Up, up and away!

Man has been fascinated with flying machines since first observing birds in the sky. Today we indulged our fascination with a trip to the National Air and Space Museum at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles Airport, an annex of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum on the National Mall. Our almost-seven-year-old grandson, Christopher, is visiting us this week and like boys everywhere, loves planes. He was not disappointed!

The Center features a large hangar with aircraft displayed on three levels. They have everything form hang-gliders and ultra-lites to the Concorde and Space Shuttle Enterprise and everything in-between. Flying machines of every shape and color are displayed on the floor or suspended over-head.

Christopher's favorite plane was the SR-71 Blackbird... the "spy plane" (bottom). There were LOTS of planes to see!

Almost everyone born before 1976 knows what they were doing when they first heard about the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion in 1986. The Center has the Space Shuttle Enterprise, the "test shuttle," on display. Two things impressed me: the infamous tiles are really pretty small and the entire shuttle is really BIG! The Enola Gay, the B-29 bomber that dropped the first atomic bomb (code-named "Little Boy") on Hiroshima, is also displayed. The Center is truly an amazing collection of history!

From prop planes to space rockets (prototype)... what's next?

We had lots of opportunities to chuckle, giggle and even guffaw. As we walked along a hallway on the lowest level, we happened to look up- and could see feet walking on a "glass" floor above us. Christopher's giggles were contagious and pretty soon we were all laughing! Aircraft art ranged from commercial (one looked like a Pepsi can!) to psychological (or comical?) like planes with "teeth" to convey fierceness. The IMAX movie "To Fly" had several humorous parts- like a church steeple painter dropping a can of paint on a couple when a hot air balloon came too close... maybe you had to be there!

Although Christopher's "Most Favorite" thing at the Center was the Gift Shop (LOL!), he also thought these were "pretty cool!" (Lower left photo is the rear end of the SR-71.)

After the museum we met Janne and Adam for dinner in Little Italy- and then headed to a favorite dessert place for frozen custard and Italian ice gelatis. I think Christopher has too much fun with his Auntie Janne and Uncle Adam!

We saw this gorgeous butterfly as we were walking up to Rita's. God's flying machines are so beautiful and delicate-looking!