The DC Traveler

Ever see a whale up close in its natural environment?  Now you can too off the coast if Virginia, on a whale watching boat tour.
I had the lucky experience on a dive boat, while scuba diving off of the Big Island of Hawaii several years ago. 

My encounter occurred while cruising to a new dive site, a pod of about ten humpback whales, ranging from 10-foot calves to 45-foot adults, came within about 20 feet of our boat. 
The experience was something I’ll never forget. My only regret was that I couldn’t (by law) jump in the water with them. …read more

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…no, the Old Executive Office Building, or is it the Eisenhower Executive Office Building?
Regardless what you call it, people either love it or hate it; due to its very unique and as some people think, totally out of place architectural style. 
The exterior, with its 900 columns, and 1,500+ windows is Second Empire Style, an architectural style popular during the Victorian era.  The 7 floors cover over 660,000 square feet and originally had 151 fireplaces, but only 83 remain today.
Probably the most notable aspect of the building is its exterior cast iron used for window frames, sculpture, chimneys, cornices and roof trim.  …read more

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Here’s a rare chance to tour seven of Old Town Alexandria’s most beautifully restored and decorated homes.  At the 66th annual Alexandria Tour of Homes you can take a self-guided tour of some of the most notable homes in Old Town.
While the list of homes will not be released for security reasons until just before the tour, this event is always very popular.
Alexandria was first settled around 1695. About a hundred years later, George Washington included Alexandria as part of the District of Columbia. Yet 50 years later, the size of the District was reduced and Alexandria one again became …read more

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No, they’re not the latest NLH hockey franchise team, they’re the original World War II DUKW (“Duck” or lovingly called the “magoo”) amphibious vehicles that you can tour DC in.
The history of the DUKW starts in 1942, shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor. General Motors started production of the DUKW by making a propeller-driven, water-tight version of the 31-foot long “duce and a half” 2½-ton six-wheel-drive standard Army truck.  The DUKW was designed to be used as a combined amphibious/land vehicle to transport troops and supplies on and off of cargo ships and troop transporters.
The first water tests …read more

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Three years in the making, the Segway Personal Transporter is the world’s first two-wheeled, self-balancing, electric transport device.With no accelerator or brake, the Segway is propelled simply by the rider’s posture and motion. Leaning forward causes the Segway to roll forward, lean back and it stops or reverses. A single knob on the left hand grip controls the rider’s steering.  
Using battery-powered motors, dual computers, tilt sensors and five gyroscopes, the Segway automatically (and seemingly magically) maintains its upright position, even while standing motionless. The top of the line Segway (about $5,500) can cruise at speeds of up to 12½ …read more

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In 1878, two men and a boy were looking for caves to explore when one felt a cool breeze coming up from a hole. For four hours, they moved the loose rocks and dug. Once the opening was large enough, they slid down a rope into the cave. Much to their surprise, they discovered the largest series of caverns in the Eastern U.S.

About an hour and a half west of DC is Luray Caverns, the most non-earthly place in the area. Spectacular formations of stalactites and stalagmites, some reaching over 35 feet are part of the 1.5 mile tour …read more

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Take an in-depth technical tour of Frank-Loyde Wright’s Pope-Leighey House in suburban Alexandria, VA.
This Wright designed home for the “common man” was built in the 1940s. With a planned cost of under $5,000, (excluding land), even the middle class could afford a small, yet comofirtable Wright home.
Loren Pope, a writer for the Washington Star newspaper contacted Wright and asked him to design a lower cost home for him and his wife. After designing it, and hearing that the Popes had not being able to find a builder to charge less than $12,000, Wright sent one of his apprentices to act …read more

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During his two terms as President, Woodrow Wilson drove much legislation, including passing the 16th (income tax), the 17th (direct election of Senators by the voters), and the 19th (women’s right to vote) Amendments. He vetoed the Volsteat Act, which banned the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors, and gave the federal government the ability to enforce the 18th Amendment (prohibition).
Also during his terms, the U.S. established the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Trade Commission and the IRS. He also was influential in getting the Clayton Antitrust Act passed to fix antitrust issues created under the Sherman Antitrust Act …read more

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For the past 40 years, before each Memorial Day, army soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry (The Old Guard) honor America’s servicemen killed or wounded in action that are buried at Arlington National Cemetery by placing an American flag on each gravestone.
This tradition, called “flags in ” has been an annual activity since 1948. Flags are placed on more than 260,000 gravesites at Arlington for Memorial Day. After the three-day weekend, the flags are removed.
At the Tomb of the Unknowns you can watch one of the most dramatic and moving military ceremonies, the Changing of the Guard . Guards or …read more

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The National Zoo has close to 20 live cameras set up around the zoo where you can watch a variety of animals live on the web.
While at times the animal may not always be in full view, you’ll can get some great views when they are active.
Zoo cam include animals such as cheetahs, black-footed ferrets, gorillas, a flock of pink flamingos, crocodiles and even a view into a microscope to watch live micro organisms.
On the ElephantCam, you can watch the daily Asian Elephants training session at 11:00 a.m.
Here are some of the more interesting zoo cams:

PandaCam
TigerCam
GorillaCam
FlamingoCam
Asian ElephantCam

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