Catching Up (Starting at the Naval Academy)

     It has been more than a month since I posted anything and we are far, far away from Annapolis.  As I last wrote, I have had photo problems, but it was not because I forgot to load them, but because my computer rejected them. I am incompetent when it comes to solving computer problems and didn't know where to turn (not many computer stores on the waterways), but accidentally trying another program has seemed to solve the issue for now--hooray!  And so I will continue.
     However, since I am so far behind, I am going to just summarize our travels and activities up to the present (and I will certainly include some of those elusive photos), and then try once again to keep you up to date.  So here I go with our visit to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis:

     This entrance to the Academy was only a block from the boat.  Surprisingly, you only had to show a drivers license and then you were free to roam the Academy grounds, known as the Yard.  Some of the buildings were off limits, but many were open to us.  We took a guided tour and learned so much.  It was "dead week" between finals and graduation so not much was going on but there were still plenty of midshipmen around, as you can see:

Here they come!

 There they go!

     

     In this photo, the midshipmen are heading into Bancroft Hall, which serves as dormitory and dining hall to the 4,000-plus cadets.  (A few factoids:  it has nearly 5 miles of corridors and about 33 acres of floor space and is the largest dormitory in the U.S.).  One of the highlights of visiting the Academy is seeing the midshipmen march to their midday meal during Noon Formation, but because it was dead week, they were not required to line up.  Our disappointment was relieved however, when this group of senior classmen, who had chosen to go into the Marines, stood for inspection:

Pretty impressive, huh?

 

     There are so many interesting things to see at the Academy, including a fabulous museum, but one of the most popular tourist sights is the chapel:

That famous chapel.

A view of the altar with us tourists on the left.

Even the stained glass windows show the naval tradition.

     Lastly, beneath the chapel is the crypt and sarcophagus of  Revolutionary War hero John Paul Jones, most famous for saying, "I have not yet begun to fight."

     I will end with my favorite picture of all--this group from the Naval Academy Choir (in their dress uniforms, no less) on their way to sing for some unknown party, but stopped by our boat on the way.  Check out that smile on my face!