I made it to DC safe and sound last night. I’m a bit of a nervous flier these days. About 3 years ago, I had a rather scary flying experience. I was on a tiny American Eagle prop plane from Monterey, CA to LAX and apparently we got into something they call jet vortices or wake turbulence. Scary stuff (I posted the Wikipedia link just so you’ll believe me that it was indeed a serious situation)! It was so bad that everyone on the plane screamed (or cursed), women reached for their children, and the flight attendant looked terrified. That’s how I judge the severity of any scare on an airplane – the expression on the flight attendant’s face – I found no comfort in what I saw. When we landed, I swear the pilot was shaking his head and wiping sweat off his brow. I didn’t know whether to thank him for saving my life or yell at him for almost killing me. I’ve also recently experienced an aborted take-off on a small charter plane (the runway was covered in ice – go figure) but somehow that didn’t affect me nearly as badly. I get a little better every time I fly but I’m still nervous. My sweet mom gave me an image I focus on that helps. She always pictures God’s hand carrying the plane along and gently setting it on the ground. It really is all in his hands, after all.
Anyways, on to the subject at hand – the Cherry Blossoms. They really are beautiful! The weather however is not so beautiful – 50 and misting – but I made the trek to see the flowers and take some pictures anyways.
I also spent some time at the WWII memorial. I wanted to take some pictures for my Granddad (the youngest 88-year old I know 
) since he has never seen the memorial and it is in his honor, after all.
I finished up my sightseeing in Georgetown. I had dinner at a little place called Martin’s Tavern. They sat me in this strange little half-booth. It was only after I finished my dinner (delicious crab cakes) I noticed a piece of paper on the table that said JFK used to have Sunday brunch and read the paper after Mass – at the very table I was sitting at – when he was a Senator. Not only that, but two booths behind me was where he proposed to Jackie. How cool is that?!
I get home late tomorrow night and Wednesday we head out very early to KC for fingerprinting! It promises to be an exhausting but exciting week!
Filed under: Photography, Travel | Tagged: Cherry Blossoms, DC, Travel, Washington
Your pictures of the Cherry Blossoms are beautiful! This is my second spring in DC, and I’ve yet to see them!
Welcome to my world! We have beautiful cherry blossoms but its always rainy and no warmer than 50 degrees…but at least we have the blossoms.
-s
Ahhh! This is what I wanted to see in DC but we left a month too early! Darn. Looks beautiful. I had to be there when it was freezing. Both my parents and my husband have been caught in wake turbulence (different flights). It sounds terrifying. Nothing bothers my husband b/c he flies so often and so he said he was calm, but there were lots of people on the flight screaming. I hate to fly as it is and if this ever happens to me, I’m not sure I’ll be okay! Glad everything went well this time!
The WWII memorial just made me cry as I thought of my grandparents. It is a touching place. I didn’t get to see the cherry blossoms when I was in DC last year though, very sad.
it does sound like a terrifying experience with the plane and all– I don’t think I could be quite as brave as you to fly again. yikes!!
A friend of mine from Michigan just e-mailed me her flight schedule to Ethiopia to pick up their new little boy!! They leave tomorrow. I thought of you in the beginning stages and her in the end…. It’s neat to watch God unfold people’s dreams and desires to adopt at different stages in the process.
Are you coming home to visit your mom this weekend? She talked about her kids coming to see her this weekend at BSF this morning. She was sooooooo excited!
Take Care!