Our Vacation Part 2

Wednesday found us Arlington National Cemetery. What an amazing place. It's quite moving to see all those headstones and know that many of them died while in service to our country. The stones range from small marble (which is paid for by the Cemetery) to huge statues and monuments. We visited the graves of the Kennedy's and saw the eternal flame. The tomb of the Unknown's and witnesed the Changing of the Guard. WOW!!! I've seen it before..in 1987, and its still a very moving ceremony. A few facts about the guards that I found interesting, they are all about 6 feet tall, wear wool uniforms year around (because that material holds a crease the best) and their belts are 2 sized too small (to assit with their posture). They have never left their post, even during the worst hurricanes.
After Arlington we took the metro downtown to near the White House. First we stopped to take pictures of the Treasury Department. My mom worked there before I was born. It was very neat to see. Mom told me that there is a tunnel that connects the Treasurey Dept to the White House. When she worked there one day Vice Presidnet came thru the tunnel and she got to meet him. Next we walked over to view the White House. It's nice, but not as big as the pictures make it seem.. or we just coudn't see that much of it.. not sure which.
Our journey's next took us tot he National Archives, where we got to see the original Constitution, its 13 pages long and pretty faded.. hmm wonder why after all these years ;)
The Decleration of Independance is also on display along with Shaq's shoe. Yep, not quite sure why its in the National Archives but it's there. It was signed and given to Bush.
Next we trecked on over to The National Portrait Gallery and American Art Gallery. This was nice, but honestly, after walking all day long, it wasn't my favorite Museums. The Pictures are huge and amaging. The detail in many of them rivel any artest today. We got to see 4 Emmy Awards from Katherine Hepbern and a really neat painted portoriat of her. And of course all the presidents.
Dinner was at the famous Ben's Chili Bowl. Very good and not so pricy. Highly recommended if your in the area.

(getting ready to leave DC and head to NC to visit my cousin Christy and her family.. can't wait to see them, so I'll finishour DC update tonight or tomorrow)