Santa came to my house earlier than usual, this year, and left me my requested present — a new video camera — just in time to bring along on this Williamsburg trip! Nice of him, wasn’t it? Anyway, thanks to the new camera, I was inspired to video some of the fireworks. Here is my very first video posted on YouTube — edited down to about 5 minutes of the nearly 30 minute show. Hope you enjoy it!

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The Convention Center is one of the easiest attractions in Washington to access with a motorcoach. There are official drop/pick-up areas for motorcoaches on L Street, right in the center of the Convention Center. Coming in from I-95 and MD-295 (Baltimore-Washington Parkway), I followed New York Avenue (US-50) into the city, bearing right onto L Street just a couple of blocks before the Convention Center.

After dropping off, it’s easy to go around the block to Massachusetts Avenue to head toward Union Station and bus parking there.

Tomorrow I’m off to the Big Apple, with a tour to the Broadway show, “Promises, Promises.” And I expect to have some updated info on bus parking in New York City, including a PDF file for reference that I’ve been working on.

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The restroom renovations on the second level of Union Station are done and will be appreciated by bus groups. They are bright and clean, all new fixtures and decor.

In the food court area there are still one or two vendors missing, but most are open for business as usual. I noticed there are even a few new stores on the third level.

Construction work on the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge (also known as South Capitol Street Bridge) has been completed, and the 10 ton weight restriction was lifted as of October 1, 2010, meaning buses (and trucks) can again come into Washington, DC from MD-295 via Howard Street to South Capital Street. This is one of my favorite ways into the city and I’m glad we have it back as an option. I came that way across the bridge today.

The weigh station southbound on I-95 in Maryland was open this morning when I came through, but a bit of odd behavior: all buses and trucks had to go through the weigh station, but no one was being stopped on the scales. We all just drove slowly right on through. Not sure if the signs weren’t working, or if they have new drive-through scales, or what was going on. At least we didn’t lose much time.

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Boston Marathon Runners on my coach

I’ve posted a few photos from the trip here: http://www.bobbergey.com/p41009462. Although I don’t see the race itself (except on TV from my hotel room), I do shuttle the runners to the starting line in Hopkinton. That’s where many of these photos were taken, just before the race started. You’ll see the group of 30 runners I took this year (and in the photo above). The hotel we stay at is also very nice, photogenic even, and I have a couple of shots there that I took just for me — including my coach, of course.

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Two new photo galleries have also been added — photos from two different, recent visits to the Arlington National Cemetery, and a few photos from a trip to FDR’s home in Hyde Park, NY. Check them out when you have a chance.
[note]Arlington National Cemetery
FDR Home[/note]

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KABOOM! An 8 inch mortar is fired at the Gettysburg Reenactment.

Prints from any of the galleries are available for purchase; just click “Add to Cart” while viewing the photo you want, and follow the directions to select quantity, size, finish, etc. Check them out today!

[note]PBU Chorale Tour 2009
Hickory Bridge Farm
Branson, Missouri
Culinary Institute of America
Niagara Falls, Ontario
Gettysburg Battle Reenactment
[/note]

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1) The Phantom of the Opera

The longest running show on Broadway, and once you’ve seen it you start to understand why. Great music. And one of those very rare shows you want to see more than once. I had one passenger recently who was seeing it for the 11th time!

2) Mamma Mia

I love ABBA’s music, and this is a fun story built around their great songs. Another one you can see more than once — my wife has been there twice already.

3) Jersey Boys

Okay, I love oldies … and I love Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. So this show in a no-brainer — great music and a great, mostly true, story.

4) South Pacific

My wife bought me tickets for this show (on a Hagey Tour, of course!) for Valentine’s Day earlier this year. It’s playing at the Lincoln Center, and is a revival of the famous Rodgers & Hammerstein musical. Really well done.

5) In the Heights

Winner of the 2008 Tony for Best Musical, this is a wonderful show about two days in the life of a Washington Heights neighborhood. You’ll laugh and you’ll cry. A good story, and definitely worth seeing.

So those are my current “top five.” Other great shows still playing on Broadway that I’ve seen and highly recommend include Mary Poppins, Wicked, Chicago, and The Lion King. Other shows that my passengers are talking positively about but I haven’t yet seen include Billy Elliot the Musical, Hair, and Guys and Dolls.

Two shows I loved that, sadly, are no longer playing on Broadway include Hairspray (I laughed so hard my cheeks hurt by the end of the show), and The Color Purple (a show that played with my emotions, both happy and sad, more than any I’ve ever seen). Moral of the story: no show plays forever; don’t wait until it’s too late to see the show you really wanted to see.

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1) New York City

What an easy way to visit the Big Apple! Take the motorcoach directly to the Times Square area. There is so much to do. If you like Broadway shows, pick up a half price (or deeply discounted) ticket for a same-day show at the TKTS booth in the center of Times Square. Lunch at one of the hundreds of great restaurants. Shop along Fifth Avenue in some of the most famous stores in the world. A short subway ride takes you uptown to the world’s finest museums, or to Lower Manhattan for Chinatown or a visit to the Statue of Liberty. So much to see and do, you could do this every month! It’s my favorite day trip.

2) Washington, DC

There is so much to see and do in our nation’s capital! The Smithsonian museums alone can occupy your time for days — and they’re all free (your tax dollars at work!). See the numerous monuments and memorials. And visit the brand new Visitor Center at the Capitol.

3) Baltimore Inner Harbor

Baltimore, MD has done a marvelous job at bringing their Inner Harbor to life, with lots of activities for visitors. Stroll around the harbor; visit the state-of-the-art Aquarium and see the dolphin show; visit the Maryland Science Center and watch an Imax movie. Tour one of the ships or submarine docked there, and visit the Baltimore Maritime Museum. You can take a boat cruise of the Inner Harbor area. Lots of shopping and great eating, too!

4) Ocean City, NJ

There’s nothing like a day at the shore to just relax and get away from it all. Stroll the boardwalk, spend time on the beach, enjoy fresh seafood, and more.

5) Statue of Liberty

Everyone should visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island at least once in their lifetime. Easiest access is from Liberty Sate Park in New Jersey, where the motorcoach drops you off right by the ferry access point.

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