A Monumental Tour

I left the RAF at 9:30 this morning to head to the Smithsonian, and wherever else my legs where about to carry me.  I was accompanied by Robyn, whom I met yesterday during our orientation.  The first stop after getting off of the Metro was the National Museum of American History.  It was very interesting, and the highlight had to be viewing the American flag that was the impetus behind the writing of Francis Scott Key's 'Star Spangled Banner.'  We passed through the National Sculpture Gardens, and the National Gallery of Art was the next building we entered.  With the recommendation of Kathy, a lady that informed us about our surroundings once we exited the Metro, we used our noses to guide our way through the winding halls to the cafe inside.  $21 for a buffet that doesn't even have steak on it?  Sorry Kathy, no thanks.  We promptly exited the premises, and ventured over to a restaurant called Capital Grille.  I found the steak I was looking for but it was $34, and I'm guessing the portion wasn't going to be to my liking.  I let the waiter know that we suddenly had an engagement to attend, and we exited with haste once more.  A fully-loaded hot dog and gatorade for $5 from a stand outside did just fine for lunch.  The Washington Monument was next on the list, or, as a bad joke I once heard suggests, is that building dedicated to Bill Clinton?  Then there was the World War II Memorial, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, and the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial.  All of which are fantastic venues.  Next was perhaps my favorite memorial, that of Thomas Jefferson.  The statue inside is most impressive, and the breeze that passes through the openings on all sides makes it incredibly comfortable to stop and view the engraved quotes and impressive architecture.  We then doubled back around the Tidal Basin which, based upon its name, it would make sense as to why water was covering certain areas of the surrounding sidewalk.  This route was taken so that we could view the Korean War Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, and the Vietnam War Memorial.  The Lincoln Memorial is terribly impressive, and silence falls upon all that pass the Vietnam War Memorial as if everyone is silently thanking every name that is engraved on its humbling walls.  We continued on to walk along the White House property, where Obama had left in a motorcade to head to Chicago only hours earlier (as my roommate Pete informed me afterwards).  After a pit stop to collect ourselves next to the General William Tecumseh Sherman Memorial, we walked to the nearest Metro station and headed home to the RAF.  The National Mall area is swarmed with people this Memorial Day Weekend.  There are tons of school groups wandering about, and an omnipresence of motorcyclists that all seem to be veterans of one war or another.  There are thousands of people coming into the city to remember those that have fallen, share the memories of lost friends and family, and to celebrate this moment of existence.  It is an honor to be able to spend this weekend in the nation's capital.