{monday}
with all of the family, we went to Ellis Island and Liberty Island. We went from the New Jersey side of New York Harbor because it is SO much nicer and less crowded. The place with the tickets used to be an old train station, and it was really pretty!
Our ferry- her name was Miss Freedom.
We had the best view of New York Harbor. That's Staten Island o'er there.
New York City
And there's Ellis Island. The buildings were incredible.
They had really great luggage. Haha.
Here's the main all that you always see in the pictures of Ellis Island. It used to be filled with rows and rows of benches. I learned a ton about Ellis Island- I always thought that it was a horrible place, but in reality it was not. Hardly any people got sent back to their countries. The interesting thing is that people were just terrified of the authorities on Ellis Island because all they had ever known were oppressive and scary leaders. All they had known is that when one of their family members was taken away from them, they weren't coming back. They never realized that at Ellis Island, things were different.
Jaycee stood up all by herself! This was very exciting for us.
The gift shop had things from all different countries that people came on, so we got Venetian Masks!
We got back on the Ferry and headed toward Liberty Island. The statue was closed for renovations, and we couldn't go up in it, so we decided to stay in the Ferry that took us all around the Island since all of us were driving home/towards our other destinations and we didn't want to get there very late.
Lady Liberty. Isn't she beautiful. To the immigrants, she meant hope. When they saw her, they knew they had made it to a place where they could be free and achieve their hopes and dreams. I went way too camera happy, so I tried to limit it down to just a few. :)
On the ferry
After Ellis Island and Liberty Island, we said goodbye to our Grandma, Aunts, and Cousins and drove 5 hours to our hotel in Maryland.
{tuesday}
our hotel was in Columbia, Maryland, which is actaully where my mom and her family moved when she was 17! We went and saw her old house
the Washington D.C. temple! It's where my parents got married!
we arrived in Washington D.C. (which also has horrible parking, by the way)
we did find a parking garage under a whole bunch of buildings. while going through the building to get out, we saw a piece of the Berlin Wall. It was really cool. The graffiti art was pretty sweet.
D.C. is one of the most beautiful cities I have visited. It's super clean, which is always a plus and the buildings all look like they go together. They are beautiful!
We first went to the Holocaust Museum, but you have to be 12 to go into the main exhibits and my little sisters are 9 & 11. They did have a portion of the museum for kids (but let's be honest is any part of this museum really ok for kids to see?? I don't know...). It took you through the story of a boy named David. He isn't a real person, but his story is a lot like that of many of the other Jewish children. We went through his house, his town, the ghetto, and eventually the Concentration camp. It was very very well done. We then saw another exhibit about Nazi Propaganda. It's pretty scary stuff becuase you realize the amount of influence that words have over people. They had quotes from Hitler on the wall, and it was pretty obvious that he knew exactly what he was doing. I do wish we could have gone through the rest of the museum, but my mom and brother and I went a couple years ago and there was much more to see!
We went to the National Archives and saw the Magna Carta from 1512! and, of course the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, and Constitution of the United States. It was amazing to look at them and read parts of what they say from the original documents. Unfortuneately you couldn't take picures, which crushed my dream taht National Treasure could have been real. Sad day.
We went to the Smithsonian of American History. Definitely one of my favorites!
We found the original Superman suit!
the original Muppets Cast. Love this!
oh and the blue guy with his arm on Kermit's name is "Harry the Hipster." Not even joking.
Dorothy's red shoes!
The sandstone from the LDS Nauvoo Temple
We then got to see the American Flag that was hanging at Fort McHenry when Francis Scott Key wrote the "Star-Spangled Banner." It was huge and incredible. We couldn't take pictures because it is very old and very worn out and very fragile. But let me say, it was definitely and experience that gave me chills. It's amazing how much history one place can hold.
Now for my favorite part. WE SAW THE FIRST LADIES' DRESSES! Yes, I took pictures of all of them. Yes I was a little giddy. Yes the pictures are bad because they have a glare because all teh dresses are behind glass. But here are my ablsolute favorites!
but my very very favorite was Michelle Obama's inaugural ball dress. It is seriously to die for. I almost stole it, but my family restrained me. And can I just say, holy diamonds batman!
After the Smithsonian, we went to the National Bureau of Engraving where they make money! I literally saw a million dollars in cash! but we couldn't take pictures of that either, for unfortunate, but obvious reasons.
It was quite a long day, but incredible and fun nonetheless.
we were pooped.
only one more part left!!! our last day in D.C. coming soon!
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