What a DAY.
I will never regret our decision to bring the family to our nation's Capital this week, but I am so disappointed in the events of our day today.
Breakfast was a repeat of yesterday, with dozens of families competing for microwave privileges and a handful of open seats. Two little girls trying to find the spoons were falsely accused of cutting in the microwave line by a crabby old man with a sharp NY accent -- basically, civility was sorely lacking in the entire affair.
Today's itinerary was to consist primarily of several hours at the National Air and Space Museum. The Mister's ten-year naval aviation career, combined with his affinity for science and science fiction, made this a "must-see" destination on our HC tour.
Sadly, it was also apparently a must-see for approximately a quarter-million other people. It was miserably crowded to the point of unpleasantness, with ceaseless jostling and elbowing and shoving. Nobody in the building knew how to walk in a straight line; scores of poorly-supervised field trip students ran rampant throughout the entire museum; and the phrases "excuse me", "thank you" and "you're welcome" were all left outside on the front steps next to the pretzel vendor.
Now, I will be the first to admit that our children aren't angels, and that the Mister and I are not always the most courteous people in a crowd, but doggone it, we try. I felt my own composure crumbling with every exhibit we tried to see; although we stood patiently in line to see each item (moonrocks and newspaper clippings and space memorabilia, etc.), there was inevitably some yahoo that would shove his family in front of the Girl and push us out of the way.
I get that it's Spring Break and that families from around the globe have also chosen this week to visit Washington and that my family is just one of thousands who have the privilege of being here. I'm not so naive that I expected it to be quiet and empty and just waiting for the four of us to enjoy all the city has to offer. But I guess it was a tad unrealistic to assume that the throngs would be reasonably well-mannered and respectful to each other.
Knowing my own temperament and that of The Mister, we knew that things would only deteriorate as the crowds continued to increase, so we gave up at Air and Space around 1 p.m. and went to look for lunch. We ended up at Carmine's on 7th where we enjoyed pasta and salad and each other's company.
One of the best things about our little family is that we are averse to rigorous scheduling; it's good to have a plan, but it's also OK if the plan falls apart. We were worn out from museum combat, so after lunch we meandered around and back to the hotel for a nap. (A nap! I actually took a nap! On a weekday! And I didn't feel one bit guilty! Ok, well maybe just a little bit...but not much.)
After our rest, we went back out to see the National Portrait Gallery and the Museum of American Art. We saw so many beautiful pieces, it would be hard to choose which was my favorite...but again I found myself leaning towards things political in nature. The presidential portraits were magnificent, with an entire section dedicated to Ronald Reagan and including some of his doodles on White House stationery. Turns out he was quite an artist himself. Portraits of war heroes from across the centuries were also amazing - I was happy to meet Admiral Farragut up close and personal.
Unfortunately, I again allowed strangers to spoil my enjoyment...beginning with the rabid and hyper-empowered security personnel in the portrait gallery. A particularly hostile woman with an earpiece told me to stop my son from leaning on the plexiglas display cases, gesturing towards some kid that wasn't mine. The kid pointed at his own mother across the room, and the security woman went over to chastise her for neglecting her duty.
A few minutes later, though, it was my son who was closely inspecting a portrait - not touching it, but certainly peering at it closely. Another security guard barked at the Boy to step back at least one foot away from the painting. I felt bad for my boy at that point - he really was trying to engage with the notion that art is something you can experience and not just look at.
Some time later, the Boy and the Girl were sitting on a cushion in an upstairs hallway while the Mister and I perused one of the adjacent galleries. Another member of the museum militia snapped at the Boy for reclining on the cushion, telling him to sit up straight. Really? He wasn't hurting anything, he wasn't touching a display and honestly it wasn't a particularly nice cushion.
So...our last full day in DC has been something of a bust, but we remain happy to be together and even happier to be leaving tomorrow. I don't remember it being this way on my numerous prior pilgrimages; yes, it's been crowded and yes I'm easily frustrated...but there is a new tension and unpleasantness in the air here that I just want to leave behind.
The Mister and the Boy will head down to the International Spy Museum first thing in the morning while the Girl and I pack up our belongings and prepare to depart. Around midday, we will drive down to Williamsburg to spend the next few days learning more about colonial life. I don't anticipate that it will be particularly calm and quiet there either, but hopefully there will be a greater degree of common courtesy and general respect.
Or I am going to have to kick SOMEBODY'S butt. Not sure whose butt it will be just yet, but woe to the next person who shoves my daughter out of the way or chastises my son for being thirteen. Heaven help them.
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