D.C.

If you have been to Washington D.C., whether it was the famous “8^th grade trip” that many schools offer or one with family, you know there is a lot happening in the center of our government. I was fortunate to spend more than the average amount of time in Washington when I represented Smithsonian Magazine. I was in media sales.

Washington D.C. is a very interesting town. In one section, known as the Mall, you have the Capital, Washington Monument, Smithsonian Institution and vendors galore. It’s amazing how many t-shirts are available at the reasonable price of 3 for $10. It’s when you get up to the area where they are selling that you realize the really cool ones are far from $3.33 each. More like $25.00 each. (I have a few if anyone ever needs one---along with a statue of the Lincoln Memorial, The White House, and other souvenirs.)

Then there are the areas that are much more serious; if you are fortunate to get tickets, the Holocaust Museum is worth the 3+ hours to experience. Not the greatest time in World history, but an important one to know about. Also, the Lincoln Memorial is a must see; we all know about the statue of Abraham Lincoln, but that’s not what possesses me to visit every time I am in Washington, it’s the inscriptions on the walls. (The Gettysburg Address and the Inauguration Speech from his second term are etched in to marble that came from Colorado.)

But there is one that I find people don’t talk about as much and it is a beautiful monument; it’s the Vietnam Memorial. When you visit get ready to lose your voice. On the walls are names that are anonymous to anyone, but the families who were affected by this war. It’s when you see the families at the Memorial, etching the name of a loved one or friend on to a piece of paper, that not only bring tears to your eyes----but helps you experience what they are going through. It is an incredible experience.

The photo above was taken at the Vietnam Memorial. What I like most about it is the history that’s represented on the wall and by the reflection of the Washington Memorial. Although roughly 200 years apart in historical significance, both represent what our country has been through in a relatively short period of time.

We have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving; we also have a lot of people to thank for making America the land that I love. "Thank you."

Thanks for stopping by.