My First Trip Report Begins- USA & Canada

[LadyC]

Really enjoying your trip report so far, thanks for posting.

 

[irv]

Really enjoying your trip report so far, thanks for posting.

Thank you, not sure if I am overdoing it

 

[RooFlyer]

Thank you, not sure if I am overdoing it

Its your Trip Report; whatever you want to post, goes!

 

[Cool Cat Phil]

Fantastic Trip report so far.

It take my hat off to members such as yourself who put in the effort and write Trip Reports for all us to learn from.

Well done

 

[irv]

Thanks for the advice I will plug on

 

[irv]

Arlington and then DC. I will give it those in charge of remembrance of the fallen, they know how to honour them. To a certain degree it brings it all home, over the years, of those who have fallen in the service of their country marked with a simple white cross in memory. The starkness of the amphitheatre, would love to visit at a time of a ceremony.

What I thought was interesting was the grandeur of a number of headstones in relation to ranking officers as opposed to the low key eternal flame dedicated to JFK and a simple cross to Robert Kennedy. It passed through my mind a DYKWIA memorial for all time

I found the changing of the guard significant, 35 degree c temperatures, never missed a beat until he was stood down, very impressed.

A few photos, then off exploring DC

 

[get me outta here]

Great pix and descriptions, thanks for taking the trouble, it takes me back to where I haven't been for 10 years.

Arlington and then DC. I will give it those in charge of remembrance of the fallen, they know how to honour them. To a certain degree it brings it all home, over the years, of those who have fallen in the service of their country marked with a simple white cross in memory. The starkness of the amphitheatre, would love to visit at a time of a ceremony.

What I thought was interesting was the grandeur of a number of headstones in relation to ranking officers as opposed to the low key eternal flame dedicated to JFK and a simple cross to Robert Kennedy. It passed through my mind a DYKWIAM memorial for all time

I found the changing of the guard significant, 35 degree c temperatures, never missed a beat until he was stood down, very impressed.

View attachment 62836View attachment 62837View attachment 62838View attachment 62839A few photos, then off exploring DC

 

[Bindibuys]

We visited Arlington on Remembrance Day, waved to Obama as he drove away.... he did not stop to say hi

 

[irv]

Our first venture into DC, they sure do like memorials here. The temperature was close to 40c so anywhere with shelter would be good. 1st stop the Abraham Lincoln memorial, I was impressed imagining the time and effort to put all this together. Particularly impressed with the layout of the city, a lot of planning has been put into this.

Next stop the Korean War Memorial, so well presented you can imagine the conditions faced by the soldiers. A welcome relief at the Second World War Memorial, we weren't the only ones who sat there with our feet in the water cooling off, followed by the Vietnam Memorial wall, again so many names of those who did not return.

Whilst they are great at honoring the fallen, again the amount of homeless in this country is staggering, a large number professing to be veterans. Whilst I am aware some of these are probably a scam for synpathy, I wonder the actual number of those who have served their country and then been forgotten. In many ways our social security net is very much superior to their own.

A few photos to finish the post

 

[get me outta here]

I am a bit confused about the temperature of 40C, which month was / is your trip irv? Edit, OK I got it, it WAS summer in Aug 2105.

Our first venture into DC, they sure do like memorials here. The temperature was close to 40c so anywhere with shelter would be good. 1st stop the Abraham Lincoln memorial, I was impressed imagining the time and effort to put all this together. Particularly impressed with the layout of the city, a lot of planning has been put into this.

Next stop the Korean War Memorial, so well presented you can imagine the conditions faced by the soldiers. A welcome relief at the Second World War Memorial, we weren't the only ones who sat there with our feet in the water cooling off, followed by the Vietnam Memorial wall, again so many names of those who did not return.

Whilst they are great at honoring the fallen, again the amount of homeless in this country is staggering, a large number professing to be veterans. Whilst I am aware some of these are probably a scam for synpathy, I wonder the actual number of those who have served their country and then been forgotten. In many ways our social security net is very much superior to their own.

A few photos to finish the post

 

[irv]

Our next ports of call were the Smithsonian Institutes, Native American, Natural History and the Aeronautical & Space, fantastic presentations and my first time back in a museum in probably 30 years, was suitably impressed.

A stroll past the White House, how many telescopes do you need on a roof. And why does the bloke on the bike have an emblem on his sleeve saying Secret Service, not very secret.

I was impressed with two aspects of this city, the architecture and the preservation of their history, I think we could take a leaf out of their books back home.

We arrived at the Library of the Congress. Had not done research on this so we went in with we will have a quick look at this attitude, we were blown away with the architecture and the history. Goes to show never to be dismissive of a place until you have had a look.

A few photos

 

[irv]

The next day saw us going a bit further afield, which would see us walking 17.5 klm, average so far in Washington up to this point was around 12klm a day.
The day starts with a visit to the Iwo Jima Monument, was impressed with the detail the artist has put into the statues and the message it conveys. You can use your imagination to visualise them planting the flag on Mount Suribachi after a bloody battle.

Our next port of call was Georgetown, I can only admire how they preserve their history, a lesson that in many parts of our nation is too late to learn.

Our day ends in the Old Town in Virginia, a good mix here between the old and the new, I am a fan of this part of the country.

A few photos to finish

 

[irv]

Thank you to those who continue to follow my post, from a first poster perspective, hard to do the first one, wondering after a few posts if any one cares enough to follow any more. From my perspective of reading a number of posts they seem to dwindle and die, and I am the first to admit to being a follower and not offering support, and I understand now why this happens. So I intend to publish to the end, and provide likes to posts I am following, even if I don't comment. At least for my own posts it will act as a memory refresher for me if nothing else, and to those who continue to peruse, appreciate the interest.

 

[drron]

You have got that right irv.The major value to me is that my TRs are my memories.I go back usually when someone asks a question about a place I have been.It though always brings back memories of that trip.
You are going along very well.good to see another that has been taken by the US.I didn't want to go on my first trip in 1979/80.Always wanted to go to the UK instead.We are probably over 30 trips to the US now but waited until 1995 to go to the UK.The second visit was to wait another 20 years.

 

[TomVexille]

Yes. Following with interest. Love travelling the world through others eyes

 

[JohnM]

Thank you to those who continue to follow my post, from a first poster perspective, hard to do the first one, wondering after a few posts if any one cares enough to follow any more. From my perspective of reading a number of posts they seem to dwindle and die, and I am the first to admit to being a follower and not offering support, and I understand now why this happens. So I intend to publish to the end, and provide likes to posts I am following, even if I don't comment. At least for my own posts it will act as a memory refresher for me if nothing else, and to those who continue to peruse, appreciate the interest.

Keep it going! It's always interesting, even when I have been to the places before, to see others' takes on them - and their visits to places I didn't get to (eg. Library of Congress :-|).

 

[OATEK]

Don't worry Irv, I reckon there are plenty of people taking a sqiz at your TR. Remember the time zone difference when wondering why no one is looking at your thread when you are.

I am with Drron as well, these TRs provide great memories for yourself, and they also allow you to express the joys and wonders you find in travel - never wasted.

 

[RooFlyer]

I'm also with drron irv. TRs are a great way to preserve memories and easily refer back later. Also to show family & friends now that the days of 'slide nights' are gone .

And people (AFFers) are always searching and going back to TRs when they are planning to do similarly. Thanks again for this one.

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

I am waiting to see Prince Edward Island - always wanted to go there after reading Anne of Green Gables

 

[JohnM]

Given that you've had 58 replies and 1713 views, I'd say a few peeps are taking an interest .