Trip to D.C.-Kasey Cannon

I had a lot of fun on our trip to Washington D.C. Despite the rain, I really enjoyed seeing all the memorials that we had previously discussed in class. Seeing a picture cannot be compared to actually witnessing the real memorial or monument in person!

My favorite memorial that we visited today was the Arlington National Cemetery. The sheer number of graves was absolutely overwhelming! Looking down the hills and seeing thousands and thousands of tombstones was incredible. If looked at from a far, one would think that each tombstone was exactly the same. However, up close, one will notice that each gravestone represents the individual's religion by a different symbol at the top of the stone.

I also found the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to be fascinating. I could not imagine spending my life being so disciplined. Watching the guards walk back and forth, click their heels, and switch their rifles from side to side was almost hypnotizing. The view from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (pictured below) was also breathtaking.

I was least impressed with the Martin Luther King Memorial. I did not like that when entering the memorial you could not see MLK engraved in the rock. It wasn't until you walked around that you could finally see him. I enjoyed reading all of the quotes engraved at the memorial and found them very inspiring. However, I just did not get the overall "wow" factor like I did at the other memorials we visited.

The transition from the Lincoln Memorial to the Vietnam Memorial was very interesting. The overall size of the Lincoln Memorial is completely breathtaking. While walking up the steps, you know that you are about to see something incredible. While inside the memorial, majority of the people surrounded Lincoln and took tons of pictures. People were talking, laughing, and having an overall good time.

However, when walking to the Vietnam Memorial this was not the case. As soon as we reached the memorial, it got very quiet and somber. I saw a couple hugging and crying. This was a complete mood swing from the Lincoln Memorial. You did not see people laughing or taking silly pictures. This transition just demonstrates the impact a memorial can have on people. Memorials are designed very purposefully and, as a result, memorials directly affect people's actions and emotions.