DC: Day Three, Pt 1--Monuments & Memorials

Day Three was to be our last day of going into the city. So once again I woke up the kids at the crack of dawn, with the idea that we would walk around and see all the monuments before it got too hot.

First of all, I can't believe how hot it was at 7:30 in the morning. Second of all, while I had researched walking the monuments, I somehow greatly underestimated how long it would take us. I had planned to be done by around 10; instead, I think we finished around 12:30. It was a Herculean effort--esp. after two long days of hiking around the city, so bodies were starting the day tired. But have I mentioned my kids are troopers? They really proved their mettle this morning, and did their Mom proud. 

One of the best parts of the walk--so many wonderful photo ops along the way!

I'm sure it really irks some people that such sentiments are chiseled into our nation's very foundations. I love it. 

While we were at the Jefferson Memorial there was a wedding photo shoot going on. I had fun capturing the moment too. 

I had not realized there was a monument to FDR. I mean, after seeing his mark ALL over the country (is there any National Park the CCC did not work in?), and knowing his role during WWII I am not surprised. Still, it was interesting to notice how extensive and interactive his monument was--makes it seem very modern, and yet it felt forgotten at the same time (we saw lots of people at the other monuments, but only a couple here). 

These are all taken at FDR's monument!  And these are only some of the statues and walls recording his words.

Great words now from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Korean War memorial was eerie--very effective in emotional imagery.

Fascinating to see a wreath representing people from South Korea thanking America.  We saw similar wreaths at other memorials too. Made me wonder--do we ever make similar gestures to the memorials in other countries? To show respect and/or gratitude? Probably not--I think we as a nation are more likely to view ourselves as the heroes than those having needed rescue. In other words, we are naturally pretty full of ourselves. But I hope I'm wrong--I'd love to know.

This was a fascinating intersection--a Chinese tour guide translating this inscription for his party. I really wondered what they were thinking. 

And while we were there a special ceremony was clearly beginning!  Oh, I would have loved to stay and observe--but after it was clear they were settling in for a long proceedings and there was no indication of when it would actually begin, we decided to move on. So much to see and do in our last day in D.C.--and we were only half-way around the monuments!

DC: Day Two, Pt 4--The Air & Space Museum

After our tour of the Capitol, we were back to the Mall to meet my parents at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

The Spirit of St. Louis! (Of course we had watched the movie beforehand, so seeing the real plane would be meaningful.)

GEEK OUT!

There was a whole room at the museum of hands-on, fun & interactive exhibits. Like an Exploratorium focused on physics of air & space flight.  Only two of my kids spent time here--the other two were exploring the greater museum and never realized this was here. Oh well!  Again, good thing I had learned my lesson about setting aside the Ideal Homeschool D.C. Experience and was just thankful to be there , appreciating every experience, and calling all learning equally good. : )

The kids enjoyed riding the Metro every day. And liked it best when it was packed at rush hour! (But of course I didn't dare take a photo then!)

I took several photos that week of the Metro escalator at our hotel stop--it was so high and so steep.

Terrible photo, but trying to capture the optical illusion--the escalator was so steep that it played tricks on the brain. Here I tried to show that by turning the camera so that the railing is level, and then it looks like everybody is standing but leaning way back. 

Back at the hotel, trying on the souvenirs we got at the Capitol. That was my favorite gift shop in all of D.C!  Good quality items at very reasonable prices, and everything in the shops was made in the U.S.  THE place to get t-shirts!  And I had promised the kids they could each pick out one souvenirs on the road trip--Smiley got his stuffed manatee down in Florida, and now the girls decided they wanted t-shirts. Perfect. 

DC: Day Two, Pt 3--The Capitol

A tour of the Capitol building was one thing that I did schedule in advance. And, surprisingly, this ended up being one of our favorite parts of the Washington D.C. trip. 

Trying to capture the iconic profile. 

Passing by the Supreme Court building across the street--one building we did not have time to try to investigate. But we were sure aware of the hubbub surrounding the nominations going on at that time!

?!

Did I mention it was really hot in D.C.? And yet somehow we were never overwhelmed with heat. Maybe because, like this security dog, we tried to stay hydrated. One thing I will say for our nation's capitol: lots of drinking fountains. Normally we carry water bottles with us, but some buildings--like the Capitol building--don't allow water bottles to be brought in, so we had to rely upon drinking fountains. We made a rule that when you see a drinking fountain and a bathroom you use them. That practical habit stayed with us the whole rest of the road trip around the US!

The old Supreme Court chamber, now hidden down in the bowels of the Capitol building.

Underneath the Rotunda, in the Crypt. Our guide, in the red blazer, graduated from UCSC! What are the odds?

Statuary all around. I didn't know that each state gets to have two statues in the building, depicting their chosen heroes of the state. Sometimes a state will change its mind as public views swing, and will swap out one statue for another--looking around, it was pretty clear to me which were more recent additions (female, ethnic, black American, etc.--I'd love to be wrong about any of those!) and it was fun to analyze the states' choices. Some were famous figures we recognized, and some we'd never heard of but who I'd love to research. Some were surprising--and some were especially beautiful. Here is a link if anyone wants to look them up with me.  

Not a great pic, but just quick documentation one of my favorite things from our long road trip; throughout the US, anytime we were on a tour, Smiley would always make his way through the crowds to the side of the park ranger or tour guide leading us. I loved that--not only did he always hear everything said, but he was demonstrating his enthusiasm for the experience. And it was adorable, since he would chat with the guide along the way. : )

First view of the Rotunda.

As our guide discussed the paintings in the Rotunda, he said most people think this iconic painting of the signing of the Declaration of Independence depicts the most important moment to our nation.

But our guide argued that this painting, depicting George Washington resigning the Presidency, reflects the most important moment in American history--when Washington chose not to become a new American king, and gave up all the power because he didn't want it, and because he knew doing so would be best for our country. So that totally made me cry, for several reasons. Washington was, I believe, a Divinely appointed leader. He was certainly not a perfect man--his roles and actions during the French & Indian wars certainly disappoint our modern idealism of him--but he was the perfect leader for that moment in our nation's history. Maybe because I've been so aware of God's Provision and Timing on this trip, but I felt strongly that day, considering the guide's argument, that Washington was a rare leader, in spirit a servant-leader, and God put him into position at just the moment when our fledgling nation needed him. 

(And yes, that logic then supposes that God desired the creation of the U.S., which is why He would rise up a Washington to help make it happen. I do believe this is true, and that America at her best is a tool for God's work in the world. At her worst. . . sigh. Lord, please continue to raise up the leaders we need to be a tool of your Love and Mercy and Justice in the world.)

I also cried because I seriously love when politically liberal Americans get all emotional & patriotic, like me. : ) I'm familiar with such expressions from the conservative community--our travels through the U.S. were fascinating for comparing different areas of the country with their political expressions and values--but don't see them as much from the liberal community, and in the midst of the currently depressing level of animosity between "sides," I love seeing expressions that show we still have a core connection and some common values that may yet keep us united.  

(I've been contemplating if patriotism manifests differently in different political ways of thinking--and one reason why the opposite sides have a hard time understanding one another, notably why conservatives accuse liberals of being un-patriotic, is simply because patriotism means different things to each group, and is thus expressed in ways that the other might not recognize or identify with. But maybe they have the same core? Might be helpful to recognize this, if true--would help build bridges.)

(Final side note--my favorite July Fourth celebration is Wilder Ranch State Park there north of Santa Cruz, because they read aloud the Declaration and we together raise the flag and say the pledge and I get all weepy for that moment of unity, in such an uber-liberal and anti-Christian area. In that moment we are not any specific religious or political affiliation or any other label that can serve to separate us--we are just Americans, united in celebration of that common identity.)   

Waxing politic. Hey, what's to be expected from a trip to D.C.? 

Did I mention we were listening to the musicals 1776 and Hamilton on the road trip? Both very good in their own ways, and great for discussion--but the song One Last Time

in Hamilton, when Washington announces he is stepping down, is one of my favorites. I wonder if Lin-Manuel Miranda had the same tour guide as we did when he was researching for the musical. ; )

Our guide showed his liberal bent when he essentially apologized for these friezes, which are no longer considered P.C. for how they depict the first interactions of European whites and Native Americans. I don't support erasing our history, but definitely taking a good, contemplative look at it.  

Inside the old Senate Chamber.

Passing the chambers of the Speaker of the House.

In Statuary Hall.

Father Junipero Serra! 

Gorgeous.

Gorgeous--what a beautiful, creative way to depict an engineer. Not sure it is accurate to the man himself, but definitely one of my favorite statues there.

I seriously love analyzing the different statues. This one is fabulously dynamic. 

"I'm just a bill, yeah I'm only a bill, and I'm sitting here on Capitol Hill."