THE STORY OF THIS DREAM TRIP

This blog is a reprint of my internet journal from 2001 to 2002 in which I documented my "vagabond" solo journey in a Chevy Conversion Van tracing my roots. I not only traced their paths and found their homes and final resting places, but I did extensive genealogical research in court houses, libraries, historical societies, genealogical societies, cemeteries, and talked to the local people. I traveled with a laptop to upload my notes and photos, and use e-mail. It was a fantastic journey which lasted two years. I had no other home except my van to sleep in...just a bed and video player. My household goods were put into storage for two years. My mail was delivered to me at general delivery when I phoned "MailBox, etc." and told them where to send it. At night I stayed in campgrounds, motels, friends' backyards, friends' homes, and those of the few living relations I've tracked down. As I traveled I collected so much genealogy information, that I had to get rid of items that I had originally thought essential to my travels (like a microwave oven). Between ancestral sites, I visited any tourist sites I could find and got to know alot about the USA. This was a trip of a lifetime and I'm still sorting through all the wonderful memories, photos and invaluable genealogical data I found. I will post to this blog as I can - one or a few days at a time of that journey from 2001 to 2002

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

12 May 2001 Saturday Silver Springs, Maryland - Wash DC

--continuing on my ancestor tracking with a day for sight seeing in Washington DC--

I slept like a rock, and rose bright and early. Given directions to the Post Office I arrived there 20 minutes before opening, and the line was already long. While waiting, we heard brakes and a crash. A car had rear-ended a stopped bus at the bus stop. Soon Police, Fire Engine, and Paramedics arrived. The girl driver was apparently not hurt too badly, but the entire front end of the car was crunched underneath the City Bus. Seems to be a fairly exciting place around here.

I picked up a ticket that Hawaii Senator Inouye’s office mailed to me to tour the Capitol, White House and Kennedy Center next week. I’m looking forward to that.

Bev and I then headed out to the Wheaton Metro Station and took the Metro into Dupont Circle to participate in the $35 "Tour of Embassies." It was a fund-raiser but what an interesting walking tour it made. We visited six embassies, including the Madagascar, Croatian, Mauritanian, Danish, Indonesian, and Uzbekistan; also the nearby Textile Museum, and Islamic Mosque.
Uzbekistan Embassy
When we visited the mosque all the women had to wear big scarves they supplied. Those in shorts had to put on a long dress over the shorts to cover their legs. Bev looked like a babushka. A bazaar was happening at the Mosque, so we had an Islamic lunch.
Islamic Mosque
We ran into Cheryl Bester, the wife of the Army Nurse Corp's chief, General Bill Bester. She was helping out with the Embassy Tours fund raiser, stamping our "passports" of the event.

Bill Clinton's house
Former President Bill Clinton's house was across from the Danish and Italian Embassies. Lots of "No Trespassing" signs around there.   We got to the last embassy just as it was closing, so that was good timing. More good timing when we had just enough time to sip our “frapucchinos” from Starbuck’s at Dupont Circle before the short rain shower came overhead.

Home in no time on the Metro. And with a Taco Bell for dinner, this most interesting day was complete.
Metro Station at Silver Springs, Maryland
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