Washington D.C. 2022 w/Jen and Josh - Day 4

 The Final Day --- Day 4 and I'm feeling each and every one of them this time.  Goodness, I've gotten old.  Finding my get up and go was the morning task and I'm packed, fed, loaded onto the bus, and ready for today's adventures.

The first stop today is at the Jefferson Memorial.  Love, love, love Thomas Jefferson stories.  The cornerstone of this memorial was laid by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, President of the United States, 1939.

Right down at the water's edge, I get a nice daytime shot of the Washington Memorial at the same time.  From the water, you can't tell, but the White House is on the other side of the Washington Memorial.

My view back up from the water's edge.  

Ceiling of the dome --- pretty cool.

Next in line is the Martin Luther King Memorial and I do love this one.  Although I've been here before, there is never enough time on these tours so today I take advantage of the time to actually read the quotes that surround the memorial.  The entrance depicts going through the Mountain of Despair and finding a Stone of Hope.  

"The ultimate measure of man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that..  Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that."  Goodness, the world needs to hear this one a bit more.

"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality.  This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant."

The cherry trees are just oh so close, but we won't see the blossoms on this trip.

While returning to the busses ---- the helicopters overhead signal that someone is on the move -- either the President or the Vice-President.

Another chance to enjoy the absolute closeness of upcoming cherry blossoms.

Now, for the Capitol --- it is the next stop. 

We are here for a group picture and it is being taken in Union Square in front of the Ulysses S. Grand memorial.  I do have a better picture of this but it is in this POST.

Flanking each side of General Grant are the Artillery and Calvary.  It makes it feel as though we are in the heat of battle with him.

After the group picture, which I don't have a copy of --- it is what it is -- we make the walk up The Hill and around to the back so that we can see a different view.

The Library of Congress ---- ahhhh, perhaps next time.

The Supreme Court

It's midday and tummies are starting to grumble.  We are back halfway down the National Mall en route to the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.

Ass we wait out front for our turn to enter, this cute little day care group passes by.

Finally, we are in and it's off to the food court for all.

Jen and I finish lunch and want to explore just a wee bit.  Take a peek along with us.

"There are no limits to growth and human progress when men and women are free to follow their dreams."  Ronald Reagan

Down one hall I find an exhibition of Early American Flags - 1776-1814 and am fascinated. 

First up is:  The Grand Union - First Flag of the United States 1776.  "General Washington and his men were advancing on the British in Boston when on January 1st, 1776, Washington personally raised this new flag design.  It replaced a variety of regimental flags, most notably a solid red flag that the British considered an outrageous emblem of the American defiance to their rule.  Because of the "Union Jack" design included in this flag, the British interpreted the flag as a gesture of conciliation.  However, in the ensuing battle several days later, the Americans captured the high ground west of Boston and had the British completely surrounded.  The British abandoned the city and set sail for Nova Scotia.  The Grand Union flag was also the first flag recognized as American by a foreign power.  As an American ship loaded with gun powder left the port at the Caribbean island of St Croix, then a Danish possession, the ship fired the customary cannon salute to the fort protecting the harbor.  As a British spy who was witness to the event reported to London:  'The vessel went out under American colours, saluted the fort, and the compliment was returned the same as if she had been an English or Danish ship.'"

The Gadsden Flat - 1776  "The uniquely American rattlesnake became a popular symbol in the American colonies and later for the young republic.  In the first American cartoon, published in 1754 by Benjamin Franklin, the original 13 colonies were depicted as a snake divided into nine pieces, the head representing all of New England, over motto: 'Join or Die.'  The image was a popular one used in many newspapers and journals.  When fighting broke out, the rattlesnake, with and without the defiant slogan, appeared on money, uniforms, and a variety of military and naval flags, reflecting the change among the American people from an era of disunity to one of resolve.  As part of a committee of the Continental Congress, Christopher Gadsden was directing the preparation of ships for the American defense.  To provide a striking standard for the flagship of the first Commodore of the American Navy, Gadsden chose the rattlesnake for his design.  Later he presented the design to South Carolina's Provincial Congress, who ordered the elegant standard hung in their meeting hall."

First Stars and Stripes - 1777  "For over a year after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the United States did not have an official flag.  Meeting in Philadelphia in June, the Continental Congress declared:  'Resolved that the flag of the United States be 13 stripes alternate red and white, that the union be 13 stars white in a blue field representing a new constellation.'  No guidelines, however, were provided for the arrangement of the stars, and an amazing number of variations were created.  Perhaps the most popular was to arrange the stars in a circle or wreath.  Credit for this design is usually -- and mistakenly -- given to Betsy Ross.  In fact no clear author of the 'first' American flag can be identified, and the Betsy Ross legend was created by the grandson nearly 100 years after the Congressional resolution.  Francis Hopkinson represented New Jersey in the Continental Congress, signed the Declaration of Independence and designed seals for various departments of the government and may well have designed the first flag."

John Paul Jones - September 23rd, 1779 - "When the Continental Congress authorized the creation of the Navy in 1775, the British had 10 times more warships.  Capturing British merchant vessels and disrupting commerce was a key element of American strategy, and it proved exceptionally effective.  In one of the most famous naval engagements of all time, John Paul Jones, sailing off the east coast of England, attacked two British frigates, the SERAPIS and COUNTESS OF SCARBROUGH, which were escorting a convoy of merchant ships.  Jones was heavily  out-gunned and the battle lasted over 3 1/2 hours.  The Americans lashed their ship alongside the SERAPIS and the naval engagement became a fierce hand-to-hand battle.  Over 300 Americans were lost.  As his ship was sinking, Jones answered a British call for surrender with the immortal words:  'I have not yet begun to fight!' and rallied his men to win a decisive victory.  Transferring his crew to the captured SERAPIS as the BONHOMME RICHARD went down, Jones sail into a Dutch harbor, flying this distinctive flag."

That was the end of the hall exhibit and we are back with the kids readying for departure.  As we drive away, I get a fleeting picture of the outside of the building.

What to do now?  There appears to be some confusion in the scheduling for the rest of today and we are stopping at the National Museum of the American Indian.

The doors are closed and I see a sign that they are closed today, the the powers in charge check it out anyway.  Meanwhile, I stop out front and check out the statues.

We've decided to hang out on the National Mall for a few hours.  There are museums, grass to sit on, and food trucks so no one complains.  

On the lawn in front of the Capitol are thousands of blue flags representing more than 27,400 people under 50 estimated to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2030.  In just 8 years, colorectal cancer is projected to become the No. 1 cancer killer for people 24-49.

We decide to check out the National Gallery of Art.

Inside the ceiling of the dome - 

Ames-Haskell Azalea Collection.  These beautiful flowers are part of the award winning collection John S. Ames and Allen C. Haskell donated to the National Gallery in 1991 to honor our 50th anniversary.  Much of the collection is Kurume azaleas, originally from Japan.  Ames obtained these flowers with the help of famous plant explorer Ernest Wilson and brought them to the United States.  When Haskell, a noted horticulturist and nurseryman, eventually took ownership of this collection, he added a substantial group of his own azaleas.  The result is an outstanding display of the genus.

Into the gallery I go ---- Oh my.  The first room has me loving this stop.  Masters everywhere.

The Artist's Garden at Hetheuil by Claude Monet - oil on canvas, 1881

A Girl with a Watering Can by Auguste Renoir - oil on canvas 1876

The Japanese Footbridge by Claude Monet -- oil on canvas 1899

The Gardener Vallier by Paul Cezanne -- oil on canvas 1906.  One of his final paintings.

The Dance Lesson by Edgar Degas -- oil on canvas 1879

A quick stop to relocate Jen leads me to this beautiful garden area.

Back to the galleries - 

Green Wheat Fields, Auvers by Vincent Van Gogh -- oil on canvas 1890

The Artist's Garden in Argenteuil by Claude Monet -- oil on canvas 1873

We are now parked at the base of Capitol Hill waiting for those of our group who went to meet up with Representative Jodey Arrington from Abilene.  Since that is not my district, I opted to stay on the mall and continue at the museums, then got ice cream and visited with our tour guide out on the lawn.  All in all --- a pleasant afternoon.  Jen and Josh rented scooters and were all up and down the mall.  Back to us waiting, I can see the Taft Memorial Carillon from where we are.

And that's it.  We are outta here and heading to Baltimore, MD for our flight out.  Along the way, we take a route that goes through many neighborhoods and I have to admit, I like the looks of the area.

Flights go well and I'm back in Dallas just before 11 with my sweetheart picking me up for a short night's sleep.  I had such fun on this trip, but am truly and completely wiped out.  What memories I have made --- what sleep I need.  Hope you enjoyed the trip as much as I did.