Scratch another one off the "Bucket List"....

[thumper]

No jumping out of airplanes or terrorizing the motorists around Atlanta at 125 mph....

I am a huge history and Civil War buff and just wanted a few days to wander around the city of Washington D.C. and drink in as much history as I could.  I started out from Alpharetta, Georgia a week ago last Tuesday and spent the night in Alexandria, Virginia.  Since I was already south of the city I decided to start at Mt. Vernon, the home of our first president George Washington, and work my way north.



I was really taken back by the peaceful setting of this beautiful house sitting magestically on the banks of the Potomic River.



View from the front porch....



My next stop was Arlington National Cemetary...America's most hallowed ground



Beneath this monument lay the remains of over 2200 Union dead



My grandfather and grandmother are buried at Arlington and I wanted to find their graves.  I stopped at the Visitor's center and got their grave location but was not having any luck finding it. It was late in the day and their grave was all the way in the back and my feet and legs were really giving me a hard time so I was about to quit when a car pulled up and a lady asked if I was alright.  I told her I was fine but very frustrated at my inability to find their grave.  She told me that we would find it,  got out of her car, grabbed her cane, and started up the hill wandering aimlessly among the thousands of headstones.  Within minutes she said "There it is" and sure enough she had found it...almost like a guardian angel sent to help me.





JFK's grave

The next day I did the Mall and all of the monuments











Korean War Memorial



World War II Memorial



Vietnam Memorial

During the afternoon I wandered up to Ford's Theater and the Peterson House across the street where Lincoln died











I wandered by the White House





Couldn't help but feel that my sticking my hands through the fence to get these pictures drew the attention of the heavily armed security officer on the roof



Day three took me to the Capitol and the Library of Congress







The Supreme Court

I went back to Arlington a second time so I could tour Robert E. Lee's mansion.  I was extremely moved by the house and it's Civil War connection to Cemetary.  Basically, the Union was running out of places to bury their war dead so they confiscated Lee's mansion for unpaid taxes and started burying the dead in Mrs. Lee's rose garden.  This is how Arlington Cemetary was started.







The view from Lee's front porch

I had decided to make a quick run up to Philadelphia to see my mother and sister but stopped by the Wells Fargo Center to watch the Flyers play the Boston Bruins with my childhood friend Bill Shaffer who got us tickets in a VIP box...free hats, catered dinner, and open bar (sucks I can't drink anymore), only to watch one of the worst hockey games I've ever seen...Flyers lost 6-0!





After the game I drove up to Doylestown Pa. and caught up with my 89 year old mother as she was attending mass.  I walked in and sat down in the pew next to her for a good five minutes without her noticing who I was.  Finally, I tapped her on the knee, looked her in the eye and asked "Don't you recognize me?"  When she finally did she just collapsed in my arms....a wonderful Christmas moment.

I had dinner with my friends, my sister, and my mother on the last night before I headed home.



It was a great trip and a wonderful experience.  The people I met along the way and the sights I saw I will carry with me forever.

Life is good!

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

That was very cool  ...Awesome pictures 

Take care my friend 

[fon1961]

Great Pic's Paul, thanks for posting them 

[scoot]

Thank you for sharing. What a terrific surprise for your mother.

[R J]

Buddy, you have to watch those type of experiences for mom.    When I did that to my grandma one Turkey day, she almost had a heart attack.

By the way, great pictures.   Those guards are pretty cautious now, the guy has had some windows shot at.

[Michael K (Az.)]

NICE! Very nice.

[Stanley Steamer]

It seems you have this Carpe Diem thing worked out my Friend!...... .....great pics.....I also love the D.C. area and want to go back sometime

[Valkahuna]

Glad you got to visit our Nations Capital! I love that town, but am concerned that the idiots we elected to do our bidding in that town will not leave much of it for future generations to enjoy! I also really enjoy the history of our Great Country, and there certainly is a lot to see there. So, DC is a "Must See" in my book.

Last time I was there was for Rolling Thunder 2010. Although I had been there several times with family before, I retraced my steps and visited all of the places you described. For me, Arlington National Cemetery is always the high light of my trip there. I don't think I can think of anything that is as moving and solemn for me as the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown soldier. I have never been able to go to the Vietnam Memorial without bawling my eyes out.

Glad you shared the trip with us. What a wonderful Christmas present for you and your family Paul. I'm glad you are working on your bucket list. Never stop doping that. You are an inspiration to all of us!

Thanks, and Merry Christmas, and God Bless You!

[BigAl]

I noticed that on FOX News shots of the White House, theres a guy and other guys visible all the time.

Must be a tough detail protecting the guy we have now.

In the economy he resides over and his view points on our future.

Just saying.

Great views and vistas that I have never seen before.

Thanks Paul for sharing.

Love yah man.

"BIG AL"

[..]

The lady with the cane mention touched me. 

[T-Bird]

Good post.
It looks like you had a good time with your family and sight seeing.
My family and I did this trip about five years ago. It was one of the best trips I had ever taken. There is so much to take in, it's hard to see everything. I would like to go back someday and do it over again.

You are in my prayers Paul
Terry

[Jess from VA]

Thank you for sharing your trip.  Excellent photos.   

[98 T]

Excellent trip report... It's been 30 years since I was there... I think  I need to go back. 

Thank you for posting!!

Merry Christmas

Loth

[39 Chev]

I have made this trip a couple of times also.  My wife and I took my 15 year old daughter and 18 year old son out there a few years ago.  My kids loved it as much as I did.  It's a place that every American should try to visit at least once in their lifetime, if possible.  I too loved Arlington and the Changing of the Guard.  The Library of Congress is one thing that we almost skipped, but I am really glad we didn't.  What a magnificent building!

We drove out to Gettysburg this summer.  If you like Civil War history, you should add this place to your "Bucket List".  Standing on those battlefields gives you a similar feeling that Arlington Cemetary does.

THANKS for the pictures!!!

[HayHauler]

Thanks for taking the time to put this together for us.  It feels like I was there with you. 
Definitely on my bucket list.  Maybe after 2012 for me. 

Hay
Jimmyt

[wiggydotcom]

Those were excellent pics. Thanks for sharing them.

[MacDragon]

Thanks for sharing those pics.  I used to live right outside DC in Bladensburg Md... I worked in DC and always found it a joy when I could go and site see...

[BamaDrifter64]

Paul, thanks for the kick in the old rememberer...I went to D.C. as a chaperone for my youngest son's 7th grade class...15 adults and about 100 7th graders...went to all those places you had pictures of, just couldn't spend alot of time there...did get to spend a lot of time @ Mt. Vernon and walk all the grounds...went through several museums too...great place to visit...glad I don't live anywhere close to there!

+1 on Gettysburg too...we went there this summer and hired a personal guide from the national park...best way to see the battlefield and live the battle...he drives you around in your car and stops wherever you wish or where he thinks there's something you want to see...it was pretty awesome!

Dave

[Art708]

 This word is so overused now-a-days but it totally describes your adventure...AWESOME!!

[FLAVALK]

Great trip, great pics....thanks

[eric in md]

  awesome paul , i live 2 hr from dc in the mountains .. that is a cool place . sounds like to another great trip . take care man

[Karen]

Thanks for sharing, glad you were able to find your grandparent's graves, did the same thing at InZane X, and know exactly how you felt.  Great pics and narrative, glad you also surprised your mom.

[The Anvil]

I thought the B's/Flyers game war rather good myself.

[MacDragon]

I thought the B's/Flyers game war rather good myself.

Ditto that... The Bs pull through on the road... again.   Lot of long faces for the Flyer's fans though.

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

Great pics. I've never been there and learned a lot from the pics and narration.

As has been said, you are an inspiration to us.

[RP#62]

Great pics, thanks for sharing.  I took my dad to see the WWII memorial there right after it opened. Awesome place.
-RP

[RainMaker]

Thanks for taking us along for the trip with your pictures and words. 

Prayers continuing to be raised for you.

RainMaker

[Popeye]

Thanks for the report. Nice trip and pictures.

[alph]

we visited washington DC last year for a family trip, we all loved it!  it is a beautiful city actually, even though many of the "residents" are rats, the people there are nice.  were you able to go up the washington monument?  glad we did when we did!!

[highcountry]

Great trip!  Thx for sharing it with us.

[ChromeDome]

Thanks for sharing Paul. The pictures and your story put me right there with you.