Month: July 2025

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In and Around DC: Activities Spring 2025

Plentiful in a northern Virginia spring, the Dogwood is both the state tree and flower of Virginia. Once my favorite flower, until I traveled and discovered the frangipani.

Another Spring in Washington, D.C. It is now our third consecutive year, and thus the longest I have lived continuously in the U.S. since August 2003 to January 2007. Although during that time I lived in four separate locations around the country (California, Hawaii, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.). I am not accustomed to staying in one place. I will be honest, I am developing some rather itchy feet.

I have to keep reminding myself that any travel, even local, is travel, and my daughter C and I can have adventures anywhere. These past several months have been hard, both personally and professionally, but I have tried to keep in mind that such times make it all the more important to find joy wherever you can.

We kicked off Spring with an early-season game of the Washington Nationals. The longer we stay in Washington, the bigger the baseball fans we become, and the more we associate the arrival of warmer weather with an afternoon or evening at the ballpark.

Checking out a Washington Spirit game at Audi Field

Continuing our streak of attending professional sports events, we went to our first Washington Spirit match in May. The same college friend who took us to a Capitals game last fall is also a Spirit season ticket holder. He and his wife couldn’t make one of the matches and were kind enough to offer their tickets to C and me. We were able to enjoy premium seating with free food and drinks throughout the match and seats close to the goal line. It was an exciting game, though the Spirit lost. The whole atmosphere of a Spirit match is infectious; we will definitely make attending more Spirit games a priority!

Not only did my sister perform in the show—she also designed this advertisement.

Also in May, we drove out to Purcellville to watch my sister perform in another local theater production. Being back in the U.S. has had many benefits, and getting to see her pursue this new passion has been a true highlight. This time, she played Miss Scarlett in Clue—one of my all-time favorite movies and my daughter’s favorite board game. I have a fear of public speaking, and my single attempt to try out for an improv group in college was a resounding failure, so it never ceases to amaze me that my sister does this so well.

In May, we also visited the Washington Monument. I grew up just outside of Washington, D.C., and have lived in the area several times as an adult, but I had never been inside the iconic memorial in our nation’s capital. In my defense, it has been closed to the public several times: about six months after 9/11, for over two years after the July 2011 earthquake, about three years between 2016-2019 for security upgrades and repairs, and at least six months during the COVID pandemic. With it currently open, I was determined that C and I would see it while we are living here. However, ever time I tried to secure the free tickets, they were snapped up as soon as they were released online. Unwilling to wait any longer, I booked through Viator. $25 each seemed a small price to pay to finally check this off my list.

Left: Bronze plaque found in the Washington Monument vestibule featuring George Washington and freemasonry symbols; Right: A view of the Tidal Basin from the Monument’s observation deck

In 1833, a society began collecting funds to build a monument to the country’s first president, George Washington. This would be the nation’s second monument to President Washington; last year I visited the first monument in Boonsboro, Maryland, built in 1827. Construction on the Washington Monument began in 1848; when it was completed in 1884, it was the tallest building in the world at 555 feet, 5-1/8 inches.

We lucked out with the weather during our visit to the Washington Monument. May turned out to be a chilly and rainy month, leading me to dub it “Mayvember,” but we had warm and sunny weather, despite a strong wind. It was, frankly, perfect for the incredible views from the observation deck at 500 feet.

Left: The Military Women’s Memorial; Right: A sentinel marches in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Later in May, C and I visited Arlington National Cemetery. Despite all my years living in and around Washington, D.C., I can only recall visiting once before—around 2006—and even then, I only toured Arlington House. I very much wanted my daughter to see this extraordinary place; I thought this was especially important before more information highlighting certain heroes might be removed. In March, during a process reportedly conducted to comply with a presidential executive order, some material about black, Hispanic, and female veterans was removed from the cemetery’s website. Given the incredible history of the cemetery–built on land seized from the family of Confederate General Robert E Lee and his wife, Mary Custis, the great-granddaughter of the nation’s revered first president, George Washington, and located in southern confederate territory but on the doorstep of the northern capital — it is the final resting place for some 430,000 American soldiers from all walks of life.

For a Scout merit badge requirement, C was in charge of our visit and she made sure that we saw the highlights: the Military Women’s Monument, the eternal flame, Arlington House, and the changing of the guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The incredible expanse of Elizabeth Hartwell National Wildlife Refuge

C and I wrapped up our Spring 2025 activities with some short nature walks at the Elizabeth National Wildlife Refuge in Lorton, Virginia. The refuge, established in 1969, was the first federal reserve created expressly to protect the bald eagle. At the time of its establishment, bald eagles were on the national endangered list with only a few breeding pairs in the area. Today, in a large part due to the Refuge, the Chesapeake Bay area, particularly around Mason Neck, is the home of the densest breeding population of the majestic birds outside of Alaska.

We brought binoculars on our walk and were lucky to observe several bald eagles flying and fishing in the area over the Potomac River. I found it so extraordinary that just 40 minutes outside the urban environment of our nation’s capital is so much protected land.

Once again, my daughter C and I made the most of our time posted to visit and experience the wonderful places and activities on offer in the Washington, D.C. area. We are incredibly lucky to live here.

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A Mini Spring Break in North Carolina

Sunset on Sand Dollar Island

Spring Break. I do love that term and the possible adventures it opens up. For the past two years, my daughter C and I have opted to spend her Spring Break in the Caribbean, first in Grand Cayman and then in Roatan. However, this year, we stayed closer to home.

From the beginning, this year has thrown me some personal and professional challenges, so I did not have either the time or the energy to plan a big getaway. In addition, I had already taken some time off work to manage those personal challenges and did not want to be away for long in case I was needed. Still, I very much wanted and needed a break.

I opted to take only two days off, during which C and I drove south to the beautiful town of New Bern, North Carolina, to visit our long-time friends and travel companions CZ and Little CZ. The aim was simply to spend time with people who mean a lot to us and to be away from home because the whole “change of scenery” idea really does work for me.

At Latham-Whitehurst Nature Park

Another perk of this trip was the drive. Like many Americans, I do love driving and the excitement of a road trip. In many of my overseas postings, road trips are often limited, so while posted in the U.S., I want to take advantage of this option. Also, to be honest, I am currently quite annoyed by plane travel. I do not yet know if this is only a temporary irritation or something more permanent.

On the Wednesday night of the Easter week, C and I packed up the car to join the rush hour commuters heading south on I-95. I do not even remember the traffic; we really did not care. We were in the car, on our way to see friends, and singing our favorite songs at the top of our lungs. We stayed in a hotel just outside Rocky Mount, NC, for the evening. I could have pushed on to New Bern that evening, but the stress of the first few months of 2025 had worn me out. The journey, even staying the night in a nondescript, but clean and comfortable, hotel off the highway, was a big part of the break. Well-rested the following morning (more rested than I had been in months), we made the last two hours to CZ’s house the following morning.

Our first day was low-key. We arrived a bit before lunch and settled in. CZ and I began to catch up. Then, we all headed out to Sara’s, a restaurant serving up hearty portions of Italian and American comfort foods. It was a lovely, warm day and we sat outside. CZ and I did some more catching up. Afterwards, we drove just a short way down the road to the Latham-Whitehurst Nature Park, where we strolled and talked along wooded paths and boardwalks. Then back to the house for more talking. I am sure C and Little CZ were catching up as well; we weren’t worried about them. They have spent so many trips together over the years, they are almost like siblings.

For our second day, we decided to spend the day visiting Edenton. CZ said it had long been on her list of places to visit, and I am a huge fan of historic towns.

Left: The Cupola House, a Georgian-style home built in 1758.
Right: A 1905 bronze teapot commemorating the 1774 political protest organized by Penelope Barker—one of the first organized acts of female political action in American history.

Just outside of town, we stopped at the Edenton National Fish Hatchery. This might seem like an odd stop, but when I visited South Dakota in 2014, I also visited a fish hatchery. That one was established by none other than the famous Seth Bullock of Deadwood fame. The fish hatchery in Edenton also has a rich history, having been established in 1898. There is a small aquarium on the premises, and one can take a self-guided walk among the hatchery ponds. Unfortunately, several of the ponds were drained and we couldn’t see the fish in those that were filled. Though CZ and I tried to make it fun, the kids were bored fairly quickly. I admit is was no where near as interesting as the one in North Dakota.

The 1898 Roanoke River Lighthouse on the Edenton waterfront

The town of Edenton, however, is a different story altogether. We visited the welcome center and then took an hour-long trolley tour to learn about Edenton. Our trolley guide was a chatty woman, retired from nursing, who had grown up in the town. Though new to guiding, she knew her stuff. She filled us in on both the town’s and her family’s history.

Founded on Albemarle Sound in 1712—making it the second-oldest town in the state—Edenton served as the second colonial capital of the Province of North Carolina from 1722 to 1743. Often hailed as the prettiest small town in North Carolina, Edenton may be small, but it is rich in history, with nearly every street featuring multiple sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The 1782 home of Penelope Barker, the organizer of the 1774 Edenton Tea party, serves as Edenton’s Welcome Center. The 1776 Chowan County Courthouse, a beautiful example of public Georgian architecture, is the oldest courthouse still in use in the state. Lane House, the oldest house in North Carolina, is found in Edenton.

At the Herringbone restaurant, which is located in a 19th century herring icehouse

After the tour, we took a stroll up the main street to do a bit of window shopping. Fronted with coffee and dessert shops, restaurants, cute boutiques, and Bryum’s Hardware Store (owned by the family of our trolley guide), which has been a town staple since 1912, the compact street offers more than most towns of comparable size. We all had a nice time on the walk; each one of us bought ourselves a little something. Afterwards, we ordered dinner from the Herringbone (our guide said it is the most popular dining establishment in Edenton), and ate outside with a view of the sun setting on the waterfront. We loved our visit to Edenton!

For our final day in North Carolina, we chose another waterfront destination—the historic town of Beaufort. Established in 1713, it is the fourth-oldest town in the state and is known for its rich maritime (and pirate) history. On our previous visit with our friends, we explored the North Carolina Maritime Museum, took a silly tour aboard a replica pirate ship, and spent time at Shackelford Banks enjoying the beach and spotting wild horses. This time, we came for a late lunch before catching a ferry out to Sand Dollar Island.

Sand Dollar Island is a barrier island in the Beaufort Channel. It not really an island, but instead a sandbar, which is only accessible at low tide. And it has the highest concentrations of sand dollars (flat burrowing sea urchins) in North Carolina.

Sand dollars at Sand Dollar Island

To get there, we took a 30-minute ferry ride. Along the way, a pod of curious dolphins treated us to a bit of excitement. I doubt I could ever tire of spotting dolphins. The ferry “docked,” or rather rolled up to the sandbar, and we disembarked for our two-hour visit. Already after 5 PM and the tide on the rise, we had maybe a soccer pitch’s length and a maximum of fifty feet in width of sand to explore. The water around Sand Dollar Island was only a few inches deep so one could “wade” out a few dozen feet and still have the water only up to one’s ankles, giving the impression that visitors were walking on water. Though nearly everyone was bent over double in search of sand dollars.

Being the last boat of the day, there were not many left to be found. Visitors are warned to leave the living sand dollars, though we could pick them up and hold them to feel their tiny velvety spines, like hair, tickling the palm of your hand. C and I had never before found or held a sand dollar, so this was a very special experience. Especially walking on a sandbar at sunset as warm waters lap over your feet.

Sand Dollar Island disappearing beneath high tide as we depart

I will admit feeling just a tinge of worry as the sun set, the wind kicked up, and the water rose, and the return ferry was not yet in sight. But soon enough, we could see the ferry puttering towards us on the horizon. As we pulled away, Sand Dollar Island was certainly thinner than when we had arrived, and would surely be completely engulfed by the sea at high tide.

We drove back to CZ’s house, giving my oldest friend and I another hour to while away in conversation. C and I started our drive back home that evening, stopping again to spend one more night away from home, extending that different scenery feeling just a little longer. Then we were back home on Easter morning.