Marine Sunset Parade

     In 1954 (on their 179th birthday), the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial was placed outside the gates of Arlington National Cemetery as a dedication to any individual who gave their life as a Marine.  How does the saying go?....Freedom comes at a price.  The statue was modeled after the photo of the flag raising on Mount Suribachi in Iwo Jima.  Since 1956, the Washington D.C. Marines have been performing a sunset parade every Tuesday in the shadow of this statue to commemorate those whose "Uncommon valor was a common virtue."  Might I add "OORAH!"

     When PDub and I move in a little over a month, we hope to have no regrets.  We hope to have done everything that we wanted to do before closing this chapter in our lives.  So how does one prepare for such a closure?  One first heads to TripAdvisor to make sure he has completed all of the highly rated things to do.  Thank goodness for this website because we didn't even know the Marine Sunset Parade existed.  To check this off our list, we loaded up our lawn chairs and (thankfully) rain jackets and headed for the Iwo Jima Memorial on our one and only free Tuesday.  I am grateful we sat through the rain to see this tradition and to give some respect to individuals who give their lives for the sake of our freedom.

U.S. Marine Corps Memorial, also known as the Iwo Jima Memorial.

Taking pictures at sunset is really tough.

The musical unit from the D.C. Marine Barracks.

Doo-woppin' at sunset.  Nothing better.

One of the marching units from the D.C. Marine Barracks.

Here comes the rain.  (That song would've been a fitting play at this time).

With rain, comes umbrellas.

These gentlemen never missed a beat or step.  If war cannot defeat them, then rain cannot either.

Antietam and Harpers Ferry

It has been 6 years since that day, but the smell of body decay still hangs in the air.  Nightmares stir in my head of the river running blood red, my chest pounding with the sound of constant canon fire, and the mountainous view covered with smoke and heaps of bodies.  I'm not sure I will ever recover from that one, dreadful day.

     The Battle of Antietam (also known as the Battle of Sharpsburg) took place on September 17, 1862 just 9 months before Gettysburg.  With 22,717 dead, wounded, or missing, that one day is considered the bloodiest single-day battle in all of American history, including D-Day.  It was the first battle to occur on Union soil, and Lee ended it by retreating.  Early on Saturday morning, we jumped in the car and drove north for a tour of the battlefield.

     After our tour and a quick bite to eat, we headed for the mountains for a hike on the Loudoun Heights Trail.  We climbed to an overlook of Harpers Ferry, where John Brown in 1859 attempted to cause a slave revolt.  The town sits where the Shenandoah River meets the Potomac River.

Jazz in the Sculpture Garden

     We have become those people, who sit on blankets, eat hummus, listen to jazz, and drink sangria.  With age, I believe class like that just slowly creeps into your life.  Before you know it, we will be drinking carbonated water, wearing plaid shorts with sweaters tied around our necks, and eating escargot.  Yeah, that sounds like a legit theory.

     What led us to become those people?  It was an evening in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, where every Friday a different jazz band plays.  Locals (and you might see some tourists) migrate here after a long workweek to listen to jazz, unwind, and prepare for the weekend.  As for me, I maybe didn't have a long workweek, but I was designated as the spot holder.  Yes, an intense and difficult position, where arriving early and being territorial is a must.  No worries, I was successful at completing this important task, and many of our friends were able to join PDub and I on this jazzy evening.

Life is good.

Our sculpture location.

Do I hear a jazz flute?

These are the moments that we will cherish, the ones in our nation's capital spent with close friends.  Sorry, we will have to say goodbye to such evenings, but I am sure we will find a place for new moments in our new home.

U.S. National Arboretum

     It is officially crunch time (not to be confused with the abdominal sculpting workout).  I am returning to school this fall at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis for a pathologists' assistant program (if you don't know what that is, Google it).  In addition to that news, PDub will be transferring to Joliet, IL (near Chicago).  Look out midwest, two of your favorite Dubs are heading back.  In the meantime, we have begun to complete all D.C. activities that we have neglected to do thus far.

     Our first stop was the U.S. National Arboretum.  First established in 1927, the arboretum has become a facility of research and education for the Department of Agriculture and the public.  My father instilled a sense of outdoors into my being so walking around grounds filled with plants and trees is one of my favorite things to do.  I recommend spending a morning or an afternoon at this off-the-beaten path D.C. location.

Say: "TREES!"

Note: Install in future yard.

Just lounging amongst some bonsai trees.

Respect your elders.  This guy has been around for over 400 years.  The eldest bonsai tree is over 1,000 years old.

Pillars taken from the capitol building.  My own title: Propping Up the Sky.

Fam-photo-time!

Old Montreal

     Day 2 in Montreal started off just like any other day; I woke up.  From there, things took a turn for unique.  I watched a speech given by the Washington Post journalist and very right-winged George Will.  I witnessed the domination of Germany over USA in the World Cup, and then I hit the streets of Montreal (Old Montreal to be exact).

     Vieux-Montreal, meaning Old Montreal in French, started as a fur-trading post in 1605.  Later it would house individuals such as Benjamin Franklin and Charles Dickens.  Today, it acts as a tourist area with restaurants and shops lining the cobble-stoned streets.  We found a self-guided walking tour online and took our time about experiencing the oldest part of Montreal.

Bagpipes and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

George Will talking about baseball and politics.  I suppose they go hand in hand.

The Place d'Armes and Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal with my lovely mama.

The oldest building in Montreal.

Inside of Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal.  The interiors of churches still surprise me.  You can never say, "If you've seen one, you've seen them all."

The Chapel within the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal.

Breathtaking.

Even more breathtaking with my main squeeze in front.

Strolling (or strutting) down the oldest road in Montreal.

Action shot.

I left my Superman gear at home because I didn't realize phone booths still existed.

Cirque du Soleil setup.

Bonsecours Market where you'll find local artisans and can purchase anything from paintings to fresh veggies.

A pretty church that overlooks the river.