Late Friday afternoon, Sept. 6, we visited the National Portrait Gallery. We went through the “Experience America” area then upstairs to go through the “America’s Presidents” section. Both had great paintings and were informative. As we were leaving, a “Jetties” popped up on Jettie’s phone map. We asked three employees near the exit if there was such a place and they did not know. We asked if we could exit out the north way as the “Jetties” pop-up showed north. Upon exiting – there it was across the street and about 20 yards up right side – apparently one of many “Jetties” sandwich shops. Unfortunately, it was only open M-F from 10 to 2 and we were not able to get back later that week. However, we now know that Jettie is far more diverse than we thought!
On Monday after visiting Arlington Cemetery, the Marine Memorial, and having pizza on the street in Arlington; we caught a subway back to the Mall and went through the National Museum of American History which has a host of displays rich with artifacts and information. From there we jumped on a D.C. Circulator Bus and went to the Jefferson Memorial. The quotes around the dome are great. Here are some portions of those quotes:
“…all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights…”
“Almighty God hath created the mind free. All attempts to influence it by temporal punishments or burdens…are a departure from the plan of the Holy Author of our religion…”
“God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever…”
“…I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.”
We then jumped on a bus and went to the Lincoln Memorial. There were a lot of people there and a line for getting one’s picture taken with Abe towering overhead. On one side of the room is the Gettysburg Address and on the other side is Lincoln’s second inaugural address delivered in March of 1865. Both are stirring still today.
Jettie and I headed over to the Korean War Memorial while the others set out for the WWII Memorial a good distance to the east. Those Korean soldiers outfitted for harsh winter conditions rising out the ground speak to the conditions our troops encountered in that conflict. Etched faces in the black marble wall are somewhat haunting.
Jettie and I then high-tailed it to the north to walk along the Vietnam Memorial Wall with its 58,000 names beginning at the center under the year 1959 and flowing to the east end then resuming on the west end and flowing back to the center and ending at the bottom with the year 1975.
Jettie and I then caught up with the others at the WWII Memorial. Entering from the Washington Monument side there are about 13 bronze plates on each side showing the progression of the war in Europe and on the other side the progression of the war in the Pacific. They are captivating.
Tuesday morning we walked by Ford Theater where Lincoln was shot, grabbed a coffee, and toured the White House. In the afternoon an aide of our Representative Don Bacon took us on a brief Capitol tour and that evening we had the unique privilege to sit in the House of Representative’s Chamber of the Capitol.
On Wednesday we saw an original Bible from the Gutenberg press, looked into the research chamber of the Library of Congress’ Thomas Jefferson Building (what a room!), and walked through Jefferson’s library.
We then walked through the Supreme Court Building looking at displays downstairs and looking into the actual chamber upstairs.
Obviously, we did not see many of the museums or other sites, but we saw a lot!
a PK Musing 
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