Tourmobile Sightseeing has a bus tour that takes you through Arlington National Cemetery. The bus stops at the Kennedy's graves, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers, and Arlington House. The neat thing about seeing Arlington this way is that the tour guides point out famous sites, like the grave of Charles Burlingame, the pilot of Flight 77 that crashed into the Pentagon on September 11th.
Let me just stop here to say that while we were there, we encountered several groups of middle-school aged kids, and I was very disappointed in their behavior. I have always taught Leyden how to behave in a cemetery - no running, no yelling, no loud talking, no laughing hysterically. A cemetery is hallowed ground, and out of respect for the deceased we should maintain a peaceful atmosphere. It was shocking to me that the chaperones were not trying to quiet their group. I was relieved when the teenagers separated from us... their behavior was distracting and annoying, and I was really quite offended by it.
Okay, back to story...
The second you turn in the beautiful gates to the Cemetery, you are greeted by the Gardens of Stone. I was overwhelmed by the site of all the white stones standing in perfect rows. I thought of all the service men and women who have died for our freedom, and the sacrifices their families have made. This is definitely holy ground, and you know it when you enter the cemetery. You can feel a blanket of peacefulness surround you.
No matter which way you look at the stones, they are always in straight lines. In the picture above, the stone with the yellow flowers in the third row marks the grave of Charles Burlingame.
The first stop was the Kennedy grave site, where John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis are buried, along with their infant children Arabella Kennedy (August 23, 1956) and Patrick Bouvier Kennedy (August 7, 1963 - August 9, 1963). Jackie Kennedy requested that an eternal flame be installed at the grave site, and it was originally powered by propane. It is now run off natural gas, after being attached by several hundred feet of pipe to a gas main.
Our next stop was the Tomb of the Unknowns. This was a very humbling experience... just seeing the guard keep up this regimented routine for 30 minutes is facsinating. The guards take this job very seriously and consider it to be the highest honor. We were able to see the changing of the guard as well as a wreath laying ceremony. (The Unknowns receive LOTS of wreaths, from all over the world.)
Our last stop was Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial. This was once the home of Confederate General Robert E. Lee (through his marriage to Mary Custis, daugther of George Washington Parke Custis - a step-grandson of George Washington - who built the home). The house overlooks the Potomac River.
As our tour bus was heading back down to the gates, we passed two of the caissons being pulled by horses... there were several funerals the day we visited Arlington, and in honor of those being buried, all flags were flown at half-staff. I tried to get a good picture of the caissons, but we went past them so quickly and I couldn't get a good angle.
My visit to Arlington National Cemetery renewed my sense of pride in my country, and it instilled in me a sincere appreciation for the people who keep things running smoothly, those who work tirelessly to keep the cemetery looking its best at all times, and the Tomb Guards who are so dedicated. If you've never been to Arlington National Cemetery, I'd put it at the top of your list of places to visit. I think every American should experience it firsthand.
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