Magical Mystery Tour

What began as a normal, slightly grey and humid Tuesday turned out to be the highlight of our trip to date(though we doubt we can top it.)
A nifty drive downtown by Ernest (coach driver) brought us to the gate of the visitors' entrance of the White House just at the right time. We learned much about patience and the statues around us as we snaked through the holding lines to check that we knew our names and birthdays before entering the famous abode.
Having a couple of non American citizens in the group held us up slightly, but led to a great advantage and adventure. By the time we entered the first hallway, we ground to a halt and veiwed the scene ahead; total non movement. Imagine our delight and surprise when we werer offerd two choices:. go ahead with the self tour as planned or participate in a special secret event that would be taking place in 20 minutes.
To cut a long story short, we sweated and waited in a small crowded hallway and were then ushered  through patio doors to the private gardens outside. There we lined up at a small fenced area facing the Ellipse. We were warned that a helicopter would be landing soon and to hold on to anything that may fly away in a hurricane force wind. "Clap and wave only, no cheering" was the direction.....................was this to be the President himself???
By the line up of security personnel and photographers we knew it was going to be WONDERFUL!
Barely containing our urge to cheer and shout, the helicpoter landed, we waited some more and then.................................see below.

oh, and by the way, we finished with a tour and met...

As if that was not enough excitement for the day, we went on what we thought was going to be a run-of-the-mill tour of the capitol Building and Senate. In keeping with our past history of acheiving the impossible, \Katherine introduced us to her cousin who just happens to work in the Office of the Speaker ( this, after only a couple of off-chance calls.) 

After surrendering our headsets  to Brian( who imagines himself not as a tour guide , but rather the most hilarious comedian on the planet) we waited in the Rotinda to see what would transpire. What did transpire was a personal vist to the Office of the Speaker and a photo opportunity on the balcony overlooking the Mall, reserved only for presidents and other dinitaries.