We returned to DC today for additional touring via Tourmobile, starting at Arlington National Cemetery. We viewed the JFK gravesite including the eternal flame.
We also stopped at the Tomb of the Unknowns, and witnessed the Changing of the Guard. This was my first time seeing this, and it was incredibly moving. We had researched facts about the Tomb beforehand, but seeing this in person was an honor.
The Sentinel's Creed says it all.
We also saw the gravesites of Supreme Court Justices, the memorials to the astronauts lost in the Challenger and Columbia accidents, President Taft, and many many others.
After we left Arlington, we rode over to the mall and viewed the Vietnam Wall. The girls were amazed at the scope of the wall, including the 58,000 names etched into the stone. From there we walked to the new WWII memorial. None of us had seen it since it opened on the mall in 2004, and it was much grander and more impressive than we anticipated. They did a very nice job incorporating the memorial into the mall between the Lincoln and Washington Monuments.
After grabbing a bite to eat, we headed to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. This was a particular hit with Emma, who is interested in bones and skeletons, and Gwen, who loves all types of fish, bugs and animals. They took off together with the camera and captured some great pictures.
This was our last stop for the day, so we hit the Tourmobile to head back over the river to Arlington where the Holiday Toad awaited. I had to snap a couple of pictures of the Tourmobile, which looks exactly as it did back in the 70's. Quite a blast from the past!
One final shot of the Jefferson Memorial before we headed over the Potomac.
Tomorrow, it's off to the Capitol building for our 3pm tour!
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