Cool Things to do in DC #1-4

When Michelle and I were getting ready to move to DC, we thought about all the things that there are to do in this huge and diverse city. Michelle and I both lived in DC for 4 months while we were interns on Capitol Hill back in 2007 so we had a good idea of what it is like to live here and all of the things there are to do. DC is like other big cities (philadelphia, NYC, etc) in some ways but really I feel it is a lot different. One of the biggest differences in comparing DC to other big cities is that there is so much to do in DC that is FREE! Really there is no reason for anyone to ever be bored here. There are more museums, monuments, concerts (of all types of music), plays, performances, political events, tours, sporting events (DC has pro teams for all the sports...sometimes multiple teams, ie-the orioles and Nats or the redskins and the ravens) and parks then you could ever possibly visit really in any amount of time. The reason why a lot of the stuff to do here is free (like the zoo, most museums, the Smithsonians, etc) is because they are funded by you and me, the taxpayer. Michelle and I know our time here in DC is probably somewhat limited to just a couple of years and after that we may not live here again so we have decided to make the very most of our time and try and do and see as much as humanly possible while we are living here. Having said that, we want to make a list of all the cool things there are to do in DC that are unique to this area. Today I will share the first four things we have done in the city that are unique to here. Hopefully by the end of our two years here it will be a very long list.

Cool thing #1: Washington DC Temple
We went with our good friends the Kachers to the Temple here in DC our very first night after moving here. It is a breathtakingly gorgeous temple. They refer to it on the radio here as "The Mormon Temple" when they are describing traffic and stuff like that on the freeways because you can see the beautiful temple when you are driving on the freeway. It literally takes your breath away when you see it. This was my first time getting to go inside.


Cool thing #2: Arlington National Cemetery
Michelle's parents and sister were here a couple weeks ago and I thought they should see the Arlington National Cemetery. It doesn't sound like it would be an exciting tourist type of place but it is really amazing. It is really a scared place I feel. Thousands and thousands of soldiers are buried there from all different wars throughout the US's history. JFK and his family are there too. It is quite a sight to see all the graves perfectly lined up for as far as the eye can see. The highlight without a doubt though is the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier. It is a powerful thing to watch.




Cool thing #3: The Washington Nationals games
DC has its own MLB team: the Nationals. They are by far the worst team (according to their record anyway) in the country but it is still whole lot of fun to go to their games. Because they are so bad and demand for their tickets is so low, you can actually get into the game for $5. That is remarkably cheap. I paid like $40 or something to go to a Red Sox game in Boston earlier this year just to give you a comparison. The Nationals games have a great atmosphere and it really is a lot of fun just to be there.





Cool Thing #4: George Washington Masonic Temple
Michelle and I recently visited the George Washington Masonic Temple. We came here before when we used to live here but we wanted to come visit again because we found it very fascinating. The tour guide is very informative and answers any question you have. He said that he wanted to dispell any and all rumors out there because he knows Dan Brown has a new book coming out this week that will have a lot to do with the Masons. It is really interesting to hear about the role Free Masonry had in our Founding Fathers' lives and the values that the organization promotes. As the name of the museum denotes, it is mostly focused on George Washington and his life as a Mason leader. There are lots of cool paintings and artifacts from his life.