T+3 days: Tuesday - Part 1

Elli and I beside the judges' table at the Bee's stage

Unofficial Round 1 (written) results: I got 17 points out of a possible 25, so I could, at maximum, have 23 points total after the 2nd and 3rd rounds.

Today was another hot day! We did do a lot of exploring and walking around the east end of the Mall, though. At 7:30 this morning, we went to the Maryland Ballroom in the Gaylord National for Round 1 of the Scripps National Spelling Bee! (Insert applause here.) 25 words were pronounced to us, all of which count, and we had to write them down. Later the correct spellings were posted on a screen in the room, hence the unofficial results. (Official results coming tomorrow night.)

It's a little blurry, but this is me at my Round 1 table

We then taxied to the Senate building to meet U.S. Senator Richard Lugar before he flew to Indiana during Memorial Day recess.

Me, Senator Lugar, Addison Hughes (#85), and Gina Solomito (#79)

After a shortish (but hot!) walk, we went to the National Air and Space Museum.

The Spirit of St. Louis

Gene Kranz's Apollo 13 Vest

An actual moon lander built for the Apollo program but never used

A Japanese Mitsubishi Zero from WWII

Then we walked back to the Capitol for a tour by one of Senator Lugar's interns. We took a lot of really neat photos of the ornate Capitol, inside and out. Here are some of them.

The Capitol from the Mall

The "Crypt" of the Capitol, under the dome

Something on the richly painted wall commemorating the Apollo 11 moon landing

A Capitol hallway

The Capitol rotunda

It's getting kind of late, so there'll be more tomorrow. Happy June, and au revoir!