Washington, D.C. – Part II

This is the continuation of our trip to Washington, D.C. last month. The first post focused on our visits to the Air and Space Museum, the Sculpture Gardens, White House, World War II Memorial and ended with the Lincoln Memorial.

Just to the southeast of the Lincoln Memorial lies the Korean War Veterans Memorial. The geometric design of this monument, which can really be appreciated in this aerial photography that I copied from Wikipedia, is striking.

Construction of this memorial commenced in June of 1992, just two months after I visited our capital on my senior class trip. It was not finished until 1995.

The soldiers in the memorial trudge through juniper bushes and granite slabs. They are so lifelike that I half expected them to move as I approached them. The pain engraved on their faces is compelling. The sculptor, Frank Gaylord, did an amazing job recreating these soldiers in stainless steel; I am able imagine the horrors they might have witnessed.

The black granite wall with the images sandblasted into it is spectacular as well. It was hard to take a picture without people reflected on it, so I opted to take a picture with the reflections of Douglas and Menderes.

Someday I need to go back when everything is green again. For now I can only imagine how beautiful it must be. It is a handsome monument even surrounded by gray.

After the Korean War Veterans Monument we walked to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. From the back it is inauspicious.

The front is much more impressive, but I like that you do not know what to expect when you approach from behind.

This monument was also new for me, as it was unveiled in August 2011. I had last visited D.C. for a conference in July of 2011. It pleases me that I finally had the opportunity to see it in person.

Continuing our walk around the tidal basin, we came to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial.

Dedicated in May 1997 this monument was open during my last visit to the city, but I never had the chance to go there.

F.D.R.’s three term presidency was impressive, and this sprawling memorial credited his eminence. I only wish that I could have seen it while the water was running through the fountains.

I was pleased that Eleanor Roosevelt was honored as well. She was a remarkable woman, and I was unaware that she was the first U. S. delegate to the United Nations.

Douglas questioned the acumen of placing breasts in such close proximity to the braille inscription.

We walked past the George Mason Memorial of 1990 but did not approximate. My legs were getting tired by that time. Admittedly, I did not know much about Mason other than the fact that there is a university named after him. I have since googled him and was quite impressed by his life, especially that he refused to sign the U.S. Constitution because it did not abolish the slave trade.

Our final stop before returning to the subway was the Jefferson Memorial, commemorating President Thomas Jefferson, which was finished in 1947.

Once I looked back through my pictures, I realized that I had taken quite a few pictures of the Washington Memorial, several from every vantage point.

I will leave you with a few more pictures of our visit. Next week, I will let you know about our trip to the zoo the next day.

Happy Homemaking!