Yeah, we spent two weeks there and didn't see half of it. Lucky thing to have an SS contact show you the White House.

Air & Space rocks; fricking space capsules and fighter jets laying around everywhere.
We went into the IMAX they have on the first floor for a break and watched the Michael Jordan movie.

Viewing the actual Declaration of Independence gave a real feeling of history.

Good point. The government should force us to go there so we can learn about our freedom. :)


Here's an interesting question. With DNA now, they can actually identify the soldiers who are in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Should they?

I hope you guys will allow me to post a few pics I took in D.C.

The main reason I looked thru my pics was to find a few of the changing of the gaurd..but Damn it I cant seem to locate them.

Its true watching the ceremony take place is more moving than you can possibly imagine till youve been there & watched it.

Every step the gaurd takes..every click of his heels..to know it goes non stop..its something youve just got to witness.

I agree also moving is the Errie feeling you get when you walk along the Korean monument.
Every soldier has an emotion on their face that just yanks you in.


http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/3559/korean11zh.jpg


Some people dont realize just how Freakin amazing the library is to see.
Do not pass it up if your there.
Also its amazing to know that it IS a public library..though you do not get your own books..that would be near impossible..you pick your book & usually it takes a worker to snatch it.
Many presidents/famous people thru the yrs used this same library.

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/9765/lib9jn.jpg


A couple of more pics I thought I'd toss on here.

The eternal Flame(JFK & his wifes grave site.)
& a shot of the Wall.
When your at the wall theres just so many names on there it boggles the mind.
Always a family there paying respect to a lost loved one.
Deff sends a chill down your spine.

http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/7...nalviet7ma.jpg



Well what do you know just before clicking post this..my Lovely wife found the pics of the changing of the gaurd!

http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/116/usold16mu.jpg
http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/9220/usol25zy.jpg



Again thx for indulging me with posting some pics.
These pics are bad qauility because they were flooded once.

Many of us have been there but many live too far away to go there ever.
For me its a 6 hour car ride that I usually pass on my way to vacation.

Enjoy!

The Smithsonian gets all of the glory, but the really cool stuff is in the National Archives.

Depends on what you mean by "actual." The original copy is not the one on display at the Archives.

Thanks for the pics, Red Sea.

I'm torn on some of the more modern memorials. I really like the Korean War Memorial, but at the same time I have a strong predisposition toward memorials that are massive and imposing and marble. For example, the FDR Memorial is pathetic, in my opinion. It's more like a cheap local park attraction than a national memorial to the president who led America in its darkest hours.

In my mind, nothing can beat the Lincoln Memorial. Best monument ever. It's big, it's marble, it's got columns and stuff, and then inside it's got that great statue of Lincoln and that fantastic, simple quote. (I admit, I had to look it up.) “In this temple, as in the hearts of the people for whom he saved the Union, the memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever.”

They had the original and Betsy Ross' newly restored flag when we were there (or so the guide told us :hmmm: )

:clap: Very cool, I can't wait toreturn with my sons when they are old enough to know whats going on.

As I remember correctly, the first, hand-written Declaration has been lost. Timothy Matlack (sp?) was commissioned to hand-write a copy. That is the one that all the delegates signed, and the one that is on display at the Archives.

The 'original' is gone.

Thank you; I learned something new today.

You're welcome. IMO, it doesn't detract from the historical importance of the document on display in the Archives, considering all the signatories.

I'm going to have to look this up now, but only Hancock and some other guy signed the 'original.' It was then sent to a printer (Dunlop?) who made ~200 print-set copies. About 20 of these copies remain today. So, in reality, they are the oldest 'copies' of the Declaration of Independence.

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/cadet.htm

Reading that continues to piss me off.