Washington DC, Day 2

Day 2 got off to a good start.  Mary met us at our door at 8 am and drove us to the Amish Market for breakfast.  As soon as we walked in the door, we knew we had come to the right place.  As Dad said, you could gain weight just by breathing the air.

Dad's pancakes are bigger than his head.  He could only finish half of them!

So many delicious cakes and candies.  I walked out with a soft pretzel for later.

After breakfast, Mary dropped us off at our first (and my favorite) stop of the day:  the Lincoln Memorial.  The Memorial is one of those places that is incredibly difficult to capture in pictures or even words.  I just love looking at his face and imagining who he was, really.

Then we walked the National Mall and visited many of the other monuments along the way.  First off was the Korean War Memorial.  I have a feeling it would be well worth it to see it at night, when the soldiers look more life-like.

The Thomas Jefferson Memorial, from afar.  We didn't have the stamina to walk to it today.

The new Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, which faces the Jefferson Memorial.

The aquatic World War II Memorial.  I wish I knew more about it because there was a lot of symbolism that I didn't fully appreciate.

The Washington Monument, which is still closed for repairs from last year's earthquake.

Next, we went to the Holocaust Museum (no photos), which I actually remembered quite well from my eighth-grade trip to the capital in 1996.  Two Holocaust survivors were actually there, speaking with individuals.  This museum is still a favorite of mine for its message of hope.

Afterwards, on our way back around the Mall, Dad ran across a little friend (with some help from my pretzel).  I really was afraid the little guy would climb me like a tree to get to the food.

The same pretzel came in handy for luring ducks.

The Vietnam War Memorial.  Mom has a special place in her heart for this memorial, in part due to the television show China Beach that she watched in the 80s.  But Mom and Dad also gave me a better understanding today of what this war meant to their generation - so many of those who died were young men who didn't really choose to be there.

  

Finally, the day concluded at Arlington National Cemetery.  We saw the Kennedy's grave site, the tomb of the unknown soldier and the changing of the guard, and (Dad's favorite) the Arlington house (Lee's house).  

All in all, it was a great day.  Here's Mom and Dad looking tired on the Arlington Cemetery tour bus and a beautiful sunset from our apartment.

Updates from yesterday:  Dad did find beer in a wine and liquor store!  Maryland doesn't sell beer in grocery stores but does elsewhere.  That made Dad happy.  Oh, that and the show "Mountain Man" that he watched on the cable television last night.  Ha!