Mr. Sherpe Goes To Washington

Across the Fence #493

After leaving Mount Vernon, we boarded our bus and headed for Washington D.C. where we would spend three days. We stayed at a hotel in Fairfax, Virginia for four nights while we toured Washington. It was nice not having to pack everything up each day. 

Each morning we were up early and had a wonderful buffet breakfast at the hotel at 6:00. By 7:00 everyone was on the bus and we headed out for the day’s adventures. In Washington we picked up our step-on guide who would be with us throughout the day and give us the history of each site we visited.

Our first stop was the Nation’s Capitol. It reminded me of our state capitol in Madison. I had my picture taken standing on the steps to prove I was actually in Washington. One of the interesting things our guide pointed out was where they remove the center portion of the balcony railing for inaugurations. This is where the President comes out of the Capitol to reach the platform that’s set up for the ceremony. I should mention that uniformed guards were in place everywhere we went in Washington.

Our next stop was the White House. The closest you can get these days is to stand by the black iron fence that surrounds the grounds and protects it. Tours inside the White House are no longer given to the public. 9-11 changed everything. I guess President Obama was busy running the country because no one came out to wave hello to this gawking bunch of Midwesterners peering through the fence.

Our next stop was the National World War II Memorial. It covers a lot of area and it’s impressive. I especially liked the bas-relief panels that line both walls of the entrance, depicting scenes from the war effort. Another unforgettable mental picture is the Freedom Wall containing 4,000 gold stars, each one representing 100 war dead. 400,000 Americans gave their lives. In front of the wall is the inscription, “Here We Mark the Price of Freedom.” The memorial is a fitting tribute to the “Greatest Generation.”

Our next stop was at the Washington National Cathedral, a very impressive work of architecture. It’s the world’s sixth largest cathedral. Being a wood carver, I was especially interested in the intricate carvings on the pulpit and alters. Parts of the cathedral were damaged in the 2011 earthquake and are still being repaired.

As we drove around Washington on a beautiful, sunny day, the cherry trees were close to full bloom. Our step-on guide pointed out so many things that people would miss if they were on their own. 

At noon we stopped at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where we had lunch and received a tour of the building, including the terrace at the top of the building where we had great views of Washington.

Next we headed for the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial. Our first stop was at the statue of the three soldiers that was added after The Wall was completed. Our guide gave us background information and said The Wall has become one of the most moving memorials on the mall. As a Vietnam veteran, this is one memorial that I was well acquainted with, but didn’t know how seeing and experiencing it would affect me. We walked slowly down the path until we came to where the two sections meet in the center and is just over ten feet high. The amount of names on The Wall is overwhelming. I felt empty, disgusted, angry, sad, and an extreme sense of loss, because none of those names, that include friends of mine, should have been on a wall. I felt so empty I couldn’t even shed a tear.

Close by is the Vietnam Women’s Memorial. This was spearheaded by Diane Carlson Evans, a Vietnam nurse and friend of mine. She served in the hospital in Pleiku where we sent our casualties. She worked for many years to get that memorial and the women veterans richly deserve it. 

From there we walked to the Lincoln Memorial. It is so much more impressive when you see it in person. I looked out across the reflecting pool to the Washington Monument, and could almost hear Martin Luther King standing where I was and delivering his “I have a dream” speech.

On the other side of the pool is the Korean War Veteran’s Memorial. The 19 stainless steel statues seem real as they advance while on patrol. Many in our group thought it was the most impressive memorial. 

Our final stop of the day was the Iwo Jima (US Marine Corps Memorial), of five Marines and one Navy Corpsman raising the American flag on Iwo Jima.

It was a full day and we had much to think about as our bus took us back to our hotel. If you’ve never taken a bus tour, I’ll say again, it’s a great way to travel. You get to see a lot of the country along the way and you meet some wonderful people who become your friends by the end of the trip. I thought the many hours on the bus would drag but time goes by fast when you’re visiting with people around you, watching movies, sitting back and enjoying the scenery, and in my case, doing some writing. 

Next week, some final images and thoughts on a great trip with Jag Tours.


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