Dome Tour

Right up there with the coveted West Wing tours are tours of the interior of the Capitol dome, aka the "Dome Tour." In order to go on this tour, a willing Congressman/Senator must volunteer to take a group up, notwithstanding a possbile fear of heights. :) Just such an opportunity came up for 2 interns in our Summer 2008 intern class, Chris Shirts and Erin Carr. Here are their thoughts on the experience:

Erin Carr, Intern for Congressman Sali:

The dome tour can be summarized in two words: freakin’ amazing! This is the best tour I have ever had in my 20 long years of tour-taking experience :) Although I’m afraid of heights, it was incredible to see the details in Brumidi’s fresco and the spectacular 360° view of DC, Virginia and Maryland from the outside of the dome. It helped that our tour guide was knowledgeable; he made the tour that much better. And who knew there were two whisper spots in the Capitol building! In addition to being up close and personal with America’s great artists, architects and history, I got a really good cardio workout!

Chris Shirts, Intern for Senator Crapo:

I can honestly say that it was one of the most amazing things I have ever done. Walking up the long set of stairs and seeing the massive cast iron dome from the inside really puts into perspective how remarkable the dome really is. Close to nine million pounds, the dome seems to sit like a crown atop its queen and you can easily tell why it’s one of the most recognizable pieces of architecture in the United States. The domes beauty is unrivaled and venturing to the top was a truly moving experience.

After the long hike up the inner part of the dome, and seeing down into the capitol rotunda along the way, we finally reached the best part of our tour which was going outside on top of the dome. This was by far the pinnacle of the tour, and standing on the highest point in Washington, D.C. where you could be outside was astonishing. It is the best view of Washington, D.C., and its surrounding areas without a doubt. The views were so incredible, and I felt very fortunate to have been able to go on the tour.

Check out my Slide Show!

Super Social Idaho Delegation Intern Pizza and Paddleboat Mixer

Sun shining, birds chirping, ants invading. . . . It was a memorable mixer on the green by the Jefferson Memorial where interns from the offices of Senator Craig, Senator Crapo, Congressman Sali and the Department of Interior gathered to eat Dominoes Pizza, socialize and race paddleboats on the Jefferson Tidal Basin.

Top 10 Most Memorable Moments include:

10. Poor directions getting people lost on the way to the event.

9. Ants colonizing in the Dominos Pizza boxes.

8. Interns unintentional picturesque poses.

7. Cheer Coach Rachel taking lots of cheesy pictures (She hates being “that person,” but you’ll thank her later!).

6. Lazy 3rd wheels (MJ, Rachel, Jenny, Amara, and Anna) on some of the paddleboats who leisurely enjoyed the ride while the operators burned their gluteus maximi.’

5. Paddle Boat of old professionals kicking everyone’s trash in the race. . .

4. . . . Everyone that is, except for Alex and Ashley who discovered the art of paddling backwards for speed.

3. Everyone breaking all but 3 of the Paddle Boating Rules.

2. The synchronized boating.

1. MJ singing the Star-Spangled Banner, hand over heart with the Washington and Jefferson Monuments in the background.