Monday Last night out

I asked the concierge if he had any recommendations for dinner. He gives me a list. The restaurants are listed by area and expensive or inexpensive and if formal attire is necessary. We pick Chinese and take a cab to China town on the other side of the mall. tom still refuses to do subways. The restaurant has Mongolian downstairs and Chinese upstairs. We opt for Mongolian. You pick your ingredients and watch the chef cook it. It is supposed to be all you can eat but we are full after one bowl. We were so hungry the whole meal takes maybe 20 minutes if you push it including the cooking. Tom laughs and asks what we are going to do for the rest of the evening. it still hasn't really cooled off yet.

This was supposed to be the inexpensive Chinese. The bill comes and its $20 per person because we had done the Mongolian style. For warned for next time. It was still fun to do. I wait outside while Tom pays. While waiting a taxi drops off another group right in front of the restaurant. I ask the woman driver if she will take us down to the Lincoln memorial, which we have not gotten to yet. She says yes but to not leave her car door open in this heat while we wait for Tom. No problem I pop into her air conditioned taxi and we wait.

She is the best taxi driver we have had. She knows some history of the city. she tells us to note the different colored granite on the Washington memorial. Three different batches were used the first was when they started but then ran out of money the second was the restart and the third was because they didn't order enough granite on the restart. You can really see the difference between stage one and two. Stage three they tried to get a close match but you can tell its a different batch if you look closely.

She drops us off at the Korean war monument. Soldiers walking through a field. A black granite wall with faces of soldiers looking out is the back drop. it also encloses the soldiers so you cant see the traffic on the street just beyond.

The next memorial is Lincoln. He is huge and dramatic. Much like Liberty in New York, you can feel the drama of the memorial. The view from the top of the steps down the reflecting pool and the Mall Museums is also impressive. Trevor asks if the reason the pond is called the reflecting pool is because of the reflection of the Washington Memorial in the water. Yes.
Cyclone fence is set up around the reflecting pool today due to the fireworks the night before. Tom sees all the cardboard on the ground and guesses the fencing was up to protect the crowds from debris fall out.

We walk over to the Vietnam War memorial with all its names. There are notes leaning up against the wall. You can read some of them that are in clear sleeves. One is from a grand child wishing he had met his grand father. An Uncle had told him wonderful stories about the man. Another was the official record of the soldier being killed in hostile fire with the location and date. I walk through a little choked up and quiet. The boys meet me at the other end. Tom shows up after that. He was as moved as I.

The WWII memorial comes next It is a circular fountain with 50 pillars with copper wreaths representing each state surrounding it . At the edge is a plaque listing George W Bush and the architect as the dedicators in 2004. That irritated me a little. None of the other memorials listed the president in office at the time of dedication. GW couldn't quite leave off his name. I thought it a little petty. But the Memorial itself was beautiful and tasteful and fit in well with the rest of the mall.

We couldn't walk the length of the reflecting pool because of the fence and I was tired and my dress up flip flops with beads and turquoise were hurting my toes. So I flagged a cab and took the boys back to the hotel. Trevor told me now I knew how he felt the night before when his feet hurt. Tom wanted to walk and take in the atmosphere. The drama of the Mall is incredible, especially after the tourists have all left for the day. The huge and gorgeous museums full of the wealth of history of our country stand wondrously powerful.

I can't believe we survived 10 days sharing hotel rooms and small spaces as well as we did. The rare disagreement was fleeting. I am sorry the trip is coming to a close.