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!