A Jason Woodside Mural Spotting in Rosslyn, VA

On a recent visit to Arlington, Virginia, we headed out for a morning cup of coffee.

As we strolled through nearby Rosslyn, we came upon this amazing urban plaza.

Located on the corner of 19th & N. Moore Streets, it had tables, Adirondack seating,

shade trees and planters bursting with impatiens, ferns and ivy.

What a welcome spot of reprieve amid the traffic and tall buildings!

Its backdrop was a super-colorful mural painted by street artist Jason Woodside.

A bold vortex of geometric stripes and dots in such bright, vivid colors.

How could you leave without a smile? It worked for me!

Check out Jason's website.

Meanwhile, you might want to see what else we did in Arlington:
A Solemn Visit the the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial
The US Air Force Memorial: Honoring Airmen with Reverent Patriotism
Our Day at Arlington National Cemetery
Honoring the Tomb of the Unknowns

Honoring the Tomb of the Unknowns, Arlington, VA

HERE RESTS IN
HONORED GLORY

AN AMERICAN 

SOLDIER

KNOWN BUT TO GOD

Over the years, we've seen a number of the memorials and
 historical monuments throughout the Washington, DC area. 
Each one evokes feelings of pride and patriotism, but by far 
the most solemn is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Located at the Memorial Amphitheater in Arlington National Cemetery,
the tomb is the final resting place for Unknowns from
World War I, World War II and the Korean War.

Since 1937, the Tomb is guarded by an Honor Guard
24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The Sentinal takes 21 steps as he walks in each direction while guarding the Tomb.

This relates to the highest honor given in the military, the twenty-one gun salute.

The Sentinal stops on his 21st step, turns with a heel click and faces the Tomb 

for 21 seconds, then turns and "walks the mat" 21 steps in the other direction.

He always carries his weapon on his outside shoulder, 

placing himself between the Tomb and any potential danger. 

The Changing of the Guard is a reverent, formal ceremony.

It's well worth watching; we stayed to see it twice.

The precision and devotion with which the Honor Guard

carries out this respected tradition is mesmerizing.

The weapon of the new Sentinal is thoroughly inspected.

You may like to read these posts:
Our Day at Arlington National Cemetery
A Solemn Visit to the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial

Links to explore:
Society of the Honor Guard
Arlington National Cemetery

Our Day at Arlington National Cemetery

A hush of reverence overcame us. 

We were called to pay homage and show respect as we walked 
through the hallowed grounds of Arlington National Cemetery.
It was an honor to visit this great place that is dedicated

to those American men and women who served our country.

Some facts:

Arlington National Cemetery was officially made a

national burial place by the War Department in 1864.

The cemetery is 624 acres in size.

Over 400,000 active duty servicemen, veterans 

and their families have been buried here.

Each weekday, 27-30 funerals are held, with 6-8 on Saturdays.

Prominent figures among those buried here:

President William Howard Taft

President John F. Kennedy

Senator Robert F. Kennedy

Senator Ted Kennedy

Medgar Evers

General John J. Pershing

General Omar N. Bradley

General George C. Marshall

Oliver Wendell Holmes

William Jennings Bryan

Audie Murphy

Abner Doubleday

We took the official narrated tour, hopping off the tram at each stop.

My photos represent only a handful of the numerous 

memorials and monuments throughout the cemetery. 

A very popular place in the cemetery are the grave sites of assassinated

President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, and his wife Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis.

The eternal flame.

Burial sites of explorers Robert Peary and Matthew Henson,
who, in 1909, discovered the North Pole.
The National Air Force Memorial is seen in the background on the left.

Part of the USS Maine Memorial is the actual main mast of the battleship. 

It commemorates the lives that were lost in the explosion 

of this ship in Havana Harbor, Cuba in 1898.

"Remember the Maine" became a rallying cry in the Spanish-American War.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is especially moving to witness. 

(You can read my post on this ceremony here.)

The Nurses Memorial is a serene marble sculpture that 

looks over the graves of hundreds of military nurses.

It "commemorates the devoted service to country and 

humanity by Army, Navy and Air Force nurses."

Arlington House was built by George Washington Parke Custis

as a living memorial to his grandfather, George Washington.

Custis' daughter Mary became the wife of Robert E. Lee.

The history of how the surrounding land came to be a

national cemetery is intriguing, and one worthy of researching.

The Civil War Unknowns Memorial - In 1866, the remains of 2,111 soldiers,

both Union and Confederate, were gathered and buried at this spot.

The US Coast Guard Memorial features the motto Semper Paratus (Always Ready),

and a bronze seagull with uplifted wings to symbolize the tireless vigil of the Guard.

Memorializing the crews of the Space Shuttles

Challenger (1986) and Columbia (2003).

With sincere appreciation for your service to our country,

rest in peace, American heroes, one and all.

For more information, see the Arlington National Cemetery website.

You may be interested in these posts I've written as well:
A Solemn Visit the the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial
The US Air Force Memorial: Honoring Airmen with Reverent Patriotism

The US Air Force Memorial - Honoring Airmen with Reverent Patriotism

Recent travels to Arlington, Virginia brought us to the
United States Air Force Memorial.
A very prominent part of the Arlington skyline,
the Memorial's 3 spires drew us in to see more.




Three stainless steel spires stretch skyward, 
representing the Thunderbirds' bomb burst maneuver.
Their towering heights are 201', 231', and 270'.

The Memorial overlooks the Washington, D.C. skyline across the Potomac River.
The Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol Building can be seen to the left.
The Memorial is adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery and the Pentagon.

At the base of the spires is a granite star, the center of which is a stone
commemorating the Memorial's dedication in 2006 by President George W. Bush.

Reaching toward the Heavens.

On either side of the spires is a black granite Inscription Wall. 
The north wall is inscribed with quotes on valor, courage and sacrifice, 
along with names of the Airmen Medal of Honor recipients.

In front of the Inscription Wall is the glass Contemplation Wall.
It's engraved with images of four F-16 fighter jets in the Missing Man formation.

A bronze sculpture of an 8' tall Air Force Honor Guard stands at the watch. 

The south wall is engraved with inspirational quotes based on the three core values:
integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all things.

Visiting this memorial was a moving and patriotic experience.
I walked away with a renewed gratitude for our Air Force-
for the sacrifices they have made, for those who gave all,
for those men and women currently serving our country-
as well as a deeper appreciation for the many freedoms which I enjoy.

Find out more at the Air Force Memorial website.

You may also like to read these posts I've written:
A Solemn Visit to the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial
Our Day at Arlington National Cemetery
Honoring the Tomb of the Unknowns, Arlington, VA