Alexandria, VA

Monday the 27th we drove into Alexandria, Virginia, what a cool place. Talk about living history. We went on the walking tour and were able to see places that have been around virtually since the beginning of our country. We started by walking to the waterfront along the Potomac River and drinking a Starbucks and eating some misc Starbucks pastry and watching the ducks and seagulls fighting over the bread people where throwing them.

After our coffee and entertainment we went to The Torpedo Factory Art Center, again, what a cool place. The Alexandria Guide Magazine says this about it: The Torpedo Factory Art Center is a must for all visitors to the historic waterfront of Old Town Alexandria. Every year 800,000 delighted visitors meander through this 1918 structure built by the U.S. Navy for the manufacture of torpedo parts. Today it houses some 200 artists, their studios and galleries.

After that we did the walking tour through historic downtown. You really have to experience it. Alexandria is a cool place, I could never afford to live there, but it’s one of those places that make you fantasize that maybe you could. At the end of the walking tour we took is Christ Church. Christ Church was completed in 1773. The history of the church is incredibly interesting but way too long to type it all out here, so instead check out this link: http://www.historicchristchurch.org/ourchurch/index.htm

When we finished the walking tour we decided to walk to the other end of King Street from the waterfront and visit The George Washington Masonic National Memorial. http://www.gwmemorial.org/ this is a really neat place that evidently doesn’t believe in AC. It was a chilly (not cold) day and we were both in long pants and long sleeves (I was bundled in several layers) and even after stripping off a couple of my layers I was still sweating while trying to tour this Memorial. It is very pretty and has a very interesting feel to it. My favorite parts where the South Lodge room because it wasn’t really well lit and was decked out for pomp and circumstance, it looked like a place for secrets and I love stuff like that. My other favorite was the statue of Washington in the front hall. You just have to stand at his feet looking up at the 17ft statue to understand.

One funny thing about Alexandria, don't go on a Monday if you want to see any of the museums. At least don't go on a Monday during this time of year. We had no clue until we got there that most of the places are closed on Monday's. Whatever!

That’s it for this post. I will be posting soon about our last couple of days in DC. We, again, are currently in Gettysburg, it’s nice, it’s beautiful, it’s quiet, and it’s mellow….I Love It. We arrived yesterday (April 1) and spent the day setting up, today I did laundry and we ran errands, mostly we’ve just been enjoying not having to run at Mach II with our hair on fire.

;-)K