Tuesday, July 11, 2017

ANOTHER TRIP INTO DC - PART 1 - THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL AND VIETNAM WALL

On each side of the street at the Memorial Bridge are these wonderful statues.  Carved in the base, "Aspirations and Literature.  Cast in bronze Rome 1950.  A gift from the people of Italy to the People of the United States of America."  Gregg took a photo of Bill and myself after we had been dropped off across the road from the Lincoln Memorial.


Today we went back into Washington DC, but this time we parked our car across the bridge at the Marriot Hotel, and called for an uber car to take us to the Lincoln Memorial.  We have a downloaded app, so easy!  This very nice man was only two minutes away and no sooner had we reached the front of the hotel entrance, there he was.  We were even able to pre-pay the ride on our phone.  We decided to do this because of the difficulty parking the car yesterday.  Walking is great exercise and we don't mind walking, but in this high humidity, well you know....


Our uber driver made a slight mistake with the roundabout and would have had to take us back over the river, so he dropped us off a little further away from the memorial than we had anticipated. But we managed and it was still a lot less of a walk in that heat than we experienced yesterday.


Loved the mohawk-style helmet on this bicyclist.  We walked over a couple of crosswalks and in no time at all we were at the Lincoln Memorial.  Before heading up all those stairs (they do have an elevator but it wasn't working), Gregg took another photo of Bill and me with the Reflection Pool and the Washington Monument behind us.


Neither Bill nor I found the steps going up too bad.


Look at this.  I was I suppose looking at my feet trying not to trip over them, when I spotted a small poloroid of a little cat.  Someone must have dropped it out of their purse.  I didn't want it to be stepped on, and put it on a ledge at the side, hoping that whoever dropped it might find it on their way down.  Yes, even the lost and found photos of kitties make it on my blog.


There's Bill walking up the steps on the left-hand side.  He is faster than me!  But in my defense I was looking at a sweet little kitty.


Here he is with President Lincoln.


Gregg soon joined him.


I cropped off part of the base as there were lots of people taking photos.



The words above him reads, 
"In this temple as in the hearts of the people for whom he saved the union the memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever."











Heading back down the steps.


From here we are heading to 





We stopped off at The Three Soldiers first.  If you see any red lettering in my posts, this means there is always a link where you can find more information.
















This area never fails to move me.  It is a feeling you get as soon as you start walking along its path, after seeing all those names carved in black granite.


And the sight of this little girl touching the wall I found very poignant.  She doesn't understand the full significance yet but her family standing behind her, are already sowing the seeds. I have seen many family members touching a name on the wall, overhearing hushed conversations about a loved one.  Sometimes I have seen rubbings being done with paper and pencils supplied by volunteers nearby. 


I wanted Bill to see another sculpture before we left. We have visited many times over the years and it is another that can bring one to tears.








Just before we left, a large group of young people surrounded the sculpture, and I heard an adult telling them its history.  School is out, it's the summer holiday and I noticed a few had caps with New York on the front.  A school trip to the Nation's Capital perhaps?


I am very glad we were able to share this sacred place with Bill.  From here we caught a taxi into Georgetown, but more on that later.

45 comments:

  1. Denise, I totally agree with you! Walking is good, and I love walking, but when it is very hot and humid I must be careful. Take care of yourself. What a lovely tour! And I love the cat! The memorials are very touching. Thank you so much for sharing, and stay safe!

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  2. Stairs, walking, humidity, emotion. I suspect a few quiet tears would have been shed if I had been able to join you.

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  3. interesting post about well-known landmark

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  4. Great historical memorials, sad memories too. The views of the park is impressive, so large.

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  5. I remember walking around DC last year in the heat of summer and it was pretty darn difficult. I'm enjoying your visit much more while sitting in air conditioning right now. I don't think I've seen that Women's Vietnam memorial. I'm going to have to look for it whenever we get back in the area.

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    1. I have a husband who isn't bothered by the humidity, lucky guy!

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  6. The memorials in Washington are amazing.

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  7. You and I have just had very similar weekends on other sides of the world, being moved to tears by the atrocities of war. You have very nicely interspersed this with the cute cat and the little girl photo - a lovely post. Thank you :)
    Wren x

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    1. You are very welcome Wren :) and thank you :)

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  8. Hello, Bill had a wonderful tour of the Memorials and Washington. I like the shot of you and Bill in front of the reflecting pool. The statues are pretty. Happy Wednesday, enjoy your day!

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    1. Thanks Eileen and Happy Wednesday to you too We have had another lovely day :)

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  9. It has been many years since we visited Washington, DC. We would visit every year, when we hosted foreign exchange students. We hosted our last student in 2006.

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    1. How wonderful! We hosted German students many years ago, but we were still living in San Diego.

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  10. Oh how I miss DC! My sister lived in the DC suburbs for many years and I used to visit a couple of times a year and would roam around alone. (There was a sick child, so sister couldn't sight see with me back then.)

    On my very first visit, I went to both the Lincoln Memorial and the Vietnam Memorial, so these photos take me back. I remember sitting with my back against the wall at the Lincoln Memorial, looking up at the sculpture of President Lincoln, and contemplating my life. So funny to think of the water under the bridge sent then. :)

    Love that you found and propped the kitty pic!

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    1. Hi Lynn, sounds like those were nice memories of you visiting your sister in DC. Yes, I'm hoping the kitty picture found its owner. Lots of water has flown under the bridge since the first time I took my first trip to DC 41 years ago :)

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  11. all of the statues are AMAZING, love that horse in the first pic and my favorite is the the 3 soldiers. the statue of Lincoln is famous because when I was 8 years old I got a spanking on the steps right in front of him... seems I was not happy to be viewing all that you loved to see and wanted to go home...

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    1. Oh Sandra, now I have to say you really made me smile yet again. There were lots of children around that day and it was so hot. If I was an 8 year old in that heat I don't think I would have been very happy either :)

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  12. I enjoyed your photos very much. Great sculptures and memorials.

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  13. This brings back memories of my trip to Washington in 1992. I was impressed by the Lincoln memorial. Yes I remember the steps but as part of the monument. I'm surprised there are no people in one photo of the monument.

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    1. The one photo I took it over everyone's head :)

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  14. The Wall is particularly haunting, as fits its subject. Excellent shots.

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  15. Thank you for moving me with this post, D

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  16. You really got your exercise! I have not seen the Women's Memorial, that is so sad and beautiful. Everything is very large! I have not seen the Wall either. It was built after I left the area. Your pictures are beautiful, and so very touching. I especially like the close up of you and Bill. You are such an excellent host!!

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  17. That particular women's monument is something I did not see in 2013. I am enjoying your many photos, Denise.

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  18. It appears Bill is getting a fantastic tour with you and Gregg, I am sure he is really enjoying himself.

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    1. Bill is quite a world traveler. I truly admire that. By the time he returns home he will have been away for 70 days and visited four states in the US, and then on to England, Scotland and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

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  19. Thanks for sharing another lovely tour!

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  20. Thanks for showing these very important monuments, Denise.

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  21. You guys sure are on the go! Where do you find that much energy? Seriously, I am glad you are able to and enjoy seeing what you are seeing.

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  22. Hello Denise,
    I agree with you that walking is great; And such a lovely tour shared with us! many thanks for all of these pictures, aspects captured! Great, great historical monuments!
    A very lovely day and weekend, too! Alexa

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    1. Thank you Alexa, I am so glad you enjoyed my post. Happy Weekend to you :)

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  23. I enjoyed your post and seeing all of your photographs but that photograph of the little girl by the wall is very special.

    All the best Jan

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    1. I agree Jan, she was very special indeed. All the best to you too :)

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