Back in December of 2018, the family took a trip to Virginia and Washington DC. We went to pay our respects to my wife's grandma who was being laid to rest at Arlington next to her husband, Morris.
You can read that post here - https://esteem.app/travel/@inalittlewhile/laid-to-rest-at-arlington-trip-to-dc-december-2018
After the day of the funeral, we had a couple days remaining to do our best to see the many sites/sights Washington DC has to offer. It's absolutely crazy to see these very same monuments defaced only a year and a half later.
The Jefferson Memorial
We came upon the Jefferson Memorial as daylight was giving way to darkness. This twilight pic turned out much better than expected from a Galaxy S9. I had no idea at the time how powerful a pic it would be.
I hadn't been to DC since I was 12 years old and on a Boy Scout summer trip. It had been since 1984 for myself and it was the first time our boys had the experience.
Inside the Thomas Jefferson Memorial sits an enormous statue of the man who earned its honor. For perspective, there's a pic below of our son Devin standing in front of the statue.
Great plaques built into the architecture of the walls contain portions of Jefferson's writings. These are some of the philosophies the USA was built upon.
To say the man was an incredible influence on the world today would be an understatement. He definitely didn't stand for oppression as some now seem to believe.
As we left the Jefferson Memorial, we had a great view of another monument we never visited. The Washington Memorial all lit up at night.
We were able to get a bit closer in the daylight hours though.
The Smithsonian
If you've never been to DC, there are several different Smithsonian Museums to visit. You could spend a month there and not see all that the different museums have to offer.
Our first entry was to the Museum of Natural History. I only captured a few pics of different animals because our little one decided to run off.
That museum is not the place to lose a child. A three family search party located him in short order.
We did also visit the Aerospace Museum but my phone didn't make it out of my pocket. Perhaps the battery was too low. Bummer.
The White House
After having a quick sushi snack at a pricey restaurant, we realized we were only blocks from the White House. Once there, our son Devin was swearing that every fourth person was an undercover agent. He may have been correct.
My wife's father, interestingly enough, was in the Old Guard who's responsible in part for protecting the White House. Those guys don't mess around. You can see the mounting turrets on the roof of the building.
The pic above stood out to me with the White House partially blocked by trees and the Washington Monument in the background.
The US Marine Corp War Memorial
A memorial that stands out as much of the telling of American history has been depicted by it. Whether for good or ill, it stands out in the minds of nearly every American.
The Lincoln Memorial
A monument that marks a major turning point in the history of this great melting pot we call our home. I believe the work is unfinished and I hope more men like Lincoln stand up to shed light onto this entire land.
The immense size of the Lincoln Memorial can't help but be wondered at as you approach. I missed the Vietnam Memorial due to way too many people already posing for pictures, but it's just to the right before the Lincoln Memorial.
Looking for a workout? Try running a few sets of these steps!
And we had to get one with the family in it, despite the masses of tourists battling for pole position.
You might remember this sight from a movie, or a rally, or some old newspaper. It's another one that's etched in the minds of every American. It's exactly what you see when you walk down the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
Memories To Cherish For A Lifetime
It was a somber trip but one filled with the richest of experiences for all of us. To finish off the post, I'll leave with this image.
Us.....standing and looking across the beautiful landscape of Virginia with the JFK Eternal Flame Memorial behind us....giving us hope.
Hope you enjoyed and.....
Happy Hiveing!!!
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