Trip to DC (part 1)

This past weekend we took a trip up to DC. I had never done the "DC tourist" thing before, so Brett planned a perfect surprise. On Friday night we drove up to VA to see David and Des. It was so good to see them! We spent the night there and then took the morning train to DC's union station. Neither of us had ever traveled on an Amtrak train and it was a really nice experience. The seats have much more room than on a plane, you can use your cell phone during the trip, and you don't have to go through security (is that a good or a bad thing?)... it was a really relaxing way of traveling! This was our view.

So, not to sound un-American but I didn't realize that Quantico is a marine corps base. So, as the train announced "next stop Quantico" I didn't think anything about it other than on TV it is home of the B.A.U. I was a little uneasy as we pulled into a town and I saw lots of men in dark clothing running around in the woods with huge guns. They weren't even wearing camo. Imagine my relief as we pulled up to the train station and I saw this sign... Good thing these people aren't crazy!
Welcome to DC! Lots of snow piled up everywhere!
We went to lunch at the Good Stuff Eatery. It is a fun burger joint with lots of atmosphere. The place has won lots of local awards as well as recognition by stars like Rachel Ray.
The burger was really good, and the fries were the best fries that I have EVER had! They were topped with thyme, rosemary, and sea salt. Yum!
Our first stop was the DC conservatory. They had an exquisite orchid display. I love orchids! Here is a small glimpse of our favorite orchids...

These almost look like they have arms and legs... so pretty!
Obviously not an orchid.... They had a desert exhibit and this cactus made me laugh. I had to include the picture!
We stayed at the adorable Topaz Hotel. It is a small hotel in the middle of a quiet neighborhood. It was really charming! (way to go Brett!)
All rooms are very colorful, yet amazingly relaxing! It was nice to come back to the room after all of our many daily adventures!
So much more to come...