Day 8 | Washington DC and the Memorials
Late start in Arlington with McKay and Jemmz going off to meet up with an internet acquaintance from West Virginia.
Angus, Rosie and O’Regan set out for the Marine Corps Memorial, marks the northern end of the Arlington National Cemetery and recreates the rallying picture of the flag raising on Suribachi in the Pacific Campaign of WW2. It is massive and has a view across the Potomac to the Washington Monument and the Capitol. The weather is warm today – massive change from yesterday. Today it is sweatshirts without ski jackets, hats and gloves.
Returning to the unit we reunited and all took the van over to view the monuments over in DC. Parking is a challenge and wherever you go there’s a major walk involved but at least it is flat and interesting. The park we finally found was outside the Roosevelt Memorial. The Memorial is a major one covering many challenges of his times – the Depression, WW2 and others and of course an area is set aside for the Eleanor Roosevelt. Walking form here there’s a lot of geese on the lake – thought they would have gone south for the winter.
Next around the line was Thomas Jefferson and the rotunda. Always impressive. The weather is so spectacular it makes the walk around a pleasure but the distances between them are deceptive because they are so massive.
We stopped for lunch at the Holocaust Museum Café and continued behind the big ‘stick’ as O’Regan refers to the Washington Monument. We got a pay and display and we realise we’re running out of time and there’s less than an hour before sundown. We stopped for a bit at a Food Truck row that was set up. Amazing the array of food and vendors here.
Onward down through the WW2 Memorial to the reflecting pool toward the Lincoln Memorial. The sun was just setting over the reflecting pool as we came down and it put the bare trees behind into silhouette as the colours changed. Lots of people lingering of the Lincoln steps watching the reflection of the Washington ‘stick’.
A quick detour through the dark Korean War and Martin Luther King memorials saw us back to the car and back to the unit.
Highlights:
Angus | The Marine Corp Memorial - stunning
Rosie | Sunset at the reflecting pool
Jemmz | Dallas’ visit from West Virginia
McKay | Seeing Thomas Jefferson’s Memorial looks just like in games
O’Regan | The Washington Monument – you can see it all the time
