and in their 70’s, devoted themselves to the game.

They belonged to the Happy Valley Country Club, and every day had a standing date for a slow-paced 18 holes, and drinks on the patio afterwards to discuss every shot. On one particular fine spring day, it was mid-April I believe, Bob didn’t get home till almost dark; his wife Lucinda was getting worried.

She ran to the door when she heard his car in the drive, and watched as Bob slowly exited, shoulders hunched, head down.

“What’s wrong?” was her question. “Are you okay?”

“George is dead,” Bob blurted out.

Lucinda put her arms around her husband, exclaiming “Oh you poor dear! Your very best friend has died! What in the world happened?”

“George had a heart attack.” Bob said, shaking his head. “He just dropped dead on the spot!”

Lucinda guided Bob over to his favorite easy chair. “Sit down and rest sweetheart, and tell me all about it. You look awful!”

“Oh, I am exhausted,” Bob replied. “We were on Tee Box #4 when it happened, and all day long it’s been nothing but hit the ball and drag George.”

I have some friends who climbed Africa’s Mt Kilimanjaro a few years ago. Can you imagine what is involved in preparing for a trip like that? The training – for a year at least; to get you strong enough and lean enough and tough enough to BELIEVE you can keep going up and up and up for 19,341 feet where the altitude is unkind to your gut and lungs and you have to keep monitoring the oxygen level in your blood? The organizational details of such a trip to another country boggle the mind: vaccinations, medications, equipment, scheduling. Which guide service to use? Which route is best? Which time of year will the weather be good, so we summit at the EXACT PERFECT MOMENT for a sunrise?

What did the two agree between themselves? A sacred thing: if I can’t make it, you keep going.

I had another friend who organized a team to climb Mt Aconcagua, at 22,837 feet the tallest mountain in South America. There were 12 in the party, and after a year’s hard training, they finally arrived in South America, each with mounds of climbing equipment and supplies. (Kilimanjaro is a seriously rugged walk, but Aconcagua is a technical ice climb requiring much more equipment.) First they traveled two days by train from the airport to the starting point. From there, it was four days by pack mule to the place to begin the ascent. Each person’s name was called as their equipment was removed from the pack mules, but alas, ONE BAG of essential technical equipment for ONE PERSON had been left at the train station. Due to weather conditions and schedules for other climbers, the group could not wait the time it would take to retrieve it. And the unlucky fellow could not make the climb without his equipment.

The sacred agreement: if I can’t make it, you keep going.

Dragging George is a golfer’s joke, of course. But helping another reach their goal by finishing the course when they can’t make it – well, that is a pretty nifty thing.

I’m planning a trip to Africa, and, for a grand finale, to Iceland. It all began five years ago….

Buy More Buckets

Originally published August 17, 2020 by Linda Lou Burton posting from Little Rock, Arkansas – I’m stealing a line from Ellen Degeneres. I wish I had thought of it myself. In her book “Seriously…I’m Kidding,” Chapter Bucket List, #1 is “Buy More Buckets.” I laughed, out loud, but then I thought – what a really great idea! Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson kept adding to their list (in that movie); it was just a wadded piece of paper with scribbles, but it got them skydiving. And focused on something other than their ailments. They actually DID things, rather than being stuck in their predicament. But first they STATED things they wanted to do, they put them in WRITING, and tried to figure out HOW to do them. Ellen’s idea takes it even one step further. Buy more buckets! Come up with so many things you REALLY want to do that it takes more than one sheet of paper to write them all down.

It’s a neat concept, unless you prefer whining, moping, drinking and popping pills to get through your day. And the best thing about Bucket Lists is that they are Very Personal. They are yours and yours alone. Imagine lists and lists of your very own preferences, bucketloads of just what you want to do. Not what you SHOULD do, or what you think is appropriate for someone your age, gender, color, physical capabilities, or pocketbook. It’s what’s inside YOUR head, Magic Wand stuff. Because everything begins with an idea. Like “the wheel,” or “automobiles” or the computer or cell phone on which you are reading this post.

Which is why, of course, my current Bucket List has so many things that might appear unattainable, or unreasonable, for an 81-year-old woman living on a small retirement income with a really bum arthritic knee and  too much scar tissue from a mastectomy. Walking is slow, lifting heavy things is difficult, and I hate flying. I don’t have a lot of money and I don’t like crowds and I don’t like leaving little blue-eyed Katy cat.

But I also don’t want to die without walking on all seven continents, (don’t ask me why, it’s MY Bucket List) and cruising the longest river on every one of those continents. Already ticked off the list of impossibilities (or improbabilities): Living in all 50 US capital cities! Seeing the sun NOT set on the first day of summer within the Arctic Circle and the Antarctic Circle in the same year. Visiting the northernmost city in North America and the southernmost city in South America. Crossing the Andes in a taxi. Standing at the westernmost point on the EuroAsia land mass. Watching the sun set behind the Sahara dunes. And that’s just some of the TRAVEL wishes fulfilled. The FULL LIFE list is even more awesome to me. Having sons! Having grandchildren! Writing books! Planting trees! Learning to water ski! Getting meringue to peak!

Now back to the NDI RTW I’ve been writing about. It WAS a real trip, as it began. All my sons and my working grandchildren were invited to join me at any point along the way in a country they might want to visit; the two youngest just graduating high school accepted my invitation to join me in Iceland. All the hotels were booked, and the flights as far as New Zealand, when the bomb dropped. On February 29 I learned of the first COVID-19 case in the US. We kept watching progression, and hoping for a miracle. But as “stay at home” became the norm, and borders were closed, reality sank in. And when the US State Department Global Health Advisory – Level 4 Do Not Travel email arrived on March 19, I called a halt.

But the thing about Bucket Lists is – they are adaptable. I couldn’t actually leave on July 7, as planned, but I COULD imagine it. It’s been fun writing about all the places I still want to visit, and imagining myself doing all the things on my List. It has kept me happy, and upbeat. I can see the crowd at the airport as we trudged wearily off the plane and down the walkway last night (well, maybe I’d have asked for a wheelchair, they ARE handy and much faster than my arthritic walk). And ALL of my family would have been there to greet me; friends too, in fact, so many people waving signs and banners welcomed us back that other passengers gathered round too, and cheered. Strangers I’ll never meet have photos of Kayla and Sam and me, all frazzled and travel stinky, in their cell phone storage now, because, What Was That? An Old Woman and Two Teens just did something awesome, apparently.

Watch for my plane leaving Clinton National as soon as travel becomes feasible once again, and “seeing the world” is safe. My foot is going to wade in that Indian Ocean. And I’m going to cruise the Yangtze River, and the Volga. And the Amazon. I know, because I have them on my Bucket List.

Meanwhile I’m headed for Lowe’s today (mask on, of course) to buy more buckets.

Final Glide

Originally published August 16, 2020 by Linda Lou Burton posting about Washington, DC from Little Rock, Arkansas – This is it. Today is the end of the NDI RTW. Tonight, I sleep in my own bed after 40 days of almost non-stop travel. I wonder if Katy cat will even remember me. But this morning I woke up in Washington, DC with two of my grandchildren, and this reality: our flight to Little Rock, the only DIRECT flight available (and I couldn’t bear going through Atlanta) didn’t depart until 6 PM. And the three of us were burnt out on DC sightseeing. So what could be better than a nice calm boat ride on the Potomac River to Mt Vernon? We were in agreement, up and packed and checked out by 8; at the Water Taxi dock in time to leave at 9.

The trip was a pleasant ride, the Washington skyline, a stop in Alexandria, and then ashore by 10 at George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate. “You just added Virginia to your state count,’” I told Kayla and Sam. We had four hours of our own time to wander; George and Martha’s home, their tomb, the farm and farm animals, a gristmill and distillery, the Mount Vernon Inn for lunch. Though there are a few museums there, we went to something called Be Washington, an interactive movie theater. “Step into Washington’s shoes. What would YOU do? Your daring plan of crossing the Delaware River paid off with great military victories. As Commander In Chief, are you willing to do it again and risk your men’s lives? The Battle of Second Trenton, The Newburgh Conspiracy, The Genet Affair, The Whiskey Rebellion – all tests of your “presidential decision-making capacity.” That was entertaining!

Back at the DC dock at 3:30; a taxi to Reagan Airport, and now we’re flying. Will everything happen that we’re expecting? Kayla’s Dad Rick has been at my house all week, cat-sitting Katy and, I hope, spiffing things up and laying groceries in; that was part of the deal. Sam’s Dad Scott flew in yesterday; my oldest son Mike, and Brenda, picked him up at the airport as they arrived by car from Colorado, so the four of them have had an evening together. Did they make banners? Did they buy balloons? I just trekked around the world at age 81. I want adulation, and cheers! At the least a hand sparkler or two.

I think we’re over Tennessee now. Sam and Kayla have nodded off. We are all exhausted.

I’m ready to be home.

Then Let’s Do That

Originally published August 15, 2020 by Linda Lou Burton posting about Washington, DC from Little Rock, Arkansas – It has been said there are so many museums in DC you’d need to live here and visit one a day for a year to see them all. We didn’t have a year, and to tell you the truth, our bodies were beginning to feel the effects of walking, standing, and getting jostled in crowds. Not to mention brain overload! Particularly MINE, I’ve been “on the move” since July 7. When reviewing the possibilities this morning, we all sighed. Nobody wanted to do the Hop On Hop Off bus, and Fodor’s list of Top 25 Sights didn’t excite us a bit. Yes, we want to do it all. But not today.

“Just throw a dart,” Sam said. Kayla had a suggestion too, “You’ve been here so many times GMom, what do you think we’d like best?” I gave a qualified answer, “I can tell you what impressed me the most, and what sticks in my mind even though I saw it years ago.” “Then let’s do THAT,” they both said, before I even told them what it was.

The National Archives, https://www.archives.gov/

I chose the National Archives first because it is the repository of “US History” like nothing else. If you want to go straight to the horse’s mouth – it is HERE. In one room, in one building, you can see the original founding documents of the United States. The room is the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom, and it is the permanent home of three documents that are instrumental to the founding and philosophy of the United States.

• The Declaration of Independence, written in 1776, announces a complete break with Britain and expresses the ideals on which the United States was founded: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
• The Constitution is the supreme law of the United States. These four large sheets of parchment define the framework and powers of the Federal Government. Written in 1787, the Constitution established an ingenious practical system of government that derives its power from “We the People of the United States” and promotes the welfare of all its citizens.
• The Bill of Rights protects freedom of speech, press, religion, and assembly, among many other rights. The document on permanent display in the Rotunda is the enrolled original Joint Resolution passed by Congress in 1789, proposing 12 amendments to the Constitution. The 10 that were ratified became known as the Bill of Rights.

The documents are sealed in the most scientifically advanced housing that preservation technology can provide; the windowless Rotunda is carefully cooled; no sunshine and no photography allowed. Elsewhere in the building are many other important American historical items, including the Articles of Confederation, the Louisiana Purchase Treaty, the Emancipation Proclamation, and collections of photography and other historically and culturally significant American artifacts. Seeing all those original signatures excited us the most.

The National Gallery of Art, https://www.nga.gov/

The National Gallery of Art is just across the street from the Archives, and houses more than 150,000 paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, photographs, prints, and drawings spanning the history of Western art. It was my second choice for two reasons – when Sam and Kayla were small, we visited many art museums in Seattle and they always left “sparkly-eyed” and smiling. They talked about what they had seen, and usually got the crayons out as soon as they got home. The second reason for my choice was selfish; I wanted to be there again. I remember clearly my stop in front of a particularly magnificent Rembrandt in 1998, it left me breathless. The reds were so vivid; the depth of the painting so astonishing, I just kept looking. I knew, without question, that we’d be happier after visiting there today. Plus it is so well organized, the displays can be enjoyed without jostling. And we needed that.

The Gallery’s Sculpture Garden was really fun, odd and wonderful sights, Kayla kept snapping photos, and Sam, who has learned welding, was fascinated by all the metal pieces, such as Halegua’s, America, 1970, a 25-ft steel construction. https://www.nga.gov/collection/sculpture-garden.html I didn’t think I’d get them to leave, but they finally got hungry. Lunch at the Pavilion Café, overlooking the gardens and grounds; in the winter, there’s an ice rink!

We hopped on the free shuttle and rode the few blocks to the Washington Monument. I wanted pictures of them standing beneath, with the White House in view across the Ellipse. I have a picture of their Dads standing there together, all jacketed up; it was the Christmas holidays and there were reindeer on the Mall, and a Christmas tree from every state. Not a single barricade, as there are today.

Bureau of Engraving and Printing https://www.moneyfactory.gov/home.html

I kept my third choice a surprise; they didn’t know where we were headed until I told our taxi driver. I chose the “Money Factory” for two reasons also. On a summer visit to DC when their Dads were very young, we toured this money-making facility and they still talk about it today. I thought Sam and Kayla would be equally fascinated – the process is actually quite interesting, and involved. PLUS, most young-people-just-entering-the-workforce are obsessed with money; how to get it, spend it, and keep it.

“Have you ever paid attention to what a dollar bill LOOKS like?” I asked. “It’s a pretty intricate design.” They looked at me. Hmmm. Well now they know. We got to see millions of dollars being printed; the tour overlooks the production floor. And they learned these facts about a dollar bill:

• The first $1 notes called “Legal Tenders” were issued by the federal government in 1862 and featured a portrait of Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase (1861-1864).
• The first use of George Washington’s portrait on the $1 note was on Series 1869 United States Notes.
• The first $1 Federal Reserve notes were issued in 1963. The design, featuring George Washington on the face and the Great Seal on the back, has not changed.
• Because the $1 note is infrequently counterfeited, the government has no plans to redesign this note. In addition, there is a recurring provision in Section 116 of the annual Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act that prohibits the redesign of the $1 note.
• Of all the notes printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the $1 note makes up about 45% of currency production.
• The Fiscal Year 2018 Yearly Currency Order contains 2.2 billion $1 notes.
• If you had 10 billion $1 notes and spent one every second of every day, it would require 317 years for you to go broke.

Imagine that! Last choice of the day I also kept as a surprise. We picked up some items from the Market in our hotel and grabbed a bite to eat in our room before One Last Thing. I wanted them to see the monuments after dark.

The Monuments At Night From a Red Roadster

This was just about the cutest thing ever, a small 5-passenger electric RED ROADSTER, driving us all around the city after dark. The route covered everything we still wanted to see (and some we’ve seen twice); but no crowds to contend with, just us and our guide.

First a drive through the entire Smithsonian complex, getting the story of each of the museums; then past the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial. We stopped at the FDR and MLK Memorials, and got a chance to walk along the Tidal Basin. Then past the WWI and WWII Memorials to the Lincoln Memorial; great views there of the Potomac River and the National Mall, sparkling in the dark. Throughout the trip the guide gave us stories of the city’s history; then past the White House, and on to Capitol Hill, really something to see at night.

Of course, this is a fictionalized version of what we COULD have done in a COVID-free world; in reality, DC is mostly closed, or masked with limited opportunities. But this is my NDI RTW;  imagining makes anything possible. Then let’s do that.