Every town and city across the country has a tradition of patriotic pride when it comes to the major holidays. Many more have their own local traditions that only locals truly understand. Growing up in Boston, this is how we feel about the Boston Marathon. It’s a 26.2 mile party complete with a Red Sox game that starts at 11am, right around the time that the first runners are crossing the finish line. It’s a tradition that people of all ages, especially those of legal drinking age, can partake in. After the bombing in 2013, the local pride in this tradition ballooned.
Now that summer is underway and I’ve spent Memorial Day Weekend in the nation’s capital, I’m beginning to understand what holidays that celebrate Americanism are like down here. I had a great time at some of the festivities over the weekend, and can only imagine what the Fourth of July is going to be like.
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
Misha and I live less than a 10 minute walk from Arlington National Cemetery. We often enjoy the park around the US Marine Corps War Memorial and the Netherlands Carillon located next to the cemetery, but I’d never ventured in. The Friday of MDW, that changed.
It was a beautiful sunny day in the 80s, the trees in full bloom, the neatly trimmed grass was a vibrant green, and every grave in the cemetery, numbering over 270,000, was outfitted with an American flag. Taps rang out from a distant trolley tour. The immense size of the place, some 624 acres, is both striking and disorienting. Headstones are sprawled over seemingly endless hills, with enough tree cover to make you feel isolated from the vast city life outside the walls of the burial ground. Admittedly, I got lost trying to leave and couldn’t find where I came in.
I was struck by the range of ages on the tombstones. The youngest were infants of one day old, of which I saw way more than I would expect. The oldest I remember seeing was 99, but I’m sure there are plenty in triple digits. Over 400,000 people are buried in the cemetery, a stark reminder of how intertwined war and American history are. Many people there were veterans of three wars, something incomprehensible to me. Maybe it’s just the Dan Carlin Hardcore History podcast I’ve been listening to lately, but I can’t imagine going through the horrors experienced by WWI soldiers and ever stepping foot on a battlefield again.
BEST VIEW OF THE CITY YET
One of the things I really wanted to see was the grave of Pierre Charles L’Enfant. L’Enfant, who also has a well-known plaza named after him here in DC, is the man who was tasked by George Washington to design the urban plan for Washington, DC. His grave also happens to have the best view (pictured above) of DC I’ve seen yet. You get a clear view of the Lincoln, Washington and Jefferson Memorial’s. On a sunny day it is simply beautiful.
TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER AND KENNEDY MEMORIALS
Another popular tourist site at ANC, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was unfortunately closed for Memorial Day Events. I was able to climb the stairs and take a peak inside, but that’s as close as I could get. The place is huge, a fitting monument to those unidentified and missing service members who made the ultimate sacrifice. It was built in 1921 and is guarded at all times, rain or shine.
The RFK and JFK Memorials are right next to each other, with John’s dwarfing that of his brother. In addition to a big wall memorializing several of his most famous quotes, a flame burns eternal above the graves of John and his wife, Jackie Kennedy Onassis. RFK’s site, though much smaller, is peaceful in it’s own right. Behind the cross and granite marker shown above is a rectangular granite reflecting pool with two quotes from Robert’s speeches inscribed on it.
NEWSEUM AND MEMORIAL DAY PARADE
I didn’t end up taking any pictures inside the Newseum, but it is a must see if you visit DC. The current location will be shutting down at the end of 2019, but they are looking into options for another location. Dedicated to the First Amendment and Freedom of the Press, the museum honors journalists who have made a powerful impact on American society as well as first responders, the FBI, and much more. You can touch a piece of the Berlin Wall, see fragments from the Twin Towers, and watch hours of videos on everything from Edward R. Murrow to LGBTQ rights to the power of photography. I had to hold back tears on multiple occasions. The Newseum is well worth the price of admission, and I plan on returning before the year is out.
As we were making our way down the 6 floors of the Newseum, we noticed people slowly gathering along Pennsylvania Avenue as the morning gave way to the afternoon. The idea of a Memorial Day parade hadn’t even crossed our minds, but as we exited the museum and took a few photos courtesy of the woman working the door (all of which my eyes are closed in), we realized our timing couldn’t be any better. So we strolled over and took in the sights.
Filled with marching bands from across the country, soldiers from all arms of the military, classic cars, horse drawn carriages and an Abe Lincoln impersonator fresh off the penny, the nearly two hour parade was the perfect way to take in our first major holiday in the District.
Beer and Diplomacy 
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