Museums & Monuments

 
Bryce's day started with a trip to Arlington cemetery.  This spot is where President Kennedy is buried along with several family members.  That is the eternal flame to the right.
 

This is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The band had made arrangements to lay a wreath at the tomb.  The precision of the marching of the guards was very impressive to the band. 

A great shot of the White House.

The band also went to the Lincoln Memorial.

Meanwhile back on the family trip - after a delicious meal at the breakfast buffet at the Marriott (which set a new gold standard for "breakfast included" at hotels previously held by Embassy Suites) we headed over to the American History Museum on the mall.  This is one of the Smithsonian museums. Did you know all the Smithsonian museums have free admission? 

You know you are old when the toys you played with as a kid are in a museum.  I have a Barbie doll just like this one.  She was my first Barbie and I still have her.

Dan said he had a mower like this one when he was growing up.

Kermit the Frog.  I still love the Muppets.

There was a money exhibit which had this $100,000 bill on display.  Adam was impressed.  We later learned at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing that a $100 is the largest denomination in circulation today.

A commemorative Golden Spike - from when the railroad tracks met from the east and west in Utah completing the railroad across America.

This was an interesting find.

This was outside the Star Spangled Banner exhibit where we saw the original flag that Francis Scott Key watched as he wrote the words to our national anthem.  No pictures are allowed inside the exhibit to help preserve the flag material.  This is a "do not miss" stop at the museum.

This is the original light bulb that Thomas Edison made.  We think of Thomas Edison discovering electricity, but actually he was the first to create an incandescent light bulb that would allow people to have light in their homes.

This is a statue of George Washington that used to be outside on the mall, but the citizens did not think it was appropriate due to his manner of dress.  What Dan found quite interesting was that he is holding his right arm to the square, and that he is presenting a sword - sheathed and handle first - as if handing the power to the people rather than retaining it for himself.

An sunstone from the original Nauvoo Temple which was destroyed.  I remember seeing this in 1999 when we last visited - before the Nauvoo Temple was rebuilt.

A commemorative plate of the Nauvoo Temple.

Alexander Graham Bell's big box telephone.  It was on this phone that he spoke the famous words, "Mr. Watson, come here.  I need you."

A very early ether machine.  Early anesthesia!  Quite interesting to Dan.

The ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz.

We found this lunchbox on display in the cafeteria.  Since Bryce and Adam are big fans of NCIS, Dan thought they would enjoy seeing where "Ducky" got his start in the Man from U.N.C.L.E.

And the last thing we tracked down was Abraham Lincoln's hat which he was wearing on the night he was assassinated.  It was a whirlwind tour of the American History Museum, but it is one of my favorites.

We had a tour at 2:00 pm, so we walked quickly back to the hotel (Adam was my driver), and got ready for our personal tour of Washington DC.

We met up with Bill Thomas in our lobby.  He is a writer.  He has written some books and used to write for the Washington Post.  Bill even spent 11 years in Moscow on assignment.  He was fascinating and full of history, insights, and fun facts.  We hopped in the limo with our driver and Bill gave us a running commentary of what we were seeing and some interesting behind the scenes stories as well. 

We started at the World War II memorial.

 

Here we are with Bill at the Memorial.  He told us the history of how the memorial was built and some of the symbolism behind it.

Next was the Thomas Jefferson Memorial.  Bill took us to the back of the statue of Jefferson and pointed out that just under his robes are a stack of books, corn and tobacco.  These represent who Jefferson was - a gentleman farmer and self-educated man.  Jefferson's library was so extensive, it was the impetus for the Library of Congress.  He had over 5000 books when he died.  Can you imagine 5000 books in that day??  That would be amazing even today.

Security was very tight around the Jefferson Memorial.  It is hard to see in the picture, but it is directly south of the White House and therefore a point from which the White House is vulnerable.  Thus security is heightened during the week of Independence Day.

Here are some better shots of the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial.  Bill told us that the commission for creating the statue was given to a company in China.  An American monument made in China!  When it arrived, people felt the face of King looked "too Chinese" so it was sent back for some changes, but Bill felt it still looked the same.  He also pointed out that the stance of Dr. King was very much like the statues found in the communist countries with arms folded, a "manifesto" clutched in one hand and a stern look on his face.  It was an interesting background on the statue.

In the area around the statue were several great quotes.  Evidently the King family wanted several million dollars to allow the quotes to be used and finally settled for $800,000.  Hard to believe they wanted money for a memorial honoring their father.  Regardless, the quotes were great.  This one says, "We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."

This one says, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that.  Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that."  Whether you supported his beliefs or not, these quotes are great.

Next was the Iwo Jima memorial in Arlington Cemetery.  Did you know one of the Marines in the photo from which the memorial was created was from Arizona?  The photo was actually taken before the battle was won.  Several of the men in the picture did not survive the battle.  It is sobering to drive through Arlington Cemetery and see endless rows of headstones honoring those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

Adam and Bill by the Korean War Memorial.  The wall says, "Freedom is not free."

The Korean War Memorial

At the Lincoln Memorial, Adam was interested to look at Lincoln's hands.  He had been told one hand was showing an "L" in sign language and the other was showing an "A" (for Abraham Lincoln).  So that was the first thing we studied as we approached the statue.  We decided it was a bit of a stretch to see an "A" or "L"in his hands, but it was a nice thought anyway.  One myth busted with personal observation.

The view down the mall from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial looking towards the Washington Monument and the Capitol building beyond that.

Adam briefly contemplated sliding down the wall of the Lincoln Memorial like his sister, Lindsay, did 13 years ago.  But he did not want to get reprimanded by the guards as Lindsay experienced.

The Vietnam memorial.  I like how the people walking by the wall are reflected on its surface.  You can see the names of those that died in the war on you as you pass along the wall.

A statue honoring those who served in Vietnam.

Bill took us to the back of the statue.  He said he liked the tender hand the soldier on the right and placed on the soldier in the center.  Very touching.

The day was very hot, so having a personal tour guide along with a limo and driver was the only way to see all the monuments.  We finished our 4-hour tour with a brief stop at the National Portrait Gallery which has on display the portraits of each of our presidents.  While they are not the originals (we later learned the originals are the property of the White House), it was great to see them all in one place.  It was a great exhibit of the presidents.  Dan had Adam stand in front of this portrait of Washington.  It's as if President Washington is saying, "And I present to you, Adam Dahl!"

This portrait (the original that is) was saved by Dolly Madison when the first White House burned down.  She had the servants take it off the wall, break the frame and then cut the canvas from the frame.  She rolled it up and carried it out, saving it from the fire.

After the Gallery, we were delivered back to our hotel.  We took this picture of the lobby all adorned in patriotic decorations.  Even the fresh flowers were red, white and blue.

We took a much need break from the busy day.  Adam was very happy to be back in the hotel.  But as soon as he was rested, he was ready to head out again. 

A night shot from our window.

Adam wanted to see if he could find any geocaches nearby.  He found some on the computer, so he and Dan headed downstairs to print some off.

They walked to Ford's Theatre (where Lincoln was assassinated) and found a small geocache there.  Geocaches can be anywhere - not just in the forest!

Adam checking his coordinates.

A light rain was falling as they headed back to the hotel.  What a full day!