DC- Charlotte MacDonald

Despite the rain, I really enjoyed today's trip to DC. I grew up in Northern Virginia and because of proximity have grown up going to DC for field trips. Over the years I have seen tons of memorials and museums and have always enjoyed the trips, but today marked a change. Today I saw the same memorials, but through a different lens. I became less concerned with my initial reaction and more aware of other's reactions and the intent of the memorial.

Starting off the morning we saw the Lincoln Memorial, and once again I was struck by its size. But once over that initial reaction I considered its design. Such elements of the tilt to avoid an optical bulge and how people enter. It has tons of steps which adds to its colossal size, but also draws the eye in, using perspective, to where Lincoln sits.

Once inside I watched the countless students messing about, but every so often one would turn and just look up to Lincoln and smile for a second, until they were interrupted by a shove from a friend. I also noticed other people's more obvious reaction who would snap a pic with their mouth gaping.

I also watched who would leave the main area and enter the sides. More often than not it was an individual versus a group that would enter. Many people stop, looked around quickly and then left. But every few would stop and read what was there.

We then left to make our way to the Vietnam Memorial, or the wall. I have always found this one moving and had my first real interaction with a memorial when I was in the 3rd grade and it was cold and pouring. The rain drives away many of the big crowds so it makes the wall far more personal. The water also gives the appearance that it is weeping.

Stepping down where the wall is set gives the illusion of being underground and a part of the earth. The water blurs the reflective qualities of the wall, but for whatever reason that is more meaningful to me than a perfect reflection.

Everyone seems to become quite and somber as they walk through the memorial, as though they are making a short pilgrimage. I noticed a couple that was embracing underneath an umbrella, shielded from the rain, but they were each crying, so not shielded from emotions.

I have no family's name on the wall so for me it is not so unhappy, but I can fully appreciate what it means to see your loved one's name carved into the wall. I had never noticed that the names were not alphabetical, but chronological. Lin wanted to create a timeline within the wall. I thought that was far cooler and far more powerful.

We have also been talking and thinking about what is left behind at memorials as offerings. It seemed to be a class project where crosses where decorated and letters where written. I don't know how the names where chosen but it was cool to see them left in the rain. The notes were being destroyed but it was not their message that mattered, it was their meaning. By being left it is an indication of remembrance. One that I found particularly interesting was one that was addressed to the family.

We then walked over to the WWII memorial. Here the rain really picked up so we did not stay long, but just long enough to appreciate it. Now there were not many people here to watch so I spent more time appreciating the simplicity and the symmetrical nature of it. Both are completely intentional decisions in the construction. 

I then turned behind me to see the wall of stars. It is very hard to understand scale when the numbers get so large but each star represents 100 American Soldiers that were KIA or MIA. I think it is very powerful and effective at displaying scale.

We then walked over to the MLK memorial, the only one I had not previously seen. I liked how his words were incorporated into the memorial and also created the style. He said something about a steam of justice and on each side of the "mountain" there was water rushing down, like a part of a steam.

He also said something close to "from the mountain of despair a stone of hope". So in the memorial there is this giant mountain that you walk though and then MLK is carved out of the stone that is carved from the mountain: the stone of hope.

Next we head over to Arlington for the tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the changing of the guard ceremony. We also got an additional surprise while being able to see the flower wreath ceremony. It was cool to watch such precision and dedication to the craft in this.

Then we saw the Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima). This was my favorite part of the day so I was so glad we got to see it. I did my presentation on this so it was so cool to see it after gaining a far deeper understanding and appreciation of it. 

It's big. That is what always first gets me. I never knew what that the back part in many ways is the best part to stand because it, proportionally, creates the same image that Rosenthal saw when he took this photo. 

I really enjoyed this trip. It was really interesting to see these memorials that I have been reading and learning about in person. It allowed me to appreciate their size and how they are to be used. I also liked watching how other people interacted within the memorials. I never have visited them with so much intent, but it really changed how I had previously seen them.