Wednesday, April 13, 2011 
This afternoon I really, really needed a break from my computer. So I slipped on my sneakers and hit the pavement around Arlington, Virginia and a bit of Washington, D.C. The weather was glorious for a relaxing run – overcast, a little windy, maybe sixty degrees or so –and before I knew it, five miles flew by...
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
The Netherlands Carillon monument was a gift from the Dutch people to the United States after World War II as a symbol of friendship. Two bronze lions guard the plaza entrance.
This monument is located adjacent to the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia. At Carillon concerts and on Independence Day, attendees can listen to the bells play.
Currently, tulips of all colors are planted along this national parkland. A few days ago, I photographed some of the varieties and a few pictures of my nieces on a beautiful sunny day.
2 Comments | tagged USA, Virginia, architecture, family, history, outdoors, plants, travel, weather | Share Article | Tweet | in travel Friday, March 12, 2010 
Wednesday was a beautiful, sunny 65-degree day here in Washington D.C., so I took an afternoon break from working and walked over to the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia (which is just over the Potomac River from the United States capital).
My brother-in-law is an officer in the marines, and has served two * long * overseas missions (Iraq and Afghanistan). During that time, my sister and their two young girls were living in Okinawa, Japan.
For those of you not familiar with this particular United States monument, it was dedicated in 1954 to all Marines who have given their lives in the defense of the United States since 1775. The statue depicts a flag-raising scene that was captured in a photograph during World War II (this photo later won a Pulitzer Prize).
Because this particular war event took place in Iwo Jima – a small island 660 miles south of Tokyo – many Americans refer to this memorial statue as the "Iwo Jima Monument."
Each marine figure in this monument stands 32 feet high; the flagpole is 60 feet in length. The Marine Corps War Memorial is the tallest bronze statue in the world, at 78 high. Total cost for the statue in the year 1954? $850,000, and it was 100% funded by private contributions.
I've visited this particular memorial many times before – but this time was different than all the others. There was a group of elderly WWII veterans visiting from Chicago. They were one of several groups invited by HBO to screen the upcoming Tom Hanks film series, The Pacific.
Most of these visiting veterans did not know each other during the war, but they bonded quickly while sharing their personal stories. One man even said, "I haven't talked with anyone about the war since I got back... until today."
Then I walked over to Arlington National Cemetery and captured these images:
Plan your visit to the Marine Corps War Memorial.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
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