2016 Belmonte Middle School DC Trip - Day 2: Paying Respect

What a wonderful day.

Before I begin tonight's blog, I wanted to share some information with you.  This blog has had over 50,000 page views since its inception.  We have had visitors to this page from over a dozen countries.  Tonight's entry will be my 90th.  I share this information with you because I am proud of how this blog has developed and that is has become popular enough for me to continue with it.  I am aware that our readers do not just make up the friends and families of our current travelers, but those who have traveled on many of my trips.  They check back, now and then, to see what is going on.  I've read numerous comments about how the blog bring the kids closer to home while we are away and it shares our experiences with a larger community of people who care.

I started thinking about the idea of community this morning, but I am getting a little ahead of myself.  I have a couple of things I like to do with this blog when I am overseas, but I find myself forgetting to do them on this trip.  The first is that I need to complain about being tired.  I have logged in almost 20,000 steps today and have walked almost 8.5 miles.  I woke early and went to bed late.  I didn't really catnap on the bus.  I am tired, but it is a good tired.  It is the type of tired you welcome because of how cool it was to get that tired.  The second thing I like to do is talk about food.  This trip doesn't quite match up to the cuisine I might indulge in while walking through Rome or touring Paris, but the breakfast far surpasses the typical European breakfast.

I entered the buffet line with low expectations.  There was a cereal bowl and some milk, but I passed on that option.  Instead, I went right for the hot stuff.  Bacon, hash browns, scrambled eggs, and  pancakes.  They had warm maple syrup and glasses of orange juice poured at each table.  I contemplated seconds, but my original portion was quite healthy and a rather large line had started to form.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!!!

I'll try to remember to talk more about food tomorrow.  People seem to like to know what their loved ones are eating, lol.  I also should mention that I am sorry for not using my Instagram account as much as I had expected.  I am quite new to the 'gram' and find myself focusing on posting pictures to Facebook.  I started posting #punsofinstagram in Italy and the kids really seemed to like it, but I am getting caught up in the sites and keep forgetting.

So, this morning, after breakfast, we boarded our buses.  Our first stop was Arlington National Cemetery.  To be safe, we reminded the kids about the solemnity that they would need while visiting this location.  We explained what a caisson was and how we should not photograph one if we saw it passing by.

Our first stop within the cemetery was the John F. Kennedy grave and eternal flame.  Our guide explained the importance of the Kennedy family and their impact in American politics.  She explained who Jacqueline was and her impact in American society.  We were really the only group there and it gave us the time to take some great photos, but also to reflect on the legacy of JFK.

Our view when first entering Arlington

The organization of burial plots is simply amazing

Our guide explaining who JFK was and what we were about to see.

The eternal flame 

The final resting place for Camelot

Apparently, JFK loved this view so much that his final resting place was selected here

JFK's brothers are all remembered at Arlington.  Two of them are buried here, but one was missing in action from World War Two.  After the Kennedy site, we walked through the burial grounds on our way to the Tomb of the Unknown soldier.  It was amazing because of the ceremonies we witnessed.  We saw a traditional changing of the guard ceremony and also a wreath laying ceremony.  I tried to capture them on my phone, but if you watch them on your computer, you might need to turn the computer sideways.

The Changing of the Guard

A wreath laying ceremony

With our visit to Arlington National Cemetery nearly complete, we made our way to the memorials for the Space Shuttles.  I explained to the kids that I watched the Challenger explosion while in the Cafagymatorium at the Waybright.

Our next stop was the Iwo Jima Memorial.

We were only there for a bit before we headed to the Holocaust museum.  Inside, we were able to pass through the Daniel's Story exhibit.  It is a moving experience and many of the Belmonte kids stopped to read passages of Daniel's diary.  They learned about the rise of Anti-Semetism in Germany, the Ghettos and the Concentration Camps.

The Entrance to Daniel's Story

Learning about Daniel

Signing the guest book

Paying respect

The Holocaust Museum 

When our visit ended, we took off for lunch.  I didn't snap a picture of my meal, but I had a gyro.  I usually get them in Europe because they are cheap.  In DC, they were $9 each.  Fortunately, we had vouchers.  I also noticed a Dunks just around the corner, so I refreshed myself with a large black iced coffee.  I was no longer as tired.

We drove down Embassy Row and marveled at all of the different nations represented.  We then arrived at the National Cathedral.  The photos don't do it justice.

A hand carved pulpit showcasing the growth of the printed bible

The Science Window

Woodrow Wilson's tomb

 A guide had told the kids to expect to be wow'd and they were.  The kids loved it.  I kept on looking at other Saugus groups, and they were like mine, smiling and paying attention.  We had had a long day, but this cathedral had awaken something in them.

Two more memorials awaited us before the Newseum.

The first was in honor of MLK, Jr.

The next was to remember FDR.

The Newseum is a really cool place.  It is a traditional museum, but modern, and geared towards the news.  There are all sorts of neat exhibits, but our time was limited. I spent most of my time in a new exhibit that looks at the FBI.  I am sharing some photos with you.

The Times Square bombers car

A model of the shoe bombers plans

Wreckage from 9/11

DC area issues

Boston

 There is also a large section of the Berlin wall inside the Newseum.  I've been to the original wall (and I'm going back in April with SHS) and this large segment gives a great sense of realism to those learning about a divided Berlin and the Cold War.

A news copter hangs in the entrance.

We eventually had to call our visit to the Newseum complete and head towards the ballpark.  We hit some traffic, but we all made it to Camden Yards.  We had a blast.  The O's came out on top (which isn't a good thing for the Sox, but it made the night more fun).  We ate tons of food, sang Take Me Out To The Ballgame, and ate more food.

I mentioned earlier that I was thinking about community earlier today.  It kept resurfacing in my mind as we traveled from spot to spot.  I think I will write more about it tomorrow, but I wanted to explain part of my mindset.  We are here representing one community.  We share a common bond with each other, but we are all individuals.  We care about different things, but we have similar philosophies.  Many of the sites we visited today are foreign to our kids.  They have heard names, but they don't know how important JFK or MLK were to this nation.  They saw headstones and graves and remained silent for heartfelt presentations.  They walked in the shoes of a boy named Daniel and among monuments of fallen soldiers.  They removed their caps in the cathedral and put them on after the National Anthem.  In a community, we learn societal norms.  We learn compassion and how to care.  Today, these kids showed me that they know how to respect things that need to be respected.  The lesson has been echoed by the number of times I've heard them thanking our bus driver, our tour guide, and us chaperons.  It has been a pleasure so far and I cannot wait for tomorrow.

Mr. Lavoie, laying comfortably in bed as he finishes his blog...no lobby for him tonight!!!