WASHINGTON DC

19th Feb 2011

Driven first to Arlington to be shown the cemetery. This is no ordinary cemetery; for a start it is vast. Can't remember the acreage but about 300,000 people are buried there and going up at a rate of 100 per week. The place will be full by 2030, I think the guide in our 'Tourmobile' said. There are strict rules about who can be planted here. You have to have served in one of the military arms, or be a spouse or unmarried son or daughter of the planted, up to a maximum of 4 per family, and dead of course. ( something like that anyway ).

Naturally all the political and military big-wigs are buried here, with several 'sites' devoted to particular

groupings, and lots of memorials and elaborate monuments. The Kennedys are in the most prestigious spot ( JFK and Mrs, and two children ) with Bobby and Edward buried about 30yds away.

Left: simple plot for Bobby K and, right, the more elaborate 'tomb' of JFK and his family, with a burning thing at the back.

On the hill-top is the splendid Arlington House. This was the home ( up to the Civil War ) of Gen Robert E Lee. It was, eventually, returned to his family. We had a look around it but it was undergoing extensive internal renovations. A good view over Washington from there if nothing else.

Left: the front of Arlington House.





Below right: the view over Washington from the front door. Not sure what the white table thing is. Maybe for eating 'al fresco' or perhaps where his cats are buried.

The next thing we witnessed was the 'Changing of the Guard' at the tomb of the Unknown Warrior.

This is a 10 minute ceremony performed every hour. The tomb is, apparently, guarded by a Marine 24 hrs a day, 365 days a year  regardless of weather conditions, according to the guide. I believe him.

The guard change-over involves a SNCO Marine giving orders to the other two ( but first a gruff instruction to the viewing public to remain silent during the ceremony and show due respect ). Lots of slow ponderous marching, elaborate inspection of the new guard's rifle ( take 'is name Sarn't, rusty barrel ), clicking of heels etc and unintelligible words of command. The most noticeable feature to me was that the marines wore

dark sunglasses! Good heavens, I can just picture my Sergeant Major at Sandhurst's reaction to that! ..." Mr Sample, Sir, what the blinkin' 'eck are those things on your face?...Do yoo think yoo are goin' on 'oliday in the bloody Ba'aamas? Well I've got news for yoo, Sir!.. yor goin' on 'oliday in the bleedin' Guardroom !!!! Leffriteleffriteleffrite.."

  Left:The Changing of the Guard, Marine style

   We set off down to Washington. Again, I was thoroughly impressed by the wide open and clean spaces, the grand Official Government buildings, the imposing memorials and monuments, ultra-smart and expensive hotels and restaurants and the general air of affluence and elegance in that part of the city. It certainly has a 'wow' factor, but then I suppose it needs to, to impress visiting VIPs and Heads of State.  What I was told, but did not see, is that over a half of the city consists of run-down and dangerous black ghettos with an appalling crime rate and squalid poverty. I can't comment because, as I said, I didn't see it.

The Lincoln Memorial is quite imposing. Photos below:

 Left: Abraham Lincoln. ....but apart from that, Mrs Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?

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Right: His Gettysburg Address. A very long one, if you ask me. Presumably this was an early form of a Telepromp Screen.

Other memorials, the Washington and Jefferson equally grand, plus the Washington Monument ( which we didn't have time to go up ) and, of course, the White House were viewed. Also the Vietnam Memorial Wall, on which are engraved the names of the 63,000 ( I think ) killed in that war. Another quite interesting statistic ( and my figures may be a little out );  approximately 230,000 soldiers were killed in the American Civil War ( 1861-1865 ) and a total of ( approx ) 250,000 US soldiers have been killed in all the other wars put together that the US has fought in. The Civil War must have been incredibly nasty.

















Above: the Vietnam Wall Memorial. The guys in yellow jackets are Vietnam 'Vets'.

Right: Monument to a night out in the Apocalypse Club-a-Go-Go in Saigon ( District 1 ). Dreadful place. I know how they feel.


There were other, many other, sights to see.  Time ran out because Mr K and I were feeling a bit peckish so we went for a rather smart 'late lunch' at some luxurious emporium next to the Willard Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue.





Left: view from the Lincoln Memorial steps ( remember Forest Gump ? ) over the 'reflecting lake' to the Washington Monument. The lake was empty due to renovations. Vietnam Wall to the left and Korea memorial to the right.

Right: The Capitol building.

Last, but not least, the White House (left). We were watched with intense suspicion by a heavily armed lady policeman in the car in front. She got out to tell us to go away. I didn't look suspicious!

OK, not quite last because I had this pic of the Washington Monument hanging around.
So, back to Washington Union Station to catch the 1500hrs Wriggley Tin train south ( 10.75hrs ) to Columbia, South Carolina.
More to follow..................eyes peeled! Troi Oi, as they say in 'Nam.