Space, the Final Frontier

Sunday, August 3, 2008

(Air and Space Museum foyer.)

Up at 8:00 and out the door by 9:30. We were determined to get to the Air and Space Museum by 10:00. We were there by 9:50 and waited with about fifty other people for the doors to open. It was worth the wait.

(Planetarium and IMAX tickets! W00T!)

By 10:03 I purchased tickets to the Planetarium Show and a 30 minute IMAX show about Black Holes. Of course, these tickets were spaced apart throughout the day and were nothing more than thinly veiled excuses to SIT for a few moments.

(American Astronaut Space Suit, National Air and Space Museum, D.C.)

We started on the first floor with monuments to astronauts who have given their lives in the name of exploration and science. The exhibits that really got me bawling were the ones dedicated to Apollo I, The Challenger, and The Columbia. I should have brought Kleenex. Who would have thought that pictures of old astronauts, galaxies, planets, and stars would cause such a visceral reaction?

(Don't take pictures of me when I'm bawling!)

We paused for an early lunch (Closer to noon than 3:00 pm.) at the food court. We had three value meals priced at about $7.50 each. They didn’t taste any different than the $3.80 value meals here in the ’Burg. It was a chance to sit and a chance to eat.

(Orion enjoys Chicken McNuggets in style!)

Energized we returned to the exhibits and just soaked it all in. There were probably just as many folks at the Air and Space museum as there had been at the Natural History Museum the day before, I believe that the openness of the Air and Space Museum made it feel less crowded at times. There was still a great deal of ‘look and run’ which made me wonder why people even bother coming to the museum. Are they afraid they might learn something?

(Lunar Landing Module, National Air and Space Museum, D.C.)

(Orion seems a wee bit lost.)

The gift shop was quite interesting. But I was disappointed to find that they didn’t have 3X tee shirts here either! Does the Smithsonian not want fat people to sport their goods? They had an impressive toy store where Orion found a plane and a mini-kite. We left at 5:00 via a cab as I had to make my way back to the hotel, freshen up, and make it to our official opening ceremonies for the conference by 5:30.

(I thought it would a nifty treat if the public restrooms had been equipped with these instead!)

ATE welcomed new comers and then we proceeded to dine on beef, mashed potatoes, and green beans. Desert was the best. Several choices of cake or pie and some very good coffee. Dinner left me hungry. I should have eaten two pieces of pumpkin cheese cake, but I refrained.

It was nearly 10:00 before I returned to the hotel room. Orion was dying to go swimming. He and J had marched up to Union Station to have dinner. I think at a place called Johnny Rocket’s. Orion loved it. I think we may have to check that joint out together.

John escorted O to the pool and I took a long shower and then a longer bath. It was time for bed. Tomorrow we'll visit the National Gallery of Art.

(The National Gallery from the steps of the Air and Space Museum)

Things I learned on Sunday, August 3, 2008

• I miss pumpkin cheese cake. It shouldn’t just be served in October and November.
• I still want to be an astronomer.
• Orion’s head is filled with all these weird ideas for contraptions and inventions. I wonder if he will be instrumental in our colonization of Mars or the moon.
• I still hate crowds.
• Astronauts have chutzpuh.
• Calculators and slide rules played an important part in our race to the moon. I wonder what would happen if Astronauts now had to rely on Wikipedia?
  

(To the moon, Alice!)

(Yes Tree, this pictures for you!)