| Washington,
DC |
8th Grade Trip
Day 1 - April 15, 2008
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Report |
Tuesday, April 15, 2008 Hale-Ray Middle School, East Haddam, Connecticut – New York – New Jersey – Delaware - Maryland – Washington D.C. Itinerary We got off to a great start this morning. All of buses, 8th graders, and chaperones were packed and ready for travel. Our good natured tour leader, Rob, was all smiles as we loaded the luggage. Dennis put together a little buffet for the kids to hold them over until our first stop in New Jersey. The weather forecast was near perfect as our three-bus caravan headed to DC. We stopped for lunch in Delaware just as we were approaching movie-overload (The Guardian, Pirates of the Caribbean, I Robot, and more.) We arrived a full hour ahead of schedule in DC due to the lack of traffic and open highways. Upon arriving to the city, we toured the FDR monument. This is a wonderful creation of granite walls and waterfalls. The kids spent about 30 minutes enjoying the historic review of the life and times of FDR. With our extra time, we were able to visit the WWII monument. Located at the end of the reflecting pool, this impressive collection of pillars and wreathes dominates the area. We drove around the mall area and went to Union Station for dinner. Union Station is a collection of shops and restaurants that was once home to the largest train station in the country. With the building facing demolition, the city decided to preserve the historic site by creating hundreds of stores and restaurants. At 7:00, we gathered the weary travelers for an evening tour of the DC mall area. Our guide, Tom, provided a detailed description of the area monuments and memorials. With 65 degrees temperature and clear skies, the illuminated tour was memorable. The Korean and Vietnam memorials have a unique feel with the dim lighting. We arrived at the hotel by 10:00 ...not a moment too soon for our exhausted kids. The wake-up call is 6:00am. |