While many DCers packed up and headed out-of-town for the Memorial Day weekend, we took advantage of the great weather and smaller crowds and headed to the US Capitol to watch the National Memorial Day Concert rehearsal. Last year, on the 3rd of July, we did the similar thing and enjoyed the great performances “a day early”.
We planned on arriving about 2 hours early to have dinner, get through security, and find a good spot. Dinner was fun, we ate at the Capitol City Brewery, a quaint brewpub located in the historic Postal Square Building, which was constructed in 1911. We spotted this restaurant during our first visit to the Postal Museum and have been planning a dinner here for a long time. We split a new sandwich (new to us…) called a Cuban Sandwich, which is basically a variation of ham and cheese. It was a nice combo of roast pork, glazed ham, Swiss cheese, and thinly-sliced dill pickles (and french fries of course).
View from the West Lawn
When we attended the 4th of July concert we picked our perch on the steps of the capitol, but this time there were ample spots on the lawn (in the shade) so we headed there instead. It was nice to have a cool place to sit while we waited for the concert and enjoyed some crossword puzzles and snacked on red licorice. Life’s simple pleasures.
The concert was more than just a concert….it was a very emotional tribute and memorial to those who have lost their lives in service to our country. It was a good reminder to look past the entertainment and see the real purpose in honoring the tremendous sacrifices.
I think all the tourists go home at 10 pm...
After the concert was over, we decided to walk the National Mall and check out the WW II Memorial. We had heard that it was even more spectacular at night. Although it doesn’t look like it…the walk from the Capitol to the Washington Monument is just over a mile. We enjoyed the moonlit hike and felt like we had the mall to ourselves. There were only a handful of people visible on the mall, but we could hear hundreds or Harleys rolling up and down Constitution Avenue. Rolling Thunder will take place this weekend (300,000+ bikes).
We sat for a few minutes at the WW II Memorial and soaked in the night glow. We have been here many times before but it seemed a lot more “reverent” with the darkness.
World War II Memorial
Our hike took us further west and we spent some time at the Vietnam Wall, which always has a quiet and respectful tone – much different from the other memorials on the mall. This was our first time to visit the wall at night – it was very powerful.
The Wall
The list of Vietnam casualties
While at the Wall we researched a distant relative that was killed during the Vietnam war. Although we had visited the wall before, it was a different feeling to find a name on the Wall that we had a connection to – a cousin of Patti’s mom who died in combat in 1968 during his second (voluntary) tour in Vietnam.
And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
~Lee Greenwood
