Gene and I always start our vacation planning about one year in advance. That being said, it's time to start talking about possible travel plans for next summer, 2008. 

While I was looking at flights and fares to Europe (Spain in particular) for next summer, my mind started ruminating on the qualities of good airlines. Frankly, I don't think there is such a thing right now. At least, not for me and certainly not in the United States. Do I fly a lot? No, not compared to some - but I do fly more than average. So I think I have some qualifications for judging what a perfect airline should look like.

Also, I recently watched and read about the 787 Dreamliner rollout here in Seattle. Boeing has been trying to convince the buyers of their new aircraft to purchase them in a 2-4-2 seating arrangement (or 3-2-3) which would require 18" seats. But more than half of the orders are for a 3-3-3 configuration, with 17" seats. That chaps my ass! All this frustrating information and negative recent experiences has brought me to blog about the "perfect airline." It would look like this:

First: Destinations. Needless to say, it would be an airline that flies to Seattle. Obviously, nothing that's perfect is useful unless one has access to it. And, the airline should fly to all major cities in the the Americas, Europe and Asia. Needless to say, we do have airlines like that - they're called "legacy" carriers like United, American, Continental, Delta, etc. The discount airlines are already dead in the water as far as I'm concerned.

Second: Equipment. An airline's equipment does not have to be new to be perfect. In fact, it just has to be clean and well maintained. One of my favorite aircraft is the MD-80. It hasn't been produced since 1989, but it's a fantastic plane. The seats are wider by one inch than on planes like the 737 or the A320. American  Airlines flies a lot of MD80s, and they keep them in pretty good condition. I've flown in newer 737s owned by United, but they were dirty and banged up. If I have to sit in the same seat for three hours, it better be clean.

Third: Configuration. This is where the airlines all fall apart, and it's the focus of most controversy lately. Economy class on all aircraft should have a substantial number of seats in pairs - not just triples. Also, the seats on short haul aircraft (like the MD80, 737, and A320) should be a minimum of 18" wide with 34" of pitch. Longer haul planes (like the 757, 767, 777) should be at least 19" wide and have foot rests. 21" would be even better. Armrests should be at least 3" wide. If I have to sit next to a stranger, I don't want to have to TOUCH the stranger because of narrow seats and a skinny armrest that leaves insufficient room for my shoulders. The lack of shoulder room and leg room is my primary complaint about all airlines. There are some that have wider seats, but they don't fly to Seattle with regularity (Midwest Airlines comes to mind) - or they don't fly to enough international destinations (jetBlue and Midwest).

Also, for something new - how about a family section? Following the old smoking section model, set an area toward the back aside for families with children under 18. Charge more for seats in the "quiet" zone. That should make a lot of people happy and draw in more money.

Fourth: Service. I want excellent service, but it doesn't have to be fancy. I'm happy to bring my own food or pay for beverages. I want flight attendants to be friendly, but in control. Thankfully, most of them are. The big problem, where the airlines have failed miserably in the last year or two, is how they handle problems like cancellations and delays. Frankly, they don't handle the problems - they ignore them.

Airlines typically cancel a series of flights, then throw one or two people behind a customer service desk, and then they expect a thousand people to fend for themselves - which means standing in line for two or three hours until you get to the front and the harried drone that has absolutely no power or authority simply tells you "everything is full for the next two days." AAAAHHHHH! Thank God the customer service desks are inside the security zone, because otherwise we'd hear a lot more about the use of lethal weapons when flights are canceled.

The perfect airline would have emergency procedures and personnel in place. They would have supervisors and ordinary clerks formed into rapid reaction teams. They would have portable WiFi lap tops so the teams could work anywhere. The perfect airline would never say, "You have to go to customer service." They would already be there waiting to help, keeping passengers informed, and earning our business. We know cancellations due to weather will happen. The key is how do the airlines handle it - not can they prevent it. Excellent service includes both day to day operations as well as damage control.

And don't tell me about canceled flights because a pilot calls in sick. That should NEVER happen. There should always be pilots on standby. I suggest airlines pool their pilots, allowing a Delta pilot to fly a United flight and vice versa. Think outside the box people!

Fifth: Extras. The perfect airline would have a usable loyalty program. They are getting a little better about this issue. Most airlines let you keep your mileage points for a long time, and some are making more seats available for tickets purchased through points. Also, more airlines need in-flight entertainment systems like those on jetBlue. I'm happy to pay the price of a movie ticket ($6 - 8$) if I can choose my own entertainment on a flight that's longer than two hours. Thankfully, more and more airlines are installing those types of systems, but not enough have done it yet.

Conclusions: In brief, the perfect airline would have all those five qualities. PLEASE NOTICE, I didn't say the perfect airline would be the cheapest. In fact, I don't think that's possible. So how does the perfect airline do all I suggest and still make a profit? Charge for it! Charge a reasonable price and charge for extras like individual TV sets, food, drinks, exit rows, etc. Charge more for upgraded seating too. "But they do that," you say. "It's called first class."

"No!" I say. Seats in first class are not numerous enough. And, they charge too much for what you get. From what I have experienced, if an economy class seat costs about $350, a first class seat on the same flight will typically cost about $1,200.  There is no way I get three times as much value in first class. So - the airlines don't sell out their first class seats. Then, customers like me who fly enough to have gold or platinum status on an airline - we buy economy seats instead. Then we pay about $250 - $300 for an upgrade in the last 24 hours before our flight. Then first class fills up. In fact, airlines are inundated with travelers seeking to pay for upgrades. But there just aren't enough seats to satisfy everyone. Either they are going to have to raise the number of first class seats, or they should just lower their prices. I think many regular fliers are willing to pay a premium of 50 - 100% for first class. A customer that wants to pay more to get more should not be turned away. 

Frankly, it comes down to this. The legacy carriers are the closest to being "perfect." But they fall apart in service as well as seating configurations or availability. JetBlue and Southwest are fine for the masses who care only about price. But where is someone like me supposed to go if he is willing to pay more in order to get more? 

Hey airline folks, here's my advice: enlarge your first class sections. Lower your first class prices. Hire more customer service people. In fact, raise your prices in general. Stop racing to the bottom! Charge for extras like food and videos. Make it simple - just the swipe of a credit card. When you buy new aircraft they should have more leg and shoulder room.

It is possible to create the perfect airline. Just because it hasn't been done doesn't mean it can't be. The main problem is, the old legacy model doesn't make a profit anymore. The only model that's making money is the discount model. But those who argue that's the only way to make money are shortsighted. It's like saying the only way to buy clothes should be Old Navy or WalMart.

Making a profit by serving those who aren't interested in discounts is done in other industries, so airlines can do it too. For example, retail clothing is a tough business. Profit margins are small. But Nordstrom is making a profit by charging a little more, and giving the customer what they want - high quality service and good merchandise.

How long must we wait for the Nordstrom of airlines? The legacy airlines are uniquely positioned to create a new model. Most of them are coming out of bankruptcy in a dramatically changed form. The fat is gone! They have the basic equipment and routes. Now it's time to create a new product/experience, sell it, and watch the profits rise because no one else is doing it. Who's going to be first?

I made 4 minutes worth of cuts to my England & Ireland video. For those who wonder, a video that stays within a timeframe is a video that is more likely to be enjoyable. Those that ramble on for ever and ever are far more likely to be boring. I want to be proud of this video, which means I must set reasonable limits and stay within them.

Several of my travel videos are on YouTube, and I have received dozens of positive reviews. My Caribbean cruise video has been viewed in its entirety more that 2,000 times - and partially more than 5,000. Those are big numbers on YouTube. I don't think I've been successful because I throw in everything and the kitchen sink. A well done video has good pacing and limits its scope. Believe me, I'm pushing the limits on the new video. Staying at 60 minutes or less is a reasonable boundary for me to require of myself.

So far, I've managed to make the four minutes worth of cuts and add our time in Bath and the Cotswolds - as well as Oxford. Right now I'm at 56 minutes. I think I'll make my goal.

Some may wonder from where I get this exacting personality streak. Hmmm....I think it may be my mother, the quilter, who produces high quality work with exacting detail. When others hold themselves to less stringent standards, she demands the best from herself, resulting in the highest quality product - even though quilting is just a hobby. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, does it?

On another subject, it seems the Micro Schnauzer is making progress too. Today is the first time in quite a while that she hasn't had an accident in the house. And, we started her "station" training today with a new short leash. She didn't like it, but that's not the point. In the long run, Sophia will be happy that we have trained her strictly. She will always know her place and what is expected. She will be a happy member of the pack. A good Schnauzer is a well behaved Schnauzer. And a good videographer is a well disciplined one.

For the last week I have been working like a man possessed on my next home movie. It's called European Travelogue Part I: England and Ireland. As of today, I've completed 54 rough cut minutes, But, my conundrum is I'm still not finished. I have several more subjects to cover, including Bath, the Cotswolds, Oxford, The British Museum, and the Tower of London. My commitment is to keep the movie at no more than 60 minutes. How am I doing to do that? I think I need at least 15 minutes to properly cover all those subjects. But, if I must cut previously edited footage, what must I delete? It all looks good to me.

My judgement in these matters is not always clear. I remember when I was editing the Velo Veneto piece for Patrick. I finished the rough cut and showed it to him via E-mail. He told me to shorten the video by cutting down one of the segments. I disagreed, but I did it anyhow. Of course, the finished product was even better. When I edit a video I am too close to the subject matter to always make prudent decisions about what goes and what stays. I know this current project will be better if it stays at an  hour or less. But this time I don't have anyone telling me what to cut. I guess I must make the decision myself. Sadly, making cuts in the middle of a video is never easy - just from a practical standpoint it requires hours of additional work as I adjust the remaining content. I guess that is one reason I'm resisting the changes I know must be made. I have no choice but to grit my teeth and bare the pain.

Why do I get so involved in these little projects?

I've posted new photos from my recent vacation. All told, I took two hours of video and about 200 digital pictures. The best 90 photos are posted here, basically in the same order as that of my week long itinerary. If you click on the album pictures, you can watch them full size with captions in the upper right corner.

My flight was scheduled to depart from Baltimore Washington Airport at 4:35pm. Therefore, I had some time to tour a few last minutes sites in DC. By 9am I had taken the Metro to McPhearson Square station, emerging just two blocks from the north entrance of the White House.

The home is an impressive icon but almost unreachable now. There is layer upon layer of barriers and security officers all around the Executive Mansion. I made my way around the Treasury Department building to the south side of the White House where I and many other tourists were stopped. We could hear the President's helicopter starting up. About 15 minutes later we were treated to a view of Marine One rising above the trees and flying off to the southwest. After that unexpected event, I walked along the outside of the ellipse past the National Christmas Tree to the new World War II Memorial.

Located between the reflecting pool and the Washington Monument, the newest marble edifice in DC is simple, low scale and an elegant addition to the 750 other monuments in the city. It fits in well. My visit was two days after Independence Day and the National Park crews were just now taking down the fences and barricades that surrounded virtually every popular tourist site. While I was there, one by one they turned on the fountains.

The sun was hot and there was little shade, so I soon moved on to the Lincoln Memorial by walking along the tree lined reflecting pool. I had been to the monument dedicated to the Great Emancipator before, but I had not seen the new museum housed within the base. It's dedicated not only to President Lincoln, but to the many events and protests that have occurred on the marble steps above. A movie and displays highlight the marches and gatherings that have taken place over the decades of the 20th century, including: the marches in support of the ERA, Dr, King's famous "I have a dream..." speech, gay rights protests, rallies against the Vietnam War, and other civil protests. From there I walked all the way across Memorial Bridge to Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. By that time I was too tired and hot to continue, so I boarded the Metro again and returned to my hotel to shower and check out. It was time to depart DC.

From the hotel I drove through central parts of the District, including Georgetown and Downtown, before heading north to Baltimore. It was only 12 noon and I thought I would have time to visit a site I missed back on Monday - as long as traffic didn't slow my progress. Using only my memory of it's location (because I no longer had the map from the website) I managed to find my way to Johns Hopkins University and Homewood - the house built by Charles Carroll, Jr., son of Charles Carroll of Carrollton.

The house is large and beautiful. It has been well restored. My tour was quick but interesting. I bought a large hard bound book about the house. But then I realized it was 2:15pm and I had to get to BWI in order to catch my 4:35 flight. I jumped back into my rental car and drove south through some heavy traffic. The airport is so close to central Baltimore that arriving on time was not a problem even with traffic delays in downtown Baltimore. I returned the car, checked in, and zipped through security screening, arriving at the gate a full 30 minutes prior to boarding time.

All went smoothly for my return to Seattle. Both flights left on time and I had an excellent seat on both legs of the journey - including another first class upgrade. Gene picked me up at SeaTac  at 10pm and now I'm home.

It was a fantastic trip. I enjoyed every minute and there were no major problems - just a few minor ones. In this day and age, that's about the best one can hope for. I'm excited to return someday, in particular to Philadelphia, and see more. 

Today is my final full day in the DC area. For the first time on this trip, I woke up at 7:45. That's late, if you were wondering why I mentioned the time. I didn't even leave the hotel until 9:30. I made an effort to not only sleep in, but also to take advantage of the free Metro Day Pass I received from the hotel. The pass can't be used until 9:30 - and since my first museum didn't open until 10am, it seemed reasonable to try and use the free pass.

My first stop was at the emotionally wrenching United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Can such a site be considered a highlight? I don't think so. But still, the Memorial Museum made a deep impression on me. Please understand, I have been to Dachau in Germany. I have been to the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, and the Nazi Documentation Center in Nuremburg, Germany. But none of them moved me like the museum here in the Untied States.

The Holocaust Memorial Museum is magnificent. It's built to resemble an industrial factory. I suspect this is so because the Nazi's managed to bring industrial efficiency to their goal of genocide. They were horribly efficient at the science of mass murder.

As one slowly shuffles through the main exhibits (the crowds are always large, so you can't move quickly) the horror of what happened in Europe between 1933 and 1945 slowly builds on each viewer. For me, I finally was feeling emotional fatigue at about the time that the chronologically arranged exhibits reached 1944. Then, I turned a corner and came upon a display that took my breath away. It was a backlit display of children's drawings - most made by six to nine year olds. They were from kids who were imprisoned in the Jewish ghetto called Terezinstadt. I had seen those kinds of drawings before - I swear. They looked just like the pictures I have displayed, backlit, on the windows of my classroom. The drawings are made for me by my students, every day of every year. There they were in a holocaust museum. The emotional buildup was too much. I teach these kids every day. I started to cry in the middle of the walkway, and I could not stop. I had never cried like that even at Dachau. I skipped the rest of the exhibits. Sadly, I was a little embarrassed by my breakdown. But when I left the area I was deposited in the memorial chapel. Embarrassed or not, I gave up. I sat down, looking at the lit candles that surrounded me and an eternal flame burning in front of me and I just...cried.

It took fifteen minutes or so before I was able to pull myself together. By the time I was done, I stepped outside the museum to find a huge downpour raining from the skies. I was one of many tourists who huddled under the overhang outside the Holocaust Museum. I waited for almost 30 minutes before I determined that my next goal - the WWII memorial was probably an unreasonable hope with weather considered. So when the rain finally diminished, I headed instead to the Smithsonian Metro Station. A few minutes later I was back in my hotel picking up the keys for my rental car. In lieu of a memorial site, I drove to northwest DC to see the Cathedral Church of Saints Peter and Paul.

Known by many as the National Cathedral - the largest complete church in the US is an awesome sight. It is the see of the Episcopal Bishop of Washington. Most fascinating was the architectural context - it's gothic European without a doubt. But the cathedral is, at the same time, thoroughly American. Every chapel, every stained glass window, and every sculpture is replete with American history references and values.

Another fascinating detail is the structure itself. Though the cathedral was built from 1907 until completion in 1990, it isn't a 20th century structure. It is an authentic middle age structure without a speck of structural steel reinforcement. The flying buttresses are fully functional, and the piers are massive in order to support the 300 foot tall towers. The National Cathedral is an amazing and beautiful site. I was moved and inspired, but this time the emotional impact was positive. The building represents the best of humanity and our respect for both creator and creation as well as the human capacity for artistic creation.  

After a guided tour and two hours on my own, I completed my walk through and around massive building. On capped off my time at the cathedral by taking the elevator to the top of the nave. The observation floor there is the highest point in the District of Columbia, and a beautiful sight to behold. Unfortunately, the warm muggy weather along with more misty rainfall made for a less than impressive view.

Immediately after the church, I made a quick trip to the Jefferson Memorial. I had been here before and was most amazed that the old parking lot had been closed. Tourists must park much farther away now, even though the old lot was easily 200 feet distant from the memorial itself and blocked by a six foot high wall. But, the memorial is as beautiful as ever. DC is an impressive city no matter which way you look at it.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my trip, and it's now coming to a close. It's almost time to go home. Tomorrow I hope to finally see the WWII monument. I've secured a late check-out with the front desk, so a little more tourist time tomorrow morning should not be a problem. Then I head to Baltimore-Washington Airport for my flight home - hopefully on time at 4:30pm.

One last piece of good news: I've received an upgrade for my flight. I suspect all will go well and I'll be a comfortable flier. But that may be an optimistic outlook. I don't have the best luck with airlines.

Still, overall it's been a great week. I have no complaints. I love to travel, and I always love to go home.

It is my preference to always start my day early, and so it was today. At 7:45 I headed south along the Geo. Washington Parkway. It was a beautiful drive along the Potomac. I reached Mount Vernon, home of the first president of the United States, just ten minutes after the grounds opened.

The estate is nothing short of spectacular. Owned by the Mount Vernon Ladies Association and open to the public since 1860, the complex is by far the finest presidential home I have ever toured. Yes, is surpasses Monticello. Sacrilege!

There is a large visitor center at the entrance. All the out buildings and farm buildings are open, as well as many gardens, the Washington tomb, a 16 sided barn, and a riverside pavilion. Because of the Independence Day holiday, there was a band concert, fife and drum corps, mock revolutionary troops marching, actors in period dress, and one very tall General Washington who commented that I should have shaved today. Yikes! I told him it was the fashion of the day, like men wearing wigs. He commented, "Ah, then I understand."

I had a wonderful time at Mt. Vernon. Definitely, it was one of the highlights of my trip - perhaps THE highlight. The house is gorgeous. When finished with that locale, I sat and listened to the band concert on the bowling green for a while. Later, I paid my respects at the tomb. At the end of my wandering I went through a huge museum dedicated to the life of our number one president. The exhibits included a dramatic multimedia movie. I was astonished the ladies that manage the estate have so much money that they could pay for a complex production like the one I saw. The most interesting thing on display in the museum was GW's dentures. Since they have a lead base, I bet they weren't very comfortable.

From Mount Vernon I drove north on I-95 and then I-66, way out into the 'burb of Chantilly, VA where the National Air and Space Museum has a new wing at Dulles Airport. Inside there was a multitude of aircraft and spacecraft. The building is absolutely ginormous! The two exhibits that got my attention were the Boeing Dash 8 (aka 707 prototype). That is the place that gained fame by doing a barrel roll over Boeing Field in Seattle back in 1957. The other plane that caught my attention was the Enterprise. NO! Not the science fiction space ship (that's in the other museum on the national mall). No, it was the prototype Space Shuttle named after the famous Star Trek vessel. One of the guides at the museum said he expects that when NASA mothballs the fleet in a few years, they expect one of the shuttles that has flown in space will end up in the Smithsonian. I hope one ends up in Seattle too!

That was my day. Only two places on my tour list. I hadn't the time for Manasses Civil War site as I had originally planned. When I got home thundershowers were starting. By the time I got into the hotel the wind had picked up and the area was under a tornado warning. They had to evacuate the mall in the heart of DC. The thunder and lightening were kind of scary. Experiencing an hour of drenching rain, and knowing that tens of thousands of people were going to have to go back through the security checkpoints convinced me to stay home tonight. Even though the rain stopped and the skies cleared by 8pm, I wasn't willing to fight the crowds that had been delayed and slog through the wet grass and mud on the mall. I stayed in the hotel and watched the event on TV. I had a good time with the festivities at Mt. Vernon, so I still think I had a great holiday.

Tomorrow I will try and make it to the last of the sites on my list. I intend to see the National Cathedral, The Holocaust Museum, the WWII Memorial, and maybe the Hirshhorn Museum.

Huzzah!

I got a good night's sleep, which prepared me well for an early awakening. I had my first free breakfast down in the dining room. Then, at 7:15am I caught the Metro train to the Federal Center station. Two blocks away from the station I joined a growing line at the Capitol Tour Kiosk at 8:15.  Forty-five minutes later I had a ticket to tour the US Capitol at precisely 9:25am.

After wandering around the west front of the Capitol, and seeing Tony Danza rehearing for the July 4th festivities, I lined up to enter the security checkpoint. The police officer that sheppered us through joked that we could bring our chewing gum in, but nothing else. "We want you hungry and thirsty, but with minty-fresh breath!" Unfortunately, someone in our group wasn't listening when the Capitol Police passed out and reviewed the list of non-permitted items. Apparently, someone brought in a aerosol can in her purse. That caused a security alert forcing the evacuation of the security center and the response of the bomb squad. Yes! We had to walk across three blocks away and delay 6 different tours because of one foolish lady who thinks, in a time of war, she doesn't have to follow security procedures. Thirty minutes later the area was cleared and our tour commenced. But we had the pleasure, as we entered the building, of watching the lady undergo questioning by the Capitol Police.

The Capitol building is very beautiful, but the tour is lacking finesse. It's a very busy place, and hundreds of people are constantly passing through on tours. We stopped in the rotunda, the old house chamber, and the crypt. It was so noisy that it was always difficult to hear the guide - but what I did hear indicated he was more a drone than a docent. He spoke in a monotone with little enthusiasm for his subject. Overall, I was interested in what I heard and saw, but disappointed in the tour guide and the brevity of the itinerary.

When I left the Capitol I wandered over to the new Museum of the American Indian. The exterior and gardens are very beautiful - full of meaning and symbolism. The interior is not nearly so stiring. But the exhibits are good. I especially enjoyed a movie about American Indians and their lives in the 21st century. It was projected on a rock, shawls, and the domed ceiling. Specially lighted pieces of art and sound effects added to the atmosphere. My next favorite exhibit was about native religions and creation stories. There was special exhibit of women's cerimonial dresses, and it even included the legendary Ghost Dance dresses. The Ghost Dance was a religious movement of the lart 19th century. It was suppressed violently by the President becaus the US government thought it might cause an uprising. Overall, the museum was well worth the two hours I was there. And I especially appreciated that the musuem included ALL native peoples in the Americas, from from Peru to the Arctic Circle.

Next, I walked across the Mall through the Smithsonian Folk Life Festical to the National Gallery of Art. There I spent the largest chunk of my time today - about three hours. I started in the older west wing. There, in chronological order, I toured the evolution of western art from the 11th to 20th century. Unfortunately, the American art galleries were closed. Hey...do I have a big sign on me that says, "Don't let me see your exhibits."? The collection is large and well arranged. It includes the only DaVinci on permanent display in America.

From the west wing I rode the escalators down to the underground passage which connects the two buildings of the National Gallery. While there I had a yummy chicken salad wrap while enjoying the sparkling light bouncing off a unique underground waterfall. From there I toured the modern art in the east wing. Sadly again, several galleries were closed. The collection I saw was small and disappointing. Amazingly, I think Seattle has an equally impressive modern art collection when compared with the National Gallery. Next on the agenda was the National Gallery's sculpture park. Again, Seattle's Olympic Sculpture Park is equal if not better. Ah well, I guess DC has a way to go. Perhaps the Hiershorn museum (which I will see in two days) will be better. I'm growing attached to modern art. It often moves and fascinates me. I guess I was expecting a 7.0 on the Richter scale. What I got was a 4.5.

Once I was finished with art, it was 4pm and I thought it would be a good time to see the Smithsonian Natural History Museum. I went to this particular museum last because I had heard it can be very busy, especially with school kids and families. Well, 4pm was no better a time than 10am. The place was packed, noisy, and overwhelming. Still, I enjoyed it. The Natural History Museum is a traditional museum full of towering dinosaur skeletons and snarling examples of taxidermy. Can you say 'diorama?' I had fun there. what teacher doesn't love a good diorama. I guess I find it easy to tolerate loud kids too.

Tomorrow is July 4th. I'm going to stay away from the heart of DC and instead drive to the new wing of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum out at Dulles airport. I also intend to see a Civil War site and maybe even Mount Vernon.

Both Baltimore and Annapolis are located in the Tidewater area of the mid-Atlantic states. My hope on Monday was to learn more about colonial life in both cities. Unfortunately, the lingering consequences of my re-scheduled flight have settled onto this day. Originally I was planning on traveling from Philly to DC on a Saturday, when most historic sites are open - especially small ones. Now, under the re-scheduled itinerary, I had to travel south on a Monday. Anyone who travels to historic sites knows they are commonly closed on Mondays. Therefore, I was unable to tour any of the historic Carroll sites in Maryland today. They were all closed. I did drive by two and take pictures of the exterior.

On the positive side, I did have a chance to see other terrific places. Once I got to Baltimore I tried parking downtown near the Charles Carroll mansion. The only places I could find were garages that charged $12 for two hours. There is no way I am going to pay that much! Parking in Philly was less expensive than that! So, I skipped Baltimore's Inner Harbor and headed to Fort McHenry, the famous site of, "the bombs bursting in air." It was a simple, relaxing, and interesting site. There was no pressure from crowds or parking costs. If was fascinating to see one of the sites where America managed to change the direction of the war of 1812 from the embarrassment and defeat lingering after the burning in Washington, DC to the victory of the defense of Baltimore.

After Fort McHenry I wound my way up to Carroll Park to see Mount Clare - if only from the exterior. The house was quite beautiful from the outside. But it was closed so all I walked away with was some video of the exterior. Within five minutes I was back in my car and headed south on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, transitioning to US 50 highway which headed right into the capital city of Maryland.

Annapolis was the highlight of my day even though another historic Carroll house was closed. But, I did see more than one famous site. I started with the Maryland Capitol building. It claims to be the oldest state capitol in continuous use. It also was home to the Continental Congress between the end of the revolution in 1781 and the ratification of the new constitution in 1789. Geo. Washington submitted his resignation as Commander in Chief in the Maryland State House too. From the capitol building I moved on to the William Capa House. The large Georgian home was built and owned by one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. He also served three one year terms as Maryland Governor during the Revolutionary War. The interior of the house is well preserved, though none of the furnishings were owned by the family. Most impressive were the two acres of gardens that have been fully restored to their original state.

After the Capa House, I walked along the nearby waterfront and along Main Street. Annapolis is a truly beautiful little city. Even after 300 years, brick structures are the vernacular architecture. The streets are narrow and filled with town houses. At the top of the main street, I visited St. Anne Episcopal parish. Charles Carroll, the Barrister was a member of the vestry (family: take note. Not all Carroll's were Roman Catholic). The current parish structure replaced a colonial structure during the Civil War. At the time, the parish was prosperous enough to include Tiffany windows.

Saint Anne parish was my final stop in Annapolis. From there I took US 50 into Washington, DC and ended at my new temporary vacation home, the Marriott Residence Inn. Located in Arlington, right across the Potomac from the Kennedy Center, the Residence Inn is the perfect place for to enjoy all the DC has to offer. Wow! It's a great hotel - as all Marriott properties are. I'm extremely happy to be back in my hotel of choice. The metro is only four blocks away. Getting around town should be easy.

Tomorrow I will delve into to political and cultural heart of DC: The US Capitol an the Smithsonian.

My day started in a somewhat strange manner. I woke up and rolled over to look at the clock. 7:10 it said, a full thirty minutes later than I had set my alarm. I jumped out of bed amazed that I had overslept. Immediately I tossed my breakfast into the microwave. Then I jumped into the bathroom. I wanted to leave no later than 7:35.

Quickly I worked to get ready for departure. I shaved, showered and dressed. I stepped over to my nightstand and picked up my watch. I was shocked! It said 6:05. Apparently, I hadn't noticed previously that the hotel alarm clock was set incorrectly, but I knew my watch was accurate. So what I had thought was a thirty minute late rising, turned out to be about an hours early. Already awake and with breakfast ready, I chose to just hang out. But I left the hotel already tired, though my day had barely begun.

I rode the R1 train into central Philly, getting off just five blocks from Independence National Park. My goal was to snag a timed entry ticket to Independence Hall, and my timing was perfect. I stepped into the visitor center at exactly 8:30am and I was near the front of the line for the free tickets. Soon I was inside the old Pennsylvania State House - what we call Independence Hall. The tour was terrific. Did you know 70% of the interior, and 90% of the exterior are original.

From the venerable icon of Philadelphia liberty I went on to the Liberty Bell center, followed by a short movie at the visitor center. Then I went to Congress Hall, the American Philosophical Society (started by Ben Franklin) and the portrait gallery in the old Bank of the United States building. By then it was 1:15. I grabbed a cheese steak sandwich from a street vendor and sat down to eat in the green space of Independence Mall gazing directly at the historic buildings I had just toured.

By 1:45 I entered the National Constitution Center. This modern museum focuses on the strength, challenges, and successes of our nation's foundational document. Entry starts in a large circular theater with a live speaker, lighting, movies, and emotionally stirring music. Once out of the introductory show, the displays in the museum are arranged around the theater at multimedia stations. The exhibits take the viewer through the 220 year history of our constitution.

It was 3pm when I finished at the Constitution Center. I was already exhausted. My plan had been to continue on to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, but I hadn't the energy. So, I headed back to the Market East station for the train ride back to the hotel. I arrived back at my temporary home at 4:15, after a brief stop to pick up food for dinner. I was considering going for a drive, but I've canceled those plans in favor of an early dinner and plenty of sleep tonight. I have to be up early tomorrow for my time in Baltimore and Annapolis. I'm leaving Philly behind after only a brief introduction, but it's time to make my way toward Washington, DC for the Fourth of July Holiday.