We began our journey in the wee hours of Sunday morning when we arrived at the Portland Jetport at 5:00 AM. Before leaving in the snowy darkness, some of our staff members were interviewed by the Channel 8 News Team. We also ran into our state’s governor, Mr. John Baldacci, who was kind enough to meet each of us, take our questions, and pose for pictures. After a short delay to de-ice the plane, the 13 of us departed from the Jetport at 7 AM and arrived at Baltimore/Washington International Airport around 9 AM. Then after another short wait for our traveling companions, a group of 21 students from Orlando, Florida. After they arrived, we went out for a quick bite to eat before heading to Arlington Cemetery.
At the cemetery, we went on a tour of the cemetery and saw several famous sights such as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the sail mast from the U.S.S. Maine, the ship that caused the start of the Spanish American War. One part of the tour that touched home for our group was finding writer Stephen Murphy’s great-grandfather’s gravesite. He was a general in WWII and it was treat to go and find his resting place. Following Arlington, we went to the Iwo Jima monument commemorating the six soldiers who hoisted the American Flag at the battle of Iwo Jima during WWII.We ate dinner around 5 at the Pentagon Mall before our nighttime excursion through D.C. monuments. During the nighttime tour we visited such monuments as the WWII memorial, Korean War Memorial, and the Washington Monument. We also visited the Lincoln Memorial and the Reflection Pool, sort of. As you may have heard earlier in the day there was a massive inauguration concert on the steps of the Lincoln with such stars as Bruce Springsteen, Bono, Beyonce, Tiger Woods, Denzel Washington, and many other stars. Unfourtunately we were unable to see the concert, but we did get to see the remnants of post concert trash and barriers that barred us from the memorial itself. Still, getting to see the monuments themselves was quite an experience and so far the trip has been a huge success.
Coming up tomorrow, we plan on visiting the Smithsonian museums and then we’ll attend a dinner and Inaugural Ball at a function space called Camelot.
-Eliot Douin
Hello to Eliot and the group, What an interesting blog for the trip of a lifetime -- starting with meeting the governor. I hope the rest of your trip is as successful. Mrs. Turrell
ReplyDeleteHey Eliot-
ReplyDeleteWas wondering if you got out of Portland early yesterday. You beat the BIG stuff 16+ inches.Have been checking in from time to time on the BEHS site. How exciting for you guys! Would love for one or two of you guys to come talk to the Scots' Express staff about your trip and 'reporting' when you return. Stay cool- Mr. N- aka Birdman
Hey El,
ReplyDeleteNice job, hope your enjoying the trip. Oh, by the way if you happen to run into Al Gore tell him we would've like to have had him up here in northern Maine over the week end. We could have rolled him in the snow then sat him on a snow bank and discuss global warming, 45 to 50 below zero up here!! Have fun stay warm and enjoy the rest of your trip.