mike convinced me that i should update our blog..so here i go.

the weather has been absolutely beautiful here in va/dc so we decided to check out the new MLK memorial and revisit the other memorials as well. it was a beautiful fall afternoon. i love dc in the fall.

  
this is the entrance through the mountain of despair. 

 
 and here is the stone of hope. the quote is a line from the "i have a dream" speech, as well as the concept for the entire memorial - "out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope."

the memorial is also surrounded by "the inscription wall" displaying famous MLK quotes. it was quite powerful walking along and reading his inspiring words.
one of the visitors to the memorial did a very good MLK impersonation by reciting the "i have a dream" speech by memory. it was quite entertaining. 

next stop: the korean war memorial



being korean, i am always moved by this memorial, in particular the following quote:




next stop: the lincoln memorial

mike has been doing a lot of reading on the civil war so he was excited to read the gettysburg address inscribed on the wall of the memorial.




what usually is a beautiful view of the washington monument from the steps of the lincoln, now looks like this:


the reflection pool is undergoing some renovations.

next stop: vietnam war memorial

 

interesting fact about this memorial, the design was chosen from entries submitted in a national contest. the winner, maya lin was a 21 year old, architecture student from yale.

next stop: the world war II memorial


final stop: FDR memorial

this memorial is a personal favorite. my friends and i loved coming here at night. the water and the lights make this memorial particularly beautiful.

FDR is the only president to serve for 4 terms. the following statue was quite controversial because it depicts the president in a wheel chair. he suffered from polio during his time as president, but he was reluctant to be shown in his wheelchair to the public.

a statue of men waiting in a bread line.


 the president with his furry friend, fala.

we attempted to go to the jefferson memorial. i was tired of walking so insisted that we drive...well what would have been a ten minute walk became a exercise in futility. we ended up driving past the memorial three times. mike has yet to see the memorial up close. oops! :) here a picture we took from a distance.

well, that's all folks! until next time. 



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