Gary-Summer: March 25, 2023 - Arlington and Georgetown

Saturday, March 25, 2023

March 25, 2023 - Arlington and Georgetown

Title: March 25, 2023 - Arlington and Georgetown
Hike Info : Description : Background : Extra Photo's : Flowers and Plants

Hike Info:

Type:Tourist
Walking: 5.5 miles

Description:

Arlington Station

Another 8am wake up. And another no Holocaust Museum ticket. This time, Sherri is up about a half an hour after I am. While not lacking energy, we do some to be relaxed. It is an oatmeal type of morning. Sherri went and got her coffee and I made a batch of oatmeal-it turns out I misjudged the size of the pan and made way more than needed.

We get ready to leave. I texted Trinity to tell her that the dishwasher is having issues. She will send maintenance over after we leave. Which was about 11:30. We go over to NoMa station and catch the Red Line to Metro Center. Then switch over to the Blue Line. This takes us to the Arlington Cemetery Station. Our primary destination today is Arlington. We are hoping to see:

Arlington Cemetery

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
JFK
Arlington House (Robert E Lee’s house)

Iwo Jima Memorial (US Marine Corps War Memorial)
LBJ Memorial Grove
Georgetown Waterfront Park
GPSMyCity-Georgetown
GPSMy City-Embassy Row - Mahatma Gandhi Memorial

Way into Arlington

Like most of the area around Washington, it seems like every building you go into you get screened. Going into Arlington Cemetery is the same way. I am always fearful that I will forget something, Like it did at LAX. Today, I thought I misplaced the room keys. And I did-they were still in my coat pocket and were not picked up by the screener. Once inside the Visitor Center, we spent time looking over the history of the Cemetery. It goes through how the concept of a national cemetery came about due to the massive destruction of the Civil War. Robert E Lee’s home was confiscated and turned into a cemetery. As time went on, there were remains of those whom they could not be identified. After World War I, movement in England and France was underway to honor those who could not be identified; the United States followed suit and created the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Row after row of markers

With this background, we went out into the gray of the afternoon drizzle-this would keep up all day. Sherri and I decided to walk up the road to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Just the sight of row after endless row of grave markers is sobering to any human. Arlington is vast and the graves seem immeasurable. The white of the markers against the green grass. The flowering cherry and magnolia trees remind me that even in this field of death, there is beauty and victory over death. We read plaques along the way. These plagues commemorate units whose companions fell in battle.

Arlington House

When we come to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, they are in the midst of the changing of the guard ceremony. This is moving. I remember it from 54 years ago and it still affects me. The crowds go away, but we stay along with a few others. And then a new ceremony starts, the laying of the wreath. Evidently anybody can request this ceremony, they just need to provide a wreath.. In this case, a Black family has requested this. If anything, it is even more moving. Maybe it is the sound of Tabs being played, or the sight of the wreath, or the individual’s own personal grief., but it is even more moving. Afterwards, we are able to talk with one of the guards involved. He explains this is available to anybody and he shares that he gets affected by it everytime.

Changing of the guard

One thing which the guard mentioned was that at 2pm, there was going to be another ceremony honoring multiple Medal of Honor recipients. Since that is only a half an hour away, we decided to stick around. We first went up to the USS Maine memorial, looked at it and moved on further up the hill. I was hoping to get to the Rough Rider/Spanish-American War Memorial, but the whole area was being reconstructed. By this time, it was time to turn back and return to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Columbia memorial

By the time we arrive, there is already a crowd-should have thought of that sooner. Also all of the guard units are on site: a whole squadron on the steps by the Tomb, the Pershing military band, an honor guard, a drummer, and a trumpeter. For most of the ceremony, there was silence and stillness, with occasional commands being said. The military band played the Star-Spangled Banner, maybe the best rendition I have ever heard. Then the drummer and trumpeter played Taps. In some ways, with the crowd and lack of visibility, there did not seem as much magic. After the ceremony ended, we departed.

RFK's Grave

As we walked to the Kennedy Memorial, we talked about the feelings and thoughts we were having. I said I had conflicting thoughts. First, seeing these endless markers, I think of the bravery and sacrifice and dedication these people had. How they were there serving their country and its ideas. I also saw the futility of all of this. How there was never an end to war. How death has not caused us humans to re-evaluate the cost and cause. Arlington is symbolic of the cost of all human evil.

When we come to the Kennedy memorial, the first place is an understated cross and marker saying Robert Francis Kennedy. I ponder why this is not grander and come to no conclusion. Then we move on to John F Kennedy’s eternal flame. We look at the markers and his words. RFK's words still have the power to make our hearts soar.

John F Kennedy's Eternal Flame

Kennedy Plaza

WAVE Exhibit

Now on to a bit more current issues: finding a bathroom. The closest one is at the Military Women’s Memorial, close to the entrance. I am thinking this would be just a statue or something. Instead, it is a large building in the shape of a half moon. We found our bathroom. And I also saw a display about the WAVES, which my mother was part of. I wonder what she would have thought of this memorial? I think by this time, we were pretty worn out, so we did not spend much time here and continued on our way.

Netherlands Carillon

Taft Grave Site

Our next stop is the Marine Corp War Memorial, the memorial with the Marines on Iwo Jima. But first, we go past President Taft’s grave and see it. We then walk along a path leading out of the Cemetery. There is the Netherlands Carillon

. We think of Arida here. Maybe that is the benefit of these memorials and monuments: it causes me to remember, particularly people more than things. We go along to the Iwo Jima Memorial and pause to consider it. I think of our friend John who served as a Marine. And then I notice the base has the various places and battles they were involved in. This is good to remember. But I also notice there is room for so many more. This is a depressing thought.I hope we never fill the base.

Key Bridge

There is a wedding party taking pictures a bit beyond the Memorial. I am thinking how cold we are and how flimsy their outfits are-they must be really cold. This may be the theme of our trip: where is the next bathroom? In this case, it is just on the other side of the George Washington Parkway. We stop there and discuss what to do next? Our choices are to go to the LBJ Memorial Grove, go back to our room, or go to Georgetown. Georgetown won because there is a place we wanted to eat at: Good Stuff Eatery.

Good Stuff Eats

Before getting to Georgetown, we need to walk a bit. We go through Rossyln and then walk across Key Bridge-think Francis Scott Key of the Star-Spangled Banner fame. And quickly come to the Eatery. We ordered their burgers, fries and a shake. All are pretty good. I think the burgers Steven makes are as good or better. We are content with our meal.

Afterwards, we set out on exploring Georgetown. Sherri in particular is enthralled with the oldness of the buildings, the narrow streets and the atmosphere. We walk down M St a ways then turn into the residential areas. We see old churches and old houses. One of them being Tudor Place where Dolly Madison was said to have watched Washington burn when the British attacked it. Tudor Place wsa closed when we went by. Also there was a very large estate coming into view: Dumbarton Oaks. It is completely enclosed by a tall brick fence, complete with a guard. Apparently, if we got here earlier, there is a museum and gardens which can be toured. Lastly, we see what I mistook as an old house, but it is the Georgetown Library. Looks like a good place just to enjoy.

Georgetown House

We decided to take the bus back. DC has a bus which is called the DC Circular which has routes around the main part of the city. It costs a dollar and takes the WMATA SmartCard. So we hop on board and enjoy the ride through the city to Union Station. We then walk back to our room, tired, maybe more from the emotions of the day rather than the amount of walking. After resting for a few minutes, we take our nightly jaunt over to Harris-Teeter for a few things, including dish soap. We had gotten word that the dishwasher would not be fixed until Monday. We go to bed about 10:30.

Background

TripAdvisor: Good Stuff Eatery, Georgetown. Essentially this is a hamburger joint. But a very good hamburger and shake place. I have been wanting to go here for the last ten years, since picking up their cookbook at the library. The food was as good as the cookbook, which is really good. But I was hoping for something out of this world, so my unrealistic expectation hampered me from giving this a 5 stars. But it is well worth going to for the good foods. As the name says, it is good stuff.

RFK’s Words:

“It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest wall of oppression and resistance." – Robert F. Kennedy, South Africa, June 6, 1966.
"Some men see things as they are and ask 'Why?' I dream things that never were and ask, 'Why not?''' – Robert F. Kennedy, quoting playwright George Bernard Shaw in his 1968 presidential campaign
Aeschylus...wrote, "Even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God.' What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence and lawlessness; but is love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or whether they be black.