Saturday, May 02, 2009

More Vacation Photos

Even though I've been back at work all week, I've just gotten around to editing more of my vacation photos. I'll start with a black and white version of the Monticello photo I posted last week. I tweaked the contrast and color balance a bit to make the shot look more dramatic than the color version.



Dave and I did something unusual on our vacation last week. We came home partway through the week so that we could take some time to visit some Washington, DC sites. Today's photos are some of the results of our visit to Arlington National Cemetery, which is the final resting place of more than 300,000 American military personnel. Dave and I had quite a discussion about the criteria for being buried there. It turns out that the system is more complex than either one of us realized. Check out the Wiki link above for more information.

First up is the grave of President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in November 1963, during his term of office. It's hard to see the eternal flame in this photo, as it was a bright, sunny day when we visited, but it's there.



A short distance away from John F. Kennedy's grave is the grave of his younger brother, Robert F. Kennedy. Senator Kennedy was assassinated in June 1968, during his campaign to be the Democratic party nominee for the presidency.



Next, this is a view of the Custis Lee Mansion, the home of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, which overlooks the cemetery (all of which had belonged to Lee's family) and the city of Washington, DC. This is a view of the mansion from the John F. Kennedy grave site. (Trivia Note: George Washington married a Custis back in his day).



As one climbs the hill to the Custis Lee mansion, one can see the Pentagon, home of the US military, not so very far away.



One of the most popular sights at the cemetery is the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a ceremony that occurs every 30 minutes, on the hour and half-hour throughout the day.



Finally, a spectacular view of Washington, DC and several of its most famous buildings from the walkway in front of the Custis Lee Mansion. Click on the photo to get a better look.



Stay tuned for more photos in another post.

4 comments:

Jenn said...

hmm...rfk certainly got gyped compared to his brother! it must be quite an emotional experience to visit there.

Catharine said...

Love the photos. Arlington Cemetary is an inspirational place to visit.

Stephen said...

I think it's great that you and David took the time on your vacation to visit some of the wonderful sites in the Washington area. Far to many of us fail to take in the historical sites in our own backyard - and then there are regrets years later.

Barbara said...

I love what you did to that first photo. You really achieved that dramatic effect you were going for.