After a busy week in D.C., Savannah and I were finally able to take a break over the
weekend along with celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day! This weekend, I went to the Library of Congress and got my library card. We also were able to explore the Smithsonian National Zoo. There were so many amazing exhibits of bears, exotic cats, elephants and my personal favorite – the sea lions. You can actually go below the sea lion exhibit and see straight through the glass into the water. One of the sea lions was giving us a show the whole time and doing flips! The most incredible thing about this zoo is that it is free and open to the public. It’s definitely a must-see if you plan on traveling to D.C. After the zoo, we had dessert at Kramer’s Books and Afterwords Cafe in Dupont Circle. Kramer’s is a bookstore/cafe that gives an amazing dining experience. You can shop for books while waiting for your order to arrive at your table. The food is absolutely amazing!
Today, we volunteered with the Rock Creek Conservancy in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The conservancy exists to restore Rock Creek and its parklands as a natural oasis for all people to appreciate and protect. According to its website, Rock Creek Conservancy is the only organization dedicated solely to Rock Creek and its parks. The creek meanders 33 miles through the Washington metropolitan area, crossing federal lands as well as district, city, county, and state boundaries. Although parkland borders much of the creek, the surrounding development threatens the health and beauty of these natural areas. Rock Creek Conservancy is uniquely positioned to foster outreach, education, and efforts to overcome threats to Rock Creek.
We walked around the park area picking up trash, piling brush and raking leaves. It’s amazing the transformation that twenty people and two hours can make. It was wonderful to be a part of a volunteer effort that’s goal is to preserve the beautiful Washington, D.C. for future generations. This city has given me so many opportunities and it has allowed me to learn much more than I could in a classroom. What a fabulous day giving back! I couldn’t have imagined spending my weekend and this holiday honoring MLK Jr. any other way!