After a breakfast, complete with special hot chocolate from the Aunties, we started out on a long walk around Washington to see a few of the memorials. The first one we came to was the Iwo Jima memorial. It was over cast and mild perfect weather for walking around to see a few sites.
I had been talking with Carlie and Donny about this memorial since we could see it from our hotel. I had explained how the memorial was a reminder of the Marines who fought for our freedom during WWII and how Uncle Jay was a Marine. When we reached the memorial she reminded me, "Big, big, big, Uncle Jay with the flag." Oh well, we'll have to expand on that lesson later.
A nice man volunteered to take our picture together. Its tough to get pictures of us all together so I'm adding it in here.
This is a very little known memorial we found near the Iwo Jima memorial which was a gift from the Netherlands in appreciation of the American aid in WWII. It was basically a bell tower with 50 bells at the top. It must be beautiful to hear.
Two lions were guarding the bell tower entrance.
Uncle Jeff and Aunt Cheryl were just here a few weeks ago delivering all the wreaths from Maine.
The vast expanse of Arlington National Cemetery is indescribable and the sense of loss, sacrifice, responsibility and gratitude is over whelming.
"When your children shall ask there fathers in time to come saying, What mean these stones? Then ye shall let your children know..."
The entrance to Arlington
Walking to the Lincoln memorial and Washington monument.
Seabees monument along the way.
He walked all those steps, with a little help.
The Gettysburg Address is one the wall to the left of Lincoln.
Amazing stained glass in the ceiling.
This painting is above the Gettysburg Address representative of Lincolns great of work of ending slavery in the country.
On the wall to the right of Lincoln is his last address to the Union.
Beautiful words and a sharp contrast to the political speeches we hear today.
"Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers set."
