Just Capitol
Had the opportunity today to check out the brand pre-new Visitor's Center at the U.S. Capitol building, under construction since, oh, 1874. Only 17 cents over budget.
They'd offered the chance to military and retirees to see the center before it opens to the public next month, though it was really just the their opportunity to test-run the admission procedures. Still a bit of a cluster, with some entrances and elevators under construction, confusion over how to handle folks with strollers, etc., but it's a pretty, shiny lobby with tall ceilings and interesting statues.
But that's it. Oh, there's a couple movie theaters, too. Shows some not-very-interesting movie, but we were enjoying the fact that it was Ryan's first. He kept commenting about everything he saw until we told him he should shoosh or whisper.
Erin just nursed and slept.
But then they led us into the Capitol proper, earphones on to hear the guide without her having to shout. Described three rooms and that was it. G'bye. Please check out the restaurant on your way out. I was expecting so much more, more of the history, an expanded area showing how the joint was built, etc. Though we did get to use Nancy Pelosi's personal elevator since the main one wasn't open yet. Spent more time in line outside and in front of the movie theater than we did on the tour. So nothing all that new.
Erin cheered me up that night at dinner: she kept touching a part of her face, then releasing, but not in the usual Tired-So-She-Rubs-Her-Eyes kind of way. Then Ainsley figured it out -- she was playing peekaboo with us! She puts one hand over her right eye and another over her left ear on the "peeka", then we all shout "boo!" when she pulls them off, huge grin. On all four of us.
It's rather contagious.
Erin is also signing "dog" and "duck." I could have sworn she said "up" to me while she was pulling on my jeans and I wasn't paying attention, and Ainsley said she heard her say "Uh-oh."
And so it begins.
They'd offered the chance to military and retirees to see the center before it opens to the public next month, though it was really just the their opportunity to test-run the admission procedures. Still a bit of a cluster, with some entrances and elevators under construction, confusion over how to handle folks with strollers, etc., but it's a pretty, shiny lobby with tall ceilings and interesting statues.
But that's it. Oh, there's a couple movie theaters, too. Shows some not-very-interesting movie, but we were enjoying the fact that it was Ryan's first. He kept commenting about everything he saw until we told him he should shoosh or whisper.
Erin just nursed and slept.
But then they led us into the Capitol proper, earphones on to hear the guide without her having to shout. Described three rooms and that was it. G'bye. Please check out the restaurant on your way out. I was expecting so much more, more of the history, an expanded area showing how the joint was built, etc. Though we did get to use Nancy Pelosi's personal elevator since the main one wasn't open yet. Spent more time in line outside and in front of the movie theater than we did on the tour. So nothing all that new.
Erin cheered me up that night at dinner: she kept touching a part of her face, then releasing, but not in the usual Tired-So-She-Rubs-Her-Eyes kind of way. Then Ainsley figured it out -- she was playing peekaboo with us! She puts one hand over her right eye and another over her left ear on the "peeka", then we all shout "boo!" when she pulls them off, huge grin. On all four of us.
It's rather contagious.
Erin is also signing "dog" and "duck." I could have sworn she said "up" to me while she was pulling on my jeans and I wasn't paying attention, and Ainsley said she heard her say "Uh-oh."
And so it begins.
posted by Dan at 9:53 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home