U S Holocaust Memorial Museum and War Memorials

Saturday was our day to SOAK our feet and give our legs a much needed REST!!!   

Sunday, Rich & I went BACK to the War Memorials we had seen on the Twilight Tour and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.  What can I say?? I'll let the pictures say it ALL!!

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Just ONE of the Exhibits

The exhibition is based on experiences of children who survived the Holocaust and who recorded what happened to them between 1933 and 1945. A MUST SEE for ALL ages! 

The Protocols

Although the exact origin of the Protocols is unknown, its intent was to portray Jews as conspirators against the state. In 24 chapters, or protocols, allegedly minutes from meetings of Jewish leaders, the Protocols "describes" the "secret plans" of Jews to rule the world by manipulating the economy, controlling the media, and fostering religious conflict.

Another EXCEPTIONAL Exhibit

A Reminder for ALL of us to NEVER let this tragedy be forgotten

Then we moved on to the World War II Memorial...

EACH Gold Star represents 100 American who died or remain missing

The wall holds 4,048 Gold Stars

View of the Fountain in the middle of the Memorial

The sign says "Please Respect the Memorial
No Wading,  No Coins

She had the nerve to WAVE as I took her picture

And the Vietnam War Veterans Memorial

EVERY Name is listed in a book at the Memorial that tells you WHICH WALL and WHICH LINE on the Wall you can find the name

The Three Soldiers

The Nurses

All I can say, our time in Washington DC was AMAZING and EXHAUSTING!!! 

Unfortunately, Tuesday morning, we had to say good bye to Dennis & Darlene, as they headed to Solomans, MD, not to meet up with us again UNTIL mid-October when they will return to Happy Trails.:(  Rich & I and Norm & Cheryl headed to Jersey City, New Jersey for OUR LAST week TOGETHER!!:(

Arlington Cemetery & Tour of the White House

Thursday, Rich & I rode the Metro train to Arlington Cemetery.  Another MUST SEE!!

Just a SMALL portion of Arlington Cemetery

Resting Place of John F Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and Two Kennedy Infants

The grave area is paved with irregular stones of Cape Cod granite, which were quarried about 150 years ago near the site of the President's home and were located by members of his family. Fescue and clover have been planted in the crevices to give the appearance of stones lying naturally in a Massachusetts field. 

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

View from Tomb of Unknown Soldier

21 Gun Salute done for Funeral Service while we were there

Friday was our day to tour the White House, thanks to Dennis.  HE fought ALL the red tape and made ALL the arrangements for U S Capitol tour AND the White House tour. So you can imagine our surprise when Darlene, HIS WIFE, and I, his friend, did NOT pass the security check!!!  WE had to go into the FENCED IN (REJECT) area to get further verification because our BIRTH DATES were WRONG!!! FINALLY, after 10 or 15 minutes, and verifying our birth dates with our social security number, they RELEASED us to join the group and stand in line for the tour. Ok, even Security said we can't blame Dennis. Once he sends in the information, SEVERAL DIFFERENT people have to input it into the computer and THAT'S where the mistake is USUALLY made!!
Unfortunately, they do not allow cameras in the White House so we have NO pictures!! BUT, I CAN tell you, the RED room is RED, the BLUE room is BLUE, AND the GREEN room is GREEN!! And NO we did not see the first family OR their dog, BO.
After the tour, Rich and I went to the Holocaust Museum, American History Museum, and Natural History Museum, ALL part of the Smithsonian. All 3 are MUST SEES when in Washington DC, BUT you have to be ready to do A LOT of WALKING!! EACH museum has 3 or 4 HUGE floors and LOTS of interesting STUFF!!! Remember, this is the SAME day as the White House Tour so we have NO pictures! Just LOTS of MEMORIES!!!

  

Washington DC Tour of U S Capitol

U S Capitol

Wednesday we had our scheduled tour of the US Capitol with our tour guide, Kyle,

Kyle

an intern with CA Congressman Dan Lungren’s office. We passed through Security with NO PROBLEMS when we first got into the Capitol Building. HOWEVER, Kyle took us through the basement/tunnel where we had to go through Security check AGAIN!! But THIS TIME, Norm got caught with his POCKET KNIFE!!! 

Norm, AFTER his pocket knife was taken away from him

Kyle had to go back to Security and was gone for a good 10 minutes! We thought he was getting 20 lashes for letting such a thing happen, but, in fact, he had to take the pocket knife BACK to Lungren’s office for safe keeping! 

Walking through the Capitol reminded me of my field trip in elementary school to the Capitol Building in Sacramento EXCEPT the rooms are a bit more elaborate.

Ceiling of Dome

Actual Spot where Lincoln's Desk Sat

This Explains the Next Picture

The Clock has been 5 min fast since 1837

Old Supreme Court Chamber

Old Senate Chamber

The 6 of Us with President Reagan

The next day Rich & I went to Arlington Cemetery. Another exceptional tour.

Washington DC

We left Front Royal VA June 20th in the rain and drove 90 miles North East to Cherry Hill RV Park in College Park, MD to begin our WONDERFUL 8 day tour of Washington DC. 

Happy Birthday, Rich!!!

Once we got set up and settled in we had cake & ice cream to celebrate Rich’s birthday!!!

The RV park is very nice and BIG!! It has a store, swimming pools, cafe, laundry, and even a hay ride, but WITHOUT the hay, every night that meanders through the park. Of Course, we HAD to take a ride!!!

  

Our 2nd night there, we took the Twilight Tour of Washington DC, and the tour bus picked us up right at the RV park.  AWESOME tour, BUT lots of WALKING!!

Here's Rich TRYING to open the gate to the White House

White House

Thomas Jefferson Memorial

Lincoln Memorial

Lincoln Memorial

Washington Monument

The Twilight Tour was REALLY PRETTY once it got DARK, but it was NOT a good time for pictures. By the time we got to the World War II and Korean War Memorials pictures just COULDN'T do them justice!!!!



And the story will continue....