WashingtonD.CTrip~Nov1315~

WashingtonD.C2013

MichaelAndronov

JournalEntry#1November13

Todaywebeganour8thgradeWashingtonD.Ctripfinally.Afterourdelaysfromoctobertothisdatewehavenowspentanapproximatesevenhoursinthebusalone.Fivefromtheridetohereandthentwofromtravelinginbetweenplacessofar.Sofarithavebeengenerallyworthit.IreallylikedMt.Vernon.Thewharfandblacksmithwerereallyimpressive.Theystillusetheblacksmithshopforcreatingutilitiestothisday.Downatthewharfwasabeautifulviewofthewaterandsky.Ionlywishmycameracouldhavetakenbetterpictures.Earlierthoughwevisitedazooandtookalookatthepanda,reptiles,andapes.Thenoticeablylargergorillashadarmslongerthanmyheight!Afterthatweproceededtowardsamalltoeatsomefood.Michaelcouldntstopexcitingoverthe50%offsaleonsomesockshefoundaswegotonthebus.Mt.Vernonwasnextanditcamesecondonthebestsitestobeatduringthewholetripforme.Afterthisitwastoamexicanrestaurantforfoodandthentheghosttoursbegan.Iratherenjoyedthestoriesbecausetheyseemedsofittingatthetime.Weweresittingatagraveyardlisteningtoathestoryofamanwhokillshiswifeandcomesdowntotheverysamegraveyardtoeventuallykillhimself.Thehotelwasnowbecomingacomfortableretreatfortheday.WhenwegotbackweTylerandIorganizedourpacksforthemostsuitablewakeup.AlthoughIamquitecertainIspentmoretimeinmyfriendsroomseatingtheirhomebroughtdoritospacksthaninmyown.

JournalEntry#2November14

Thiswasroughnight.TobehonestIdidntfeelcomfortablesleepingwitheitherTyler

norAlexsoIdedicatedthebathtubtomyself.Itwasactuallyquitecomfortablewithenoughpillowsandtowelsdespitemysize.Wewaitedforbreakfasttostartlongerthantheactualfastingwhichmadeitfeelasirelavantasthecandystorewasthedaybefore.Butwhatwasaheadwasveryexcitingevenforme.Weweregoingtohaveadedicatedtourinthecapitalbuilding.Itisprobablysinglehandedlyoneofthemostimportantplacesonearthatthemomentwhich,knowingthis,madeitthatmuchmoreawesome.Anditwasinfactanastoundingplace.Itwasbeautifullydecoratedwithsculpturesandextrafancifularchitecture.Workingtheremustbealmostroyal.AfterthatitwasaquickrunaroundtheJohnLutherKingandtheFranklinD.Rooseveltmemorials.Thelatterwasverylongandmuchfulfilledwithquotes.AftersomeeatingwhenthenweresenttotheArlingtonCemetery.ProbablyMymostfavouritesitesofthemall.Itwassopeacefulandcalm.Thegraveswereneverendingitseemedthoughwhichfeltquitemellowtome.Thereweexperiencedtheplacingofthewraithandchangingoftheguard.Asightseeminglyimpossiblyfullofrespectandhonor.ThiswasfollowedbytheJ.F.Kmemorialwiththeneverendingflameanddisplayofsomeofhisquotes.TheviewofD.Cwasastounding

.SunwasstartingtolowerandweheadedtotheVietnamWar,Lincoln,andJeffersonMemorials.UnfortunatelymycameradiedafterafewshotsatthefirstsitesoIcouldntcaptureanythingofthelasttwo.Thenightlastedverywelluntilthedancehappened.PlayingTexasHoldEmisverydifficulttoplaywithpretzelsaschips.AfterenduringthemusicwechargedforourroomsandIwasthankfullysleepinginacozybedafterthisfilledday.

Thegravesneverceasetoend,

withanarmyofmenallburiedinpeace,

thatgrowsallthetimeatanastoundingpace.

Aplacesecondtotheheavensandthelandabove,

Forthosewhogaveusalandofsafetyatrove,

andfoughtforourpartoftheglobe.

JournalEntry#3November15

TodaywasthelastdayoftheD.Ctrip.Itwasfinalizedwithsomeofthemoreimportantsites.WevisitedtheNewseum,NaturalHistoryMuseum,AirandSpaceMuseum,andNationalArchives.IespeciallyenjoyedtheAirSpacedisplays.TheyactualGeminiandApollomissioncapsuleswherethere.Therealstuffthatgotthechancetotraveltothemoonandback.TheNationalArchiveswasjustaboutasfascinating.Alltherealdocumentsthatweresignedbythefoundingfatherswererightthereindisplayforustosee.Ialsohearthatotherartifactsarestoredinthisplace.IhavealreadybeentotheMuseumofnaturalhistorybeforewithmyfamilybutitwasratherinterestingtoseeagainwithnewinstallationsofsetsandexhibits.Thedaywhaledtoendwithadiningatarestaurantandfinallybackhome.Wesatinthebusforaroughestimateof1618hoursintotal.Completelyworthitinmyopinionforwhatwegottosee.

MonumentAssignment

AfterthestirringIHaveaDreamspeechtherewouldmostcertainlybesomethingtocommemoratethemanwhotriedsohardtofightpeacefullyforhisrights.Butitwasonlyfortyeightyearsafterwardsthatsomesortofmonumentwasconstructed.Ineverknewthisbutitwasstartedin1996andisthefirstmemorialbuiltinhonorofapersonofcolor.Also,whenitwasopeneditwasthenations395thnationalpark.Hewaschosentobeembeddedintherocktoshowtheideathathewaspartofthemountainofdespairandwassteppingoutinthestoneofhope.TheStonealsohas,oneachside,aquotefromMartinLutherKingJr.butIwouldliketofocusonthethesewords,"OutoftheMountainofDespair,aStoneofHope".Itwasexposingtheideathatoutofbadthingscancomegreatnessbutwhatisrequiredforthereadertorealizeisthatitwillnothappenwithouttheeffortofaforcethatcanfightback.