Real Raleigh

For our second day in The Tarheel State, we decided to check out the capital, Raleigh.  The heart of downtown Raleigh contains, not only the Capital building, but also two large museums. 

We decided to start at the North Carolina Museum of History, which is currently running a display on Thomas Day, a free black American furniture and cabinet maker from North Carolina.  We had seen a piece of his work the day before (I forgot to mention this part) when we had toured the historic Stagville plantation in Durham. 

 After finishing up at the museum, we felt like it was time for lunch.  On the recommendation of one of Shawn and Jessica's neighbors, we headed towards The Pit.  We had to stop outside the Capital building for some pictures.

 

 The Pit serves authentic North Carolina BBQ and since none of us had ever had authentic NC BBQ, we had to try it!  And it sure was delicious...beef brisket, pulled pork, chopped BBQ, Mac and Cheese, hushpuppies, etc, etc.

 After completely stuffing ourselves, it was time to head back to the heart of downtown and the other museum in the complex, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.  Our first stop: The Whales!

 There's a 20ft. waterfall...

 A solarium of dinosaur bones, including a one-of-a-kind skeleton of an Acrocanthosaurus...

And, of course, we had to pose with some of the bones...

 Even if it was unintentional.  Sometimes those are the best...