Happy Father's Day! For real this time. I've checked several calendars and I can confirm that today is Father's Day.
Saturday was our last day in Washington, DC and it started out with a bang…of thunder, and a flash of lightning. We had purposely not scheduled too much for today, so we could do anything that we had missed or not had enough time for.
We were going to go to the National Archives to see the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution a few days ago, but we didn’t have time for it that day, so that was our priority. The minute we left the condo to drive into the city, it started raining. We parked near the Air and Space Museum, so we made a quick trip over to there to see a few things that we hadn’t already, and then walked across the Mall to the Archives. By the time we got there, to wait in the 45+ minute line, the rain was really starting to come down. Then came several loud crashes of thunder and flashes of lightning. At this point, the kids were begging to go home, but we pressed on…and got soaked! There was even a vendor in a van parked 50 feet away selling ice cream (at 9:30 am) and umbrellas. So I bought one to go with the one Laura had, but by then, we were pretty wet. It was amazing to see the number of people willing to wait outside in a thunderstorm for a chance to view the documents.
They are a lot more strict at the Archives than they were when we were here 16 years ago, but it is still amazingly cool to see these historic documents. The Declaration is very faded and barely legible anymore, (really, all you could read was John Hancock’s famous signature!) but the Constitution is still very readable. The Rotunda also houses a copy of the Magna Carta, and documents having to do with the Louisiana Purchase, the 14th Amendment, the Women’s Suffrage movement, the Articles of Confederation, and more.
By the time we were done, the sun was out and it was starting to get hot and humid outside. We had a nice lunch at a café in the National Sculpture Garden on the Mall, then it was back to the car to go over to Arlington National Cemetery. Kirsten has some great-grandparents who are buried there, so we were actually able to get a pass to drive way into the cemetery. After visiting their graves, we used our pass to park close to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers and walked up to see that. We got really lucky, because they actually did the changing of the guard ceremony while we were there. Very impressive, and so precise with their marching. We also walked over to see the grave of President John F. Kennedy, which is nearby.
After the cemetery, we drove over to the Marine Corps Memorial, also know as the Iwo Jima memorial. Almost everyone has seen this one in pictures or on TV. It’s a very neat memorial and even bigger and more awe-inspiring up close.
We then decided to go see some of the memorials on the Mall in the daylight, since we had only seen them at night when we took the tour a couple of days ago. It took us a while to find a parking spot, but we eventually did and started our walk to the Mall. There were several events going on there today, so there were tons and tons of people out enjoying the sunshine. We went back to see the World War II memorial and many people had their feet in the water to cool off.
From there we walked to the Washington Monument, only to find out that the day’s tickets were gone, so we couldn’t go up inside it. We got some cool pictures of it though. By this time the wind had kicked up considerably, which was welcome in the heat. After that it was the Lincoln Memorial and the Korean War Memorial. Finally, we were starving and ready for dinner, but not before I managed to drive for 15 minutes only to end up going 10 miles in a complete circle while trying to get back to Alexandria. Did I mention that the road signs leave a little to be desired here? Man, it’s making me crazy!
Today, it’s south to Colonial Williamsburg.
(Kirsten’s nickel) Our time in Washington DC has been wonderful. We feel very blessed that the weather has been mostly cooperative. And with the exception of the fact that people really like to honk their horns here, the people have been wonderful too. Security personnel and other employees are friendly and chatty, and all the tourists are so respectful of each other. Every time you try to walk ten feet in a museum, or in a monument, you realize you are about to walk through someone’s picture taking - or else you’re the one trying to get a picture between walkers! – but everyone is gracious: “no, you go ahead” “no, it’s fine”, etc. Plenty of smiles and thank you’s and excuse me’s. Every line you stand in, you can hear conversations around you that are not in English, a reminder that this is not just important for Americans.
Two other things I wanted to share: yes, singing the National Anthem at the Nationals game was just as goosebump-provoking as I suspected it would be. There are plenty of military folks in the area, too, so you are very aware of those who keep us free. The scoreboard TV at the park got a shot of some soldiers from Walter Reed Army Hospital attending the game, and the crowd gave them a standing ovation.
The other thing that struck me was the fact that we were visiting Arlington National Cemetery at the end of our time here. Washington DC is a mix of monuments and government buildings – reminders of our history, and how we got here, alongside the businesses of those who make it all work today. And visiting Arlington, and especially the Tomb of the Unknowns, is a reminder of those who have fought to give this nation a chance, and those who fought to keep it together, and those who fought to protect it from threat, and those who fought to give others the same freedom we enjoy. For those who have worn the uniform, and for those who wear it now, I am more grateful than ever.
Have a blessed Sunday. Thanks for checking in!
They are a lot more strict at the Archives than they were when we were here 16 years ago, but it is still amazingly cool to see these historic documents. The Declaration is very faded and barely legible anymore, (really, all you could read was John Hancock’s famous signature!) but the Constitution is still very readable. The Rotunda also houses a copy of the Magna Carta, and documents having to do with the Louisiana Purchase, the 14th Amendment, the Women’s Suffrage movement, the Articles of Confederation, and more.
By the time we were done, the sun was out and it was starting to get hot and humid outside. We had a nice lunch at a café in the National Sculpture Garden on the Mall, then it was back to the car to go over to Arlington National Cemetery. Kirsten has some great-grandparents who are buried there, so we were actually able to get a pass to drive way into the cemetery. After visiting their graves, we used our pass to park close to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers and walked up to see that. We got really lucky, because they actually did the changing of the guard ceremony while we were there. Very impressive, and so precise with their marching. We also walked over to see the grave of President John F. Kennedy, which is nearby. 
After the cemetery, we drove over to the Marine Corps Memorial, also know as the Iwo Jima memorial. Almost everyone has seen this one in pictures or on TV. It’s a very neat memorial and even bigger and more awe-inspiring up close.
We then decided to go see some of the memorials on the Mall in the daylight, since we had only seen them at night when we took the tour a couple of days ago. It took us a while to find a parking spot, but we eventually did and started our walk to the Mall. There were several events going on there today, so there were tons and tons of people out enjoying the sunshine. We went back to see the World War II memorial and many people had their feet in the water to cool off. 
From there we walked to the Washington Monument, only to find out that the day’s tickets were gone, so we couldn’t go up inside it. We got some cool pictures of it though. By this time the wind had kicked up considerably, which was welcome in the heat. After that it was the Lincoln Memorial and the Korean War Memorial. Finally, we were starving and ready for dinner, but not before I managed to drive for 15 minutes only to end up going 10 miles in a complete circle while trying to get back to Alexandria. Did I mention that the road signs leave a little to be desired here? Man, it’s making me crazy!
Today, it’s south to Colonial Williamsburg.
(Kirsten’s nickel) Our time in Washington DC has been wonderful. We feel very blessed that the weather has been mostly cooperative. And with the exception of the fact that people really like to honk their horns here, the people have been wonderful too. Security personnel and other employees are friendly and chatty, and all the tourists are so respectful of each other. Every time you try to walk ten feet in a museum, or in a monument, you realize you are about to walk through someone’s picture taking - or else you’re the one trying to get a picture between walkers! – but everyone is gracious: “no, you go ahead” “no, it’s fine”, etc. Plenty of smiles and thank you’s and excuse me’s. Every line you stand in, you can hear conversations around you that are not in English, a reminder that this is not just important for Americans.
Two other things I wanted to share: yes, singing the National Anthem at the Nationals game was just as goosebump-provoking as I suspected it would be. There are plenty of military folks in the area, too, so you are very aware of those who keep us free. The scoreboard TV at the park got a shot of some soldiers from Walter Reed Army Hospital attending the game, and the crowd gave them a standing ovation.
The other thing that struck me was the fact that we were visiting Arlington National Cemetery at the end of our time here. Washington DC is a mix of monuments and government buildings – reminders of our history, and how we got here, alongside the businesses of those who make it all work today. And visiting Arlington, and especially the Tomb of the Unknowns, is a reminder of those who have fought to give this nation a chance, and those who fought to keep it together, and those who fought to protect it from threat, and those who fought to give others the same freedom we enjoy. For those who have worn the uniform, and for those who wear it now, I am more grateful than ever.
Have a blessed Sunday. Thanks for checking in!
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