Sights of DC

Once Convention ended, John and I spent a few days exploring DC. Such history in the city...I spent a good amount of time wiping tears from my eyes and it wasn't because of the heat! It humbled me to think of the sacrifices our forefathers made to give US the rights we have as Americans.

One day we took the water taxi from the Gaylord to Old Alexandria. A short but beautiful trip across the Potomac to the VA side.The water taxi goes under the Woodrow Wilson Bridge that we watched being built on Discovery channel so that was pretty cool! We explored King Street, stopping in shops that interested us. Soaked up the charm of the old buildings. Took pics of the cool brick patterns that were so different everywhere. Ended up on the King St trolley which took us to the Metro station and once we finally figured out how to purchase tickets to go to Arlington, we were off. This was one of my "must see's." I'd seen it in '74 when I was a jaded 14 year old with mom and dad, Kathy and Jan on a family vacay. I knew it all and had zero desire to be there with the fam. Arlington opened my jaded eyes. These men and women DIED for ME and we didn't even know their names. It made me cry during the changing of the guard just thinking about it then. And I cried again when I saw the changing of the guard this time. Twenty one steps. Pause for twenty one seconds. Turn. Move the rifle to the shoulder that's away from the tomb. Twenty one steps. Pause for twenty one seconds. Turn. For thirty minutes at a time. Twenty four hours a day. Seven days a week. Three hundred sixty five days a year. In rain, wind, heat, snow. Paying tribute to those fallen men who died unknown but to God. The dedication of the Old Guard. Simply amazing. Those rows upon rows upon rows of gravestones, all in a line, no matter what angle you look at them. So humbling. You can help but be affected. And of course, JFK's grave and the Eternal Flame.