When I was in Austin and planning things to do, I remembered an experience from a trip I had taken a few years earlier, where I met a couple that had a goal to visit all of the State Capitol buildings in the U.S.  This is exactly the kind goal that I love, a travel check list.  So when in Texas I decided to start doing that.  I had already visited Massachusetts and then afterwards went to Utah and New Jersey.  But I hadn’t toured Washington’s.  One of my friend’s lived in Olympia for a long time and I walked around the grounds or walked along the park on the water a number of times with her, but I never actually went inside.  So on Tuesday my mom and I went down.  I intentionally saved it for the Fall when the leaves would be turning.  I just really love this whole area.  It is so beautiful with the water and trees and then the building itself is so beautiful too.  I really love the architecture of the Capitol’s.  The tour was really interesting.  There is sooo much marble everywhere inside.  I love the grand staircases with the sweeping view up the cupola and the huge chandelier that weighs 3 tons.  There are something like 1,000+ light fixtures all made by Tiffany.  After the tour we got some lunch and then walked around the park on the water.  And then of course stopped at Shipwreck beads on the way home.  It was such a beautiful day!