May 13, 2015 - Here, there and everywhere!

We arrived in Annapolis last Thursday and rented a car on Friday for a quick trip back to Michigan for sister Bev's surprise 80th birthday party. We had a full day of driving on Friday, spent the night with niece Diane, then had a wonderful day on Saturday with family. Bev was surprised by the party, but especially surprised and happy that we had made the trip home for it. We were so happy to spend the special time with family!

On Sunday we drove back to Annapolis and spent Monday morning trying to recover from fatigue. In the afternoon we walked over to the Naval Academy for a tour. We were so impressed with the midshipmen who we met, all very poised, clearly intelligent, and athletically fit.  Each year about 17,000 young people apply to the Naval Academy while only about 1100 are accepted. Today, about 1/4 of these midshipmen are women, and there is a graduation rate of about 88%. For dinner we connected with Kurt & Mary Ellen (Loophole) who were docked in a neighboring marina.

On Tuesday, we got an early start on our walk back to the Naval Academy to see the museum, which we had missed yesterday. It was extremely hot and muggy, so it was good to get back to the air conditioned boat after our tour. We had a great lunch at the Officer's Club at the Naval Academy and a very enjoyable day. The day was topped off with an enjoyable docktail session with Kurt & Mary Ellen and George & Martha on "Aunt Aggie".

Today we arose early and rode our bikes to the commuter bus station for our trip to Washington D.C. for the day, where we connected with Mark & Vicki. Thankfully, the weather was much cooler today, so we had a very good day.

The draft horse pulling the cart in Beaufort, SC when the wheel fell off. He stayed calm, cool and collected.

Just to be safe, ambulance, police & fire were called in case of injuries when the wheel fell off our carriage.

In Beaufort, SC the current was so strong that we were unable to get out of our slip until slack tide. Consequently, we ended up cross-wise in the slip.

Mark & Vicki with us on the beach in N. Myrtle Beach, SC

Happy hour with Mark & Vicki on Patriot in Elizabeth City, tray adorned with a rose from the "boaters rose garden"

Mark & Vicki & us enjoying dinner at the Columbian Theater in Portsmouth, VA 

Tribute to Alex Haley in Annapolis, MD

Bronze statues of Alex Haley reading to local children in the middle of historic Annapolis

Beautiful, aromatic flowers in full bloom in Annapolis

Chapel at Annapolis Naval Academy

Bancroft Hall, the largest dormitory in the U.S. All 4,500 students at the Academy live and eat in this mammoth dormitory

Main chapel at the Naval Academy, located on a high point in the Yard - the highest building in the city, even higher than the Maryland State Capitol building. Dedicated in 1908, this chapel hosts Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, and Jewish services. 

Beautiful stained glass windows in the chapel which were designed by Tiffany and Gorham Studios

Chapel dome

The crypt of John Paul Jones, located in the lower level of the chapel. John Paul Jones was one of the greatest naval heroes of the Revolutionary War. His remains were brought to the U.S. in 1905 after 113 years of obscurity in a cemetery in Paris. 

Lunch at the 18th century Middleton Tavern, one of the local gathering spots of some of the most revered leaders  during the period around the American Revolution. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin were among the most famous patrons. 

Patriot, in the slip at Annapolis City Marina

Middleton Tavern

Naval Academy mission...remarkable and impressive!

As we learned at the Naval Museum, John Paul Jones is generally considered the unofficial "father" of the US  Navy.  Born in Scotland, he led the Continental fleet  to victory over the British naval forces in the 1700's with great courage and bravery. He later lad naval forces also in France and Russia.

Among Naval Academy graduates are numerous distinguished and well known Americans, such as the great NBA Hall of Fame member, David Robinson (above).  Other graduates of the Accademy include President Jimmy Carter, Senator John McCain, college football Heisman Trophy winners Roger Staubach and Joe Bellino, and several NASA astronauts, including the first American in space, Alan Shepard, and a crew member of Apollo 8 and 13 flights, James Lovell (who was on the first flight to circumnavigate the moon).

Our beautiful White House...always a thrilling sight!

In memory of those lost in the Revolution

Eisenhower Office Building in D.C.