The history of the city is just palpable. When we walked passed The House Where Lincoln Died, it was eerie to realize that so many scores ago Lincoln, himself, walked down that street. James gave us a plethora of knowledge as we walked around Capitol Hill. Our first stop was the quiet National Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism During WWII. This memorial sheds light on something that I don't remember learning too much about in school, one of the moments in our history that is looked back on as an error in judgment but deserves to be remembered. It brought to memory a heartfelt book, Snow Falling on Cedars, which tells the story of a Japanese American family that was sent to an internment camp during WWII.
After a jaunt around the truly magnificent Capitol building, we walked down The National Mall past The Smithsonian Castle and subsequent museums. (James Fact - The Smithsonian was funded by a British scientist in the 1800's who never set foot in America, but was enraptured by its history.) The air was cool and crisp as we walked past The Washington Monument (James Fact: The monument is actually two toned, as the stones used to build the structure about a third of the way up are different from the stones above them. The construction was halted during The Civil War, and by the time it was resumed, the stones in the quarry had changed composition.) As we reached the Reflecting Pool, I realized it is not as clear as you would imagine up close, but once you ascend the steps of The Lincoln Memorial and turn around ... the view beyond the Pool and Washington Monument all the way to The Capitol is awe inspiring. I also couldn't help but but hear "Forrest!" being yelled by Jenny, as I walked past this body of water immortalized in pop culture.
The Lincoln Memorial is really incredible, as I Have A Dream is etched into the summit. When you realize the scope of that speech, it is humbling. You stand where Martin Luther King, Jr. himself stood and imagine how powerful it must have been in 1963. Lincoln sat looming before all of us tourists in his memorial, but he was not intimidating. I really just wanted to stare at him, as he has always been an historical figure I would love to sit and chat with. He looks so stoic in every fuzzy, black and white photo of him ... but I always wanted to hear what was brewing underneath. (Stoic in every picture except one in The National Museum of American History, where he looks drunk. I really hope he was at the time, he deserved it).
We walked through the Korean War Memorial, which was really something. White statues roaming through the jungles of Korea, are poised in interia for all to see. It made me realize that I also don't know as much about that war as I wish I did. Our next stop was the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. I was struck by how many names are on that wall. (James Fact - The youngest name on that wall is a boy of only 15.) As the years have gone by, friends of the fallen have come to pay their respects and leave beer bottles, notes, motorcycle helmets, etc. in honor of their friends. All of these items are being put on display in their own little museum. To understand these men as people who rode motorcycles, drank with their friends, read books and had families and dreams is really inspirational.
The apex of our trip was our visit toThe White House. Now, I wish I can say that we sat down for a beer summit with Obama as Bo frolicked and Sasha and Malia played on their awesome monkey bars, but alas I can not. Although, we did get to walk around the grounds and gardens and get an up close and personal view of The White House. One thing we kept pointing out our whole time in DC, was that the buildings are all so stark white! It looks like they are white washed every week and The White House is no exception. The lawns are immaculate and the shrubbery is perfectly coiffed. And while there is no cabbage patch of kids in The Children's Garden, there are chubby hand and foot prints of the children of past presidents captured in cement. The Kitchen Garden was beautiful and something that Michelle Obama has really taken pride in as First Lady.
In the 2 1/2 days we were in DC, we took in a tremendous amount. We didn't make it to Arlington or hipster spot Georgetown, but we rode the metro, which looks like a space station, and drink at a few great bars, most notably The Dubliner and Kelly's Irish Times. It definitely is a city that I would love to visit again, a city that is home to some of the most important moments in our country's history.
