Flashback: DC

Back in August we took a quick trip up to Washington, D.C. (and Virginia, and Maryland for crab-eating purposes) this week.  Though there wasn't much time for sightseeing, we did take a few hours on Thursday morning to visit Arlington National Cemetery and Washington National Cathedral.

If you visit Arlington in August, I would certainly recommend taking the trolley tour.  It loops around the over 600 acre cemetery, and passengers can disembark at a number of stops to visit popular locations, like the Kennedy family plot, Arlington House, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  We were able to see a guard change at the Tomb, which happens every half hour in the summer, as well as a group presenting a wreath there.  There is a small museum between the Tomb and the amphitheater behind it that documents the history of the Tomb, and displays some gifts left by foreign dignitaries.

Then we went to the National Cathedral, over near Georgetown.  The cathedral, an Episcopal church, was designed in imitation of Europe's great Gothic cathedrals.  Make sure not to miss the observation gallery on the seventh floor, accessible by elevators from the entrance.  When we visited there was a small juried exhibit of modern stained glass on display, and photos by the windows showing landmarks in the capital and Virginia.  The gallery also gives information on the 2011 earthquake that damaged the cathedral's towers.