National Harbor

May 18, 2010: Betty was at the Gaylord National for the Deltek convention, so we took the opportunity to visit National Harbor and meet her for lunch. We had avoided visiting National Harbor ever since we got wind of their astronomical parking rates. We were pleased to see that the parking rates have been, as the late Johnny Carson would say, "Marked down to retail." Both National Harbor and the Gaylord feel like Las Vegas without any casinos.

We've had mixed feelings about National Harbor ever since it finagled The Awakening away from its home on Hains Point.









In this view from the harbor, the Gaylord hotel is on the right and the large "sail" center left is actually the window architecture that wraps around a corner of the Westin Hotel:
We had lunch at Grace's Mandarin,












During lunch, the Nina's Dandy (foreground) and the Spirit of Mount Vernon passed by:

In the Gaylord atrium:









Sand sculptors are a daily event in the hotel atrium:












The atrium fountain also provides entertainment: