Vacation - Post #9, Arlington National Cemetary

This post finds us in Arlington National Cemetary. Wasn't too sure what to expect when heading there, but whatever I was expecting, what we experienced wasn't it.

The drive to Arlington was absolutely beautiful as well.  We took interstate 270 down to I495, which was not the beautiful part of it, until the 495 crossed the Potomac River and we soon exited off onto George Washington National Pkwy.

That goes down the Virginia side of the Potomac and you're pretty much on the bluffs overlooking the river valley, with DC on the other side.  The sun was coming up, a bit of fog in the air and otherwise just a nice morning.

So, good morning aside, we get to Arlington and set out to walking up to the visitors center. 

I don't believe the sign needs much explanation...

There's a small Chinese boy checking out the statue of the bugler in the welcome/visitor's center.  There are multiple different areas of the building that are dedicated to specific wars, events (assasinations, 911, etc...) and artifacts of history.

One of those dedicated areas.  This one being to John F. Kennedy.

This was inside the gates, and shortly after leaving the building above.

And then you walk... and see tombstones...

Lots of 'em.

Acre after acre of them.

Don't believe me?

Here's some more...

more...

more...

Getting the idea?

Just one more photo.  I left a good many out but I was fascinated that you could just keep on going and going and in every direction you looked, there was sights like these.

This was a section dedicated to the Spanish War Vets.

This was a section dedicated to our nations Army, Navy and Air Force nurses.

The reverse side of the Memorial Amphitheater from the TotUS.

Two little varmints at the fountain which is at the bottom of the Unknown Soldier uh... area.  That's the Memorial Amphitheater up behind them and the Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier is almost directly above the right edge of the fountain (at the top of the steps).

Having never really understood (and sadly, cared) what this was about, I had previously thought this somewhat silly that they guard this and do a ritual every hour.  This was in my younger, and dare I say, dumber and more cocky days.  I was dumbfounded by the emotions that came up up standing and watching the changing of the guard!  I cried.  I got angry with my fellow Americans when they dared make the slightest noise.  I didn't want to leave when my family began to move on.  Perhaps what struck me is that I feel most Americans used to have a strong sense of pride, the same kind of pride these soldiers had guarding their fallen comrade, but now we have have more of a sense of "me first".  Powerful moment for dear ol' dad here!

The new guard, walking off the previous guard towards the end of the ritual.

This is the Kennedy's burial site.

As we left and were (foolishly) walking over the Potomac over to the Lincoln Memorial and the National Mall, I turned around to take this photo.  That building in the background there is the Robert E. Lee National Memorial, which was just up the hill behind the Kennedy graves.

I then turned back around to take this photo of my family.   Way, way way ahead in the distance, blending in with the trees and sky just above Mom's head, is the Lincoln Memorial...

You're supposed to train for this kind of walking.  Just like on the Great Wall Of China, we were caught off-guard by our less than optimum physical prowess...

Next up, the National Mall.