Washington DC – A National Treasure

On April 22, 2016 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Washington DC2 Comments

With its array of monuments, museums, and landmarks, Washington DC is truly a world-class city. You could easily spend a couple of weeks in Washington and still not see everything that it has to offer, which is somewhat ironic for the two of us. We both lived outside of major cities growing up, one of us outside of DC and the other outside of Philadelphia and other than taking friends and family into the city when they came to visit, we avoided the tourist locations due to the crowds. So, despite living close to great cities for much of our lives, we actually saw more of those cities later, after we had moved to Colorado and then gone back as tourists ourselves.

The Reflecting Pool and the Washington Monument

We had taken the kids to Washington during the summer of 2001 and it was an amazing time, albeit a whirlwind trip. Unfortunately, it was one of the hottest and muggiest summers for the area, one where the heat was downright oppressive. At the time, the kids complained literally every fifteen minutes about how miserable they were due to the heat and that all they wanted to do was go inside and do nothing. But these were the days of what we like to call “education vacations”, so we were determined to see as much as possible, despite the complaints and weather. At the time it seemed like none of the children enjoyed a single moment of the trip, but years later we would find out that they actually truly appreciated everything that they saw.

There is so much to see in Washington that is hard to know where to start. Being the nation’s capital, it is obviously important to see the United States Capital as well as the White House. We were there before the attacks of September 11 and access to these seats of government was greater than it is today. There is so much history associated with these great landmarks and every American should see them at least once in their lives. Seeing the National Mall and the Washington Monument is another absolute must while you’re visiting Washington. Completing the tour of the monuments by visiting the Lincoln Memorial and the Jefferson Memorial should put you in a patriotic mood as you pay homage to the founding fathers. While at the National Mall, you should also be sure to go to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, it is a very moving tribute to the victims of the holocaust and meant to educate people about the atrocities that man is capable of so that future generations don’t repeat the atrocities.

The Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial and the Korean War Veteran’s Memorial are both beautiful and haunting. Seeing all of the names on the memorial wall of the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial is something that is very meaningful to people of our generation who had family members who served at the time. Visiting the National Cemetery and watching the changing of the guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is something that you will never forget. Seeing the respect that our current military pay to the veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice is incredibly humbling.

Changing of the Guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Then there is Old Town Alexandria, just across the Potomac River in Northern Virginia, truly one of our favorite places. Seeing Ford’s Theatre where President Lincoln was shot and killed by John Wilkes Booth is another place that will make you pause and reflect. Not everything in Washington is about the memorials, there are the Smithsonian Museums with their dazzling array of artifacts and pieces of American history. There is the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which still has performances on a grand scale that are definitely worth attending. And certainly there are no shortage of restaurants to suit anyone’s tastes.

Ford’s Theatre and the Balcony where Lincoln was Shot

Washington DC is probably America’s greatest city. It is truly a different experience and was designed specifically to be that. From the layout of the streets that was planned by Pierre Charles L’Enfant in the Baroque style, with avenues radiating out from rectangles to the height restrictions that ensure that the Washington Monument and United States Capital are visible for all to see. Washington DC is the closest thing that the United States has to an “old world” city and it is truly a pleasure to visit and see. There is so much more to see than just the monuments and museums, too much to describe in a single post. It is truly a city that everyone should visit at some time or another and definitely a city that every American should be proud to have as our nation’s capital.

Funeral Procession at the National Cemetery

John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame at the National Cemetery

Walking the Streets of Paris

On April 1, 2016 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn France9 Comments

At the time that we visited Paris, there was a transit strike occurring, which limited the availability of buses and trains. So, when we arrived early in the morning on our first day in Paris, we went to our hotel, which was really more of a bed and breakfast, checked our bags and headed out into the city, determined to make the most of our first day. We were staying on the famous left bank in the Latin Quarter, just a few blocks from Notre Dame. We had heard before we arrived that the strike was occurring, so we knew that transportation was going to be limited. Undaunted, we decided that we would simply walk to the places that we wanted to see.

Our first stop, the Eiffel Tower. Along the way, we walked along the Seine River, strolled through beautiful gardens, and gazed at the amazing historic architecture. Instead of being frustrated that it took as long as it did to make our way to the tower, we really felt like we were able to truly immerse ourselves in the city. This was the first time that we explored a city exclusively on foot and it has become our favorite way to really get to know a city. Do you need to be smart and avoid certain parts of a city, especially at night, of course you do. But as long as you’re smart about, you will be fine, even in cities that are known for crime.

Walking the side streets of Paris allowed us to find small shops with various goods that we would have never found otherwise. We discovered restaurants along the way that we would make sure to come back to later and enjoy a fine meal. One of our fondest memories was almost one of the most expensive impulse purchases we’ve ever made. We found an old book store that sold rare books, so we just had to go in and check out the old leather books that adorned their shelves. We spoke with the owners, who showed us a first edition of Don Quixote, which we examined wearing white gloves. We are huge fans of books and we were tempted to purchase the two-volume set, but chose not to blow our daughter’s college fund on such a self-indulgent gift to ourselves.

As the day wore on, we were getting quite hungry as 6:00 p.m. approached. Unfortunately, unlike the United States where you restaurants start getting busy around this time, in Paris restaurants don’t even open their doors until 8:00 p.m., so we couldn’t find a place to eat. We had decided to go back to our hotel to change clothes before going out to dinner, but we found that we were a little bit lost. We found a restaurant that, although not open for business, did have its doors open, so we went in and asked directions. We speak enough French to get by, but apparently didn’t put the correct accent on the street name, so it took several attempts, but finally it clicked and they were able to point us in the right direction.

Our first day in Paris was definitely a long, full day, but walking the streets made us feel like we were locals before the day was over. We fell in love with the city and enjoyed our time there immensely. We probably would have loved Paris just as much had we not been forced to walk around the city, but strolling down the streets certainly made it even more memorable. We often compare it to our trip to London, where we rode on the tube and “popped up” at the different locations, feeling like gophers who popped up, looked around, and then went back underground. We never felt that we got a true sense for the city like we did in Paris, so we’ve been determined to try and walk as much as possible ever since, just so that we see a city the way it is meant to be seen, on foot.

Reykjavik – Friendly People, Charming Old Town

On March 4, 2016March 4, 2016 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Iceland14 Comments

We made Reykjavik our home base while we were in Iceland and it certainly offered everything that we needed. When we visit Iceland again in the future, and we expect that we will, we’ll probably stay in smaller towns in different parts of Iceland, but for our first trip, we’re glad that we were able to spend time in Reykjavik. We hadn’t been in Iceland for a full day before we had already vowed that we’d be returning and that a week was not enough time to see everything that we wanted to see in this beautiful country. From the very first person that we talked to upon our arrival in Reykjavik (not the airport, that was a different story) to the very last person, every interaction was genuinely friendly. The people were as helpful as in any city that we’ve ever visited and we never once worried about crime while we were there.

We drove into Reykjavik before the sun had started to rise, which was about 8:00 a.m. After one wrong turn, we quickly found our hotel and were fortunate enough that our room was available. We had requested an early check-in in advance, but were surprised to find that it was available that early. Additionally, our room included access to the executive lounge where we could get a cooked breakfast until 11:00 a.m. After grabbing a quick bite at the hotel, we walked into Old Town, which was about a fifteen minute walk from the hotel, a walk that we would make about eight or nine times over the course of our visit. Reykjavik has a great bus system that will allow you to get around pretty easily, but we chose to walk so that we could see more of the town as well as get some exercise.

The main street of Old Town, Laugavegur, is lined with shops and restaurants. Towering over it all is Hallgrimskirkja, the largest church in Iceland. You can pay to go to the top of it and apparently on a clear day, something we didn’t have, you can see the Snæfellsjökull glacier, but we got much better views when we drove up to the peninsula. Outside of the church is a statue of Leifur Eiriksson (Leif Erikson) who is the Icelandic explorer that first discovered America. Inside the church, there is an enormous pipe organ that is impressive and beautiful. The church is definitely worth visiting while you’re in Reykjavik.

Street with Church Tower in the Distance

One of the interesting things that we learned is that the people of Iceland are proud of their beliefs in elves and trolls. The most common things to find in stores are the hand-made wool sweaters, stuffed animal puffins, and figurines of elves and trolls. We even bought a plate that has the images of the thirteen Yuletide Lads, who are supposed to be descended from trolls and are boogeymen that are used to scare the children into behaving at Christmastime. Considering their Viking heritage and the harsh environment that they endure, surrounded by volcanos and harsh winters, who can blame them for believing that there might be mythical creatures hidden in the mountains.

Another feature of Reykjavik are the colorful homes and buildings that line the streets. When seen from above, it is a tapestry of color throughout the town and brings some warmth to the cold winter days. Walking through the streets of Old Town down towards the old harbor, you will enjoy seeing a variety of historic buildings, each housing different businesses all owned by locals. You won’t find any chain restaurants or stores in Old Town Reykjavik. You’ll be greeted by the store owners and restaurant owners, all extremely proud of the goods, services, or food that they offer. Take the time to talk to them, they will be happy to tell you the history of their store, of Iceland, or just to chat with you for a few minutes.

We really enjoyed our time in Reykjavik, it is truly a charming little city. The people are incredibly friendly, the shops are filled with interesting goods, and the restaurants are incredible. We also enjoyed the hotel where we stayed, which was the Hilton in Reykjavik. Every evening we enjoyed a couple of glasses of wine in the lounge with other guests, many of whom were from a film production crew. We knew this because they would quietly talk about directors, screenwriters, actors/actresses, all hushed, but loud enough that we couldn’t help but overhear. We never asked them what they were there to film, we knew that Game of Thrones was filmed in Iceland, but after we got home we found out that Star Wars Episode VIII was being filmed there during the same time as our trip, so perhaps that is what they were there to film. Reykjavik was just one of the reasons that we had an incredible trip travelling to Iceland.