Around The World In 80 Waves

There are an awful lot of war memorials in DC. I check out the national shrine of Arlington National Cemetery.

If the effects of the night before hadn’t worn off already, visiting was certainly a sobering experience. The scale of the place is staggering and there are at least 25 additional residents every day. Tombstones as far the eye can see with a few major memorials such as the graves of JFK and his brother Bobby dotted in amongst them. I see five funerals with full military honours while I am there.

There is a letter from Mikhail Kalashnikov proudly displayed at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier which seems a little odd because his handiwork is probably responsible for half of those laid to rest in Arlington.

By chance I stumble across the grave of the great Joe Louis former heavyweight champion of the world known as The Brown Bomber.

Later by the Lincoln Memorial where you will find the Korean War Memorial and the Vietnam War Memorial I think about how many lives were lost trying to conquer both countries, when I am just breezing through both later on my travels.