Our poor neglected blog........... But I thought it would be ideal to be able to show our family and friends around the world some pictures and put more of a story to them than just posting pictures up on Facebook. Also this means if you get bored with literally hundreds of photographs we have taken, you can just visit the page another time. We have had such a wonderful and sometimes challenging year, it was the cherry on the cake being able to cross the Atlantic for a two week break with our family in the US. To kick things off I have just posted a few pictures of the first three days of holiday, with plenty more to come. I also have some great pics of visits by friends last year, which require a bit more of a background, but they are coming too. SO, without further ado, here are the first lot!
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| We started off the holidays with our favourite meal at Yupas with our great mate Keith. Very handy as Keith lives 20 minutes from Heathrow and so we were able to leave from his place the next morning and only have a short journey to the airport! Plus we got to have a meal at Yupas. I think that was our 15th time, some say madness, I say the best Thai meal you will ever eat outside of being in Thailand! |
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| About 4 hours into the flight with 3 to go I glanced out of the window and noticed the view over New Foundland. The countryside remained white and snowy until just north of New York City. As we were headed for Washington DC an hour south of there, we felt that maybe, just maybe some snow would be had at Christmas. |
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| Sammy very pleased with the view outside the window. We had booked on Virgin Atlantic and taken the extra legroom seats. Only a few pounds more, and worth their weight in gold for me! Not as wide as Premium Economy but heaps cheaper! |
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| This picture was taken in the second lounge at Lee and Roland's home (Lee is Sammy's sister). Roland had collected us from the airport after waiting patiently for us to clear passport control, which took less than five minutes....after waiting in a queue for an hour and a half to have our passports checked! |
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| Sammy and Morgan, our nephew, in the kitchen at Lee's home. It is a nice big kitchen with a centre island and stools so it is where we spend most of our time other than in the lounges when there. Its warm, has lovely smells of all the food Lee was preparing constantly, and is also very close to the single malt Whiskey cabinet which Roland generously gave me a free pass to. I used it frequently! |
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| Morgan and I. That's not a bemused look on my face, that's a mouthful of NikNaks! or at least the equivalent Lee buys at Trader Joes, an American chain that specialises in healthier foods all certified Fair Trade. |
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| The next morning, our first day in DC, Sam and I went into town to explore again as Lee had to work that last Friday before Christmas. You can't really see from the picture but the tunnel down to the Metro in DC, especially in Bethesda is very steep and very long. Much more so than any London underground escalator! |
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| Hard Rock Cafe, we found it again after exploring a few open air markets and shops near the Chinatown district. Last time we were in the US we ate here with Barbara (Sam's mom)! |
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| Sam ordered a salad and veggie spring rolls. In the US, its either huge or sweet or both. Cranberries in Sammy's salad...... |
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| And a huge pulled pork sandwich for me! |
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| Streets in the capital. Looking down towards Capitol Hill |
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| Sammy looking warm in her jacket, which became known as the Purple People Eater |
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| Amazing and very sad to see all the US flags flown at half mast because of the Sandy Hook massacre. Everywhere we went before Christmas was the same. |
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| Walking down the Mall, the temperature dropped from a mild 4 degrees to a bit more balmy 0 degrees. Sammy was prepared though! |
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| Standing in front of one of the many Smithsonian museums, this one contains the star spangled banner (US flag) that inspired the actual national anthem. |
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| It the sculpture garden on the Mall A tree made entirely from shiny stainless steel. |
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| It was cold and we had walked a long way. That is my story and I am sticking to it. Behind me is an open air ice skating rink. We had no time for a skate but it was a very popular venue in the city. |
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| Not everyone in the US is a pro level skater apparently! |
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| Looking up towards Capitol Hill |
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| The National Christmas tree. Each year it is brought in from a different part of the country. This tree had been grown and felled in Colorado and driven 6000 miles zig zagging through the US to 36 different countries before arriving in DC. |
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| Dodgy picture of me, so look past that at the decorations, created by school children across the US. Impressive bit of community building. |
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| We went to visit the national Botanical Gardens right next to Congress. Amazing plant life, including these amazing Poinsettia's. Each year the staff recreate buildings on the Mall using only natural plant materials. They also do a themed room, pictures below. This year the them was fairies and wonderland. The pictures can't do it justice, it was simply incredible! |
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| Close up. Trying to compete with all my photographic buddies. |
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| Model of the actual building we were standing in. Made of twigs and other natural materials. |
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| Model of Capitol Hill |
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| Model of the Smithsonian Castle. |
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| Sam and her sister Lee standing in front of one of the models. |
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| The detail is just amazing. This is inside a tree stump, a fairy home modelled out of twigs and seeds. Brilliant stuff. |
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| Another close up. Not bad for my HTC One X+ (shameless punt for the kit I sell!) |
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| Outside the National Botanical Gardens. |
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| Christmas wonderland! |
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| The tree at Lee's home a few days before Christmas. |
And that's it. Part two is on its way.
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