Trip to D.C. Part 2

I know, I know, I'm just now getting around to part 2!
Unfortunately, the worst thing about the trip was that we were missing Amy and Jessica, both friends from WAY WAY back who weren't able to make the trip. That was a real downer, but as you will read, you will see that Nichole, Christy, and I tried to press on nevertheless and have a good time. ;-)
Nichole's mom works for the FAA and does something with plane crash investigations. I know she used to actually go to the site(s) for actual crash investigation but now, I think, she has more of an administrative job. Anyway, we got to go to the FAA building in downtown D.C. and, after we were strip searched, we were allowed into the building with her for a small tour. It was really interesting. We saw the "round room" which is where a lot of the debriefing takes place...like the "situation room" on The West Wing. We were also able to go into (briefly) a room that I can't remember the name of but is what I would call mission control. It wasn't a huge room but had a lot of rows of desks with computers, phones, etc. and the walls were all lined with t.v. screens with all the major network news shows running. Believe it or not, the FAA often learns of a plane crash by watching t.v.! They said occasionally they get a call from a local police dept. notifying them of a crash but often it's from the news media. One wall had a huge computer screen with a map of the U.S. (and more) and showed all the planes in the air that were, at that moment, reporting some kind of problem. They were all fairly minor problems, like smoke in the cockpit, (no kidding!) etc. but no one in the room seemed concerned about any of them.(?) I seemed to be the only one concerned about them!
We ate lunch at the cafeteria in the new Smithsonian museum honoring American Indians. We didn't actually look at anything IN the museum (no offense to you Native Americans out there) but just made a beeline to the food, naturally. I know, you're thinking cafeteria food, YUM. Well, it was pricey cafeteria food and it was delicious! It had different areas and each area had food from a particular area of Indians...the Pacific Northwest, Southeast, Plains, etc. I won't even describe all of it because I won't do it justice; just trust me, those Indians can make some good grub!
Afterwards we stopped by the Smithsonian Museum of Modern Art. It was really...interesting. Maybe I'm just old, but I just don't "get" modern art. I don't understand how a photograph of a transistor radio sitting in grass can land itself in the Smithsonian. I know you think I'm kidding...but that was an actual picture there. Above, you will see the three of us pondering a more interesting painting.
We also visited the Smithsonian Museum of Normal Art...okay, that's not what it's called but you know what I mean: Da Vinci, Monet, Renoir, etc. It was GREAT! That's one thing I really wanted to do since I always have 3 kids with me and I KNOW they'd never let me stroll through any kind of art museum. Heck, they were bored to death at the ZOO, for crying out loud. The thing that really struck me at the museum (other than the fabulous art) was that you could just walk right up to it! The paintings weren't behind glass or anything. You could get really close and actually see the brush strokes and texture of the paint. I can't believe they let the public do that...I mean, what if I accidentally sneezed on a Monet? What if some weirdo pulled out a razor and just started slashing a painting? They wouldn't get away with it for long, but the damage would already be done! As you can see, I worry about everything. I pictured myself in there with the kids and I'm saying every 3 seconds, "DON'T TOUCH! DON'T TOUCH!" Luckily I didn't have to worry about Nichole and Christy touching the paintings.
We finished out the day with some shopping at a HUGE mall and a fabulous dinner at an Italian restaurant. I'd like to kiss the person who ever thought up the idea of putting restaurants IN the mall. Forget the mall food court, give me the real stuff! So I feel like this day was "all about me" since I really wanted to go to an art museum and a mall without kids. It was a fabulous day!
Stay tuned for the final installment: D.C. trip part 3 and MORE pictures!