Yesterday was a very sad day, it was time to leave Curtis and Marlene to continue on our trip. We've been having a great time with great people and Mom is still grinning from ear to ear when she thinks about the crabbing adventure.

Some day we have to go back .................right Mom?

Today we're in the United States Capitol and even if Mom has been here twice before there's a lot to see. Unfortunately, a lot of things were closed off because of Covid and a sad event happened in January...........

We started at the Capitol which we were told they will open for visitors again soon

The United States Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress and the seat of the legislative branch of the U.S federal government. It is located on Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall.

parking is not so easy around here nowhere is it free and Mom was quite proud when she managed to download an app to pay for parking, $3 an hour with her phone, then add an alarm in time to refill money to avoid a parking ticket. 

You CAN teach old dogs new tricks.................

Second, we went to the Arlington memorial and the tomb of the unknown soldier

The Tomb of the unknown Soldier stands on top of a hill overlooking Washington, D.C., the tomb is made from Yule marble quarried in Colorado. It consists of seven pieces, with a total weight of 79 short tons (72 metric tons). The tomb was completed and opened to the public on April 9, 1932, at a cost of $48,000.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has been perpetually guarded since July 2, 1937, by the U.S Army. The 3rd USInfantry Regiment ("The Old Guard") began guarding the Tomb on April 6, 1948. There is a meticulous routine that the guard follows when watching over the graves. The Tomb Guard:

1. Marches 21 steps southward down the black mat behind the Tomb
2. Turns left, facing east for 21 seconds
3. Turns left, facing north for 21 seconds
4. Takes 21 steps down the mat
5. Repeats the routine until the soldier is relieved of duty at the changing of the guard 
   

There was a sign telling you to show respect be quiet and not to chew gum.

Other unknown servicemen were later placed in crypts there, and it also became known as the Tomb of the Unknowns, though it has never been officially named. The soldiers entombed there are:

                  Unknown Soldier of WW1 entombed November 11, 1921; President WarrenG Harding presided

• Unknown Soldier of WW2 interred May 30, 1958; President D Eisenhower presided
• Unknown Soldier of the Korean war also interred May 30, 1958; President Dwight Eisenhower presided again, Vice President Richard Nixon acted as next of kin
• Unknown Soldier of the Vietnam war interred May 28, 1984; President Regan presided. The remains of the Vietnam Unknown were disinterred, under the authority of President Clinton on May 14, 1998, and were identified as those of Air Force 1st Lt. Michael J Blassie whose family had them reinterred near their home in St.Louis Missouri. It has been determined that the crypt at the Tomb of the Unknowns that contained the remains of the Vietnam Unknown will remain empty.

Steep hills 95F (35C) and a lot of walking and stairs exhausted Mom but like a good trooper she kept on pushing my stroller. England premier minister Boris Johnson was visiting so they were shooting canons. We heard it but didn't make it up the hill in time. 

They were putting away the canon and it looked like they were struggling so despite Mom being tired she offered them help (like the good person she is)

They politely declined but they also got a good laugh. HA they don't know what Mom is capable off  

( a few bacon strips should be coming my way after that comment,)

After this Mom needed a shower real bad and we started to look for a place to stay that didn't cost an arm and a leg and allow dogs that should also be within walking distance. We found the cutest place called Hive hotel with a small room in the basement???? that didn't sound good but they had a shower. What a great surprise, the room is tiny but clean and had everything we needed.

This hotel was really close to the Lincoln memorial so after a shower, we were off walking again. Her Garmin watch showed we walked 8.6miles this day (13km)

The Lincoln Memorial is a US national memorial built to honor the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln.

The building is in the form of a Greek temple and contains a large seated sculpture of Abraham Lincoln and inscriptions of two well-known speeches by Lincoln, The Gettysburg Address and his second inaugural address. The memorial has been the site of many famous speeches, including MLK jr's "I have a dream" speech, delivered on August 28, 1963, during the rally at the end of the march on Washington for Jobs and Freedom 

Along the top of the memorial is an intertwining rope of laurel to represent unity – the major theme of the memorial There are 58 steps leading up to the top, 2 for the number of terms he served as President, and 56 for his age when he was assassinated lucky for us there was an elevator.

Lincolns view is incredible so I'm sure he's quite pleased where he's sitting keeping an eye on the capitol and Washington monument

The exterior of the Memorial echoes a classic Greek temple and features Yule marble quarried from Colorado. The structure measures 189.7 by 118.5 feet (57.8 by 36.1 m) and is 99 feet (30 m) tall. It is surrounded by a peristyle of 36 fluted Doric columns, one for each of the 36 states in the Union at the time of Lincoln's death, and two columns in-antis in the entrance behind the colonnade. The columns stand 44 feet (13 m) tall with a base diameter of 7.5 feet (2.3 m). Each column is built from 12 drums including the capital The columns, like the exterior walls and facades, are inclined slightly toward the building's interior. This is to compensate for perspective distortions that would otherwise make the memorial appear to bulge out at the top when compared with the bottom, a common feature of  Ancient Greek architecture.

From here we walked to the Vietnam wall 
The wall originally listed 57,939 names when it was dedicated in 1982; however other names have since been added and as of May 2018 there were 58,320 names, including eight women. The number of names on the wall is different than the official number of U.S Vietnam War deaths, which is 58,220 as of May 2018. The names inscribed are not a complete list of those who are eligible for inclusion as some names were omitted at the request of families

A short distance away from the wall is another Vietnam veterans memorial, a bronze statue named The three servicemen. The statue depicts three soldiers, purposefully identifiable as European American, African American, and Hispanic American. In their final arrangement, the statue and the Wall appear to interact with each other, with the soldiers looking on in solemn tribute at the names of their fallen comrades. The distance between the two allows them to interact while minimizing the effect of the addition on Lin's design

A street performer played sad tunes nearby

The Washington Monument can be seen almost everywhere you walk, it is an obelisk built to commemorate, George Washington once commander-in-chief of the Continental Army (1775–1784) in the American Revolutionary War and the first President of the USA (1789–1797).

The monument, made of marble, granite, and bluestone gneiss is both the world's tallest predominantly stone structure and the world's tallest obelisk, standing 554 feet 7+11⁄32 inches (169.046 m) tall. It is the tallest monumental column in the world if all are measured above their pedestrian entrances. Overtaking the Cologne Cathedral it was the tallest structure in the world between 1884 and 1889, after which it was overtaken by the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

This is a memorial dedicated to Americans who served in the armed forces and as civilians during  Worl War2

Consisting of 56 pillars, representing U.S states and territories, and a pair of small triumphal arches for the Atlantic and Pacific theaters, surrounding an oval plaza and fountain.

Opened on April 29, 2004, it was dedicated by President George W Bush on May 29, 2004 More the an 4.6 million people visited the memorial in 2018.

this is how most people got around and we could have too if it wasn't for not leaving a spot for me, but I told Mom we should have brought my backpack .............should have could have blablabla

it's getting dark and Mom is beat but we can't leave before we walked by the White House to see if Joe and Jill is home

There was no way of getting close to it. Because of recent violence, there are guards and fences keeping you far far away. As matter of fact, they recently built a much higher fence around it.

This is a National Historic Landmark building which is the headquarters of the United States Department of the Treasury An image of the Treasury Building is featured on the back of the 10$bill.

We saw a big rat scurrying by this place, Mom was wondering if there may be a few of them inside too?

The Red Cross National Headquarters built between 1915 and 1917, it serves both as a memorial to women who served in the American Civil War and as the headquarters building for the Red CrossIt was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1965

oh, I forgot to tell you we went to the National Gallery of Art too but it was closed due to covid but we did walk around in the sculpture garden.

This silver tree was both our favorites

A rabbit? a donkey? a horse?   That's up to the viewer's imagination 

There's so much more to see here, but cities are so tiring so after another large coffee (for Mom) and the promised cookies for me we'll be getting back on the road again. to where ???? not a clue, but I'll let you know

OOoops I think Moms senior moments are rubbing off on me...............what a horrific thought 

Anyway, before we got to the town for my surprise we stopped in Norfolk Virginia to look at a naval ship.

Wisconsin was last decommissioned in September 1991 after a total of 14 years of active service in the fleet, and having earned a total of six battle stars for service in World War II and Korea, as well as a Navy Unit Commendation for service during the January/February 1991 Gulf War.

the USS Wisconsin BB-64 was the last authorized of the four mighty Iowa-class battleships, the largest American dreadnoughts ever built. Wisconsin, or “Big Wisky” as it was affectionately nicknamed, enjoyed a service life that spanned six decades and three conflicts. Entering service just as the supremacy of battleships was giving way to aircraft carriers, the heavy guns of the four Iowa-class vessels were still unmatched when it came to naval firepower. BB-64 could hurl shells over the horizon at enemy ships, but also at targets far inland — a duty it performed right up to Operation Desert Storm Long since decommissioned, this great piece of American maritime history was not destined for the scrap yard. Resurrected by the City of Norfolk and the USS Wisconsin Foundation, it has become a museum ship and navy heritage site that continues the legacy of duty, honor, and country that was the calling card of Wisconsin's crew, and to inspire future generations of Americans. 

Mom decided that maybe it wasn't the greatest idea to take the tour inside since we were told there was many steep stairs where I had to be carried and Mom says I'm too heavy for that.

I appreciated that desicion because instead we went for a walk in a nearby park

we met a police officer with his dog, we thought they looked very much alike.

The Norfolkians have a lot of cool ways to get around, I noticed Moms interest and had to point out there was no place for me.

this could have worked though

some statues we liked in the park 

After a few hours in the park were on our way to Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel

Hopefully We're caught up with stories for now.

Tomorrow we're on our way for new adventures

All is well 

Again Mom has been too busy to help me out here, as a matter of fact, she actually left me for an entire day but now I'm getting ahead of myself. 

The surprise ...............I couldn't believe it. we pulled up in front of this house 

and there was my best buddy from home? Curtis was in the garage and I greeted him with as many kisses as I could

and then ran in to see Marlene and kiss her all over, mostly her tasty ears

Here we are at a restaurant waiting to have chicken and dumplings. Mom said she would never order that again but I thought they were good

The following day their daughter Jennifer drove us around to do some sightseeing. I really like her a lot and she let me ride in her lap, which is a no no according to Mom 

 

There's a lot of old gorgeous houses in Dover, not that I care but Mom likes it a lot

Jennifer introduced us to Miles the Monster at the Dover International Speedway. The track was constructed in 1969 and has hosted NASCAR, USAC, and IndyCar races. From 2007 through 2009 the speedway received an upgrade —  during the makeover, a 46-foot fiberglass creature was built outside the racetrack and named Miles the Monster. 

In 2012, Miles the Monster launched a failed run for President of the United States with the campaign slogan “Concrete Change in 2012.” He ran without the backing of a political party

Mom spotted a shop in town that displayed the flag from her puppy country but she's NOT doing any shopping on this trip .................

Jennifer also showed us a great house which is owned by a friend of hers and here I had to stay in the car with Curtis

because there were several chickens running around all over.

after this stop, she took us to Delaware bay where we walked up to a tower for a great view.

Look at these giant tracks, I do not wish to meet the animal that left them. I believe it was a monster, maybe Miles has been here?

whoever left those prints scared  some human so badly he ran away from his shoes

In the evening we were invited to Jen and Shelbys home for an amazing supper. Mom loved it but there was a giant there with a terrifying voice so I spent most of the evening in Curtis's lap. This is the rear end of him.

As the evening progressed Mom overheard something about fishing and she immediately asked if she could come along and was told ok if she can get up at 3AM.....................sure but for what I heard I weren't included? 

What's up with that? huh? 

I did feel pretty sorry for myself when Mom left but settled quickly in Curtis's lap.

Here's a picture of the beginning of the fishing trip

They weren't really fishing they were crabbing and when I saw the pictures of those evil crabs' sharp claws I'm glad I stayed home.

They had a long line where they attached clams in little bags as bait and the guys were taking turns scoping them up as someone driving the boat between the buoys          

Mom also got to try and she did catch one crab, but also undid the line so the captain of the boat had to start over from the beginning. 

she said it was heavy so the rest of the trip she just measured and packed the crabs in bushels. At the end they had 1,5 bushels full.

In the evening we were all invited to Melvin and Brenda's house for a feast. The house and the garden made Mom green of jealousy 

Here I met this lady Amber that couldn't stop kissing me and I certainly didn't mind at all. It turned out she was the owner of that big house where the chicken was running around.

Melvin had cooked those crabs and also made the most amazing french fries. I didn't get to taste any of those ugly things but the fries were great as Mom said.

Look at the table manners of these people? what a mess? and they're hammering and sucking and OMG it was almost embarrassing but it seemed normal for the humans?

I'm finally caught up on my story and tomorrow we'll be leaving all these wonderful people to continue our trip

not sure where to yet, and from experience I know it's no use to ask because Mom keeps changing it all the time.

All is good 

continuing from yesterday.

I think Mom made a mistake yesterday because we were still in North Carolina when we headed towards the ocean and a place called Outer Banks. 

we passed a lot of small villages and fishing seems to be the biggest past time

driving north on this narrow string of land there was wall to wall T-shirt shops, souvenir shops, and restaurants. I started to wonder why we are here? Mom doesn't like this kind of place, and we have plenty of beaches where we live?

Soon I found out why

In a town  called Kitty Hawk it was time for me to start working

some very interesting history took place here that Mom really wanted to visit, and since it's too hot for me to stay in the car, I have to wear this vest and watch Mom every step so she doesn't fall down

On December 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright made four brief flights at Kitty Hawk with their first powered aircraft. They had invented the first successful airplane.

Wilbur and Orville set to work trying to figure out how to design wings for flight. They observed that birds angled their wings for balance and control, and tried to emulate this, developing a concept called “wing warping.” When they added a moveable rudder, the Wright brothers found they had the magic formula-on December 17, 1903, they succeeded in flying the first free, controlled flight of a power-driven, heavier than airplane. Wilbur flew their plane for 59 seconds, over a distance of 852 feet, an extraordinary achievement

this cute little girl wanted to pose for a picture so why not?

The monument was located on top of the hill where they launched their plane and despite the heat, we decided we just had to get up there if for nothing else but a photo opportunity.

Obviously, this monument was erected to honor me..............ha in your dreams Mom says

after this stop, we continued north and got off the reef and I'm still waiting for my surprise when Mom all of a sudden makes a U-turn I sat up and looked excitingly maybe it's coming now? A diner??? am I getting my own chef?

Nope, the place was closed but according to Mom, this is a nostalgic big time. OK I take her word for it

Yet another U-turn( how come all the interesting stuff is on the other side of the road?

Nostalgy again I ask? 

Yes Mom saw this Grave Digger monster truck in action many years ago in New York

I had to admit they were pretty cool looking but neither Mom nor I do understand much about all this stuff inside 

If you wanted to you can ride in a bus monster, but we didn't bother but I was happy to try a smaller version

there were     some strange animals there too

Was this my surprise? nope not yet..............

finally, something that caught Mom's eye on the "right" side of the road. I stayed in the car for this one.

why is a rusty shrimp and troll interesting?  art says Mom....

The next stop is Norfolk but I will tell you all about that place tomorrow because I have to get out and take a leak.

I have already gotten my surprise and it was AWESOME I'll tell you tomorrow

So here we are again, this is day four of our trip and Mom has not helped me tell my story until now but to her defense, she has been driving a lot. We left on Monday and the first day we drove 506miles (ca800km) because she said we had already seen everything and wanted to get away from the upcoming bad storm 

state road 95 is pretty boring but it is the fastest way to go. First state after Florida is Georgia 

next is South Carolina where we made a quick rest stop at the welcome center

On the border to North Carolina is a tourist trap called South of the border, and Mom thought it'll be a good place to camp out the first night. Unfortunately, the campsite only allowed big RVs and no tent or little SUVs.......... What's up with that?

Mom remembers stopping here the first time she drove to Florida in the eighties and that time there were so many activities shops and lots of people. The only way to describe this place now is by saying dump dump dump

we walked around and took a few pictures before we went back on 95 continuing a few more miles until we found a good place to sleep which ended up being at a hotel parking lot. Not ideal but it was getting late and Mom hates driving in the dark.

24-hour Hot Tamales ??? Mom thought it was a place with light-dressed ladies dancing but that was wrong. It's a Mexican dish made from corn..........haha

we woke up early and continued North on 95 through the next state which is Virginia

somewhere in the middle of the state, Mom decided she had enough of 95 and got off an exit to head towards the Atlantic ocean. I asked if she had any particular place in mind, but I think she just wanted a change of pace.

The second night we slept at a church parking and there was a big field for me to run but was cut short when Mom saw a deer family gracing. It's super cozy in our little home

we are a little further on the road than this, but this is all for now. Mom said there's a great surprise for me in a day or two??? I can't wait