Because the weekend was supposed to be so hot, we decided to walk the monuments in the evening – besides the cooler air, we’d get to see the monuments lit up at night.
Samantha, my long-time friend since the 5th grade, took the 90 minute commute to D.C. to have dinner with us and walk the monuments. This was, she confessed, the first time she had ever done the “night walk” of the sites (despite growing up right outside the city). Nothing like having visitors in town to make you see the sites near you!

We had a great dinner (seafood) and then took the metro to the Smithsonian stop.
From there we walked past the Washington Monument to the National World War II Memorial. The last time I visited D.C., this was under construction. It is really beautiful, especially with the fountains all lit up at night.



While we were at the WWII monument, the skies began to darken in a way that did not necessarily indicate night. Then the lightning began to flicker in the distance. Suddenly, the Lincoln Memorial, with it’s sturdy roof, seemed like a compelling place to be.

When you are walking past the Reflecting Pool, pause for a moment between references to all the movies that you’ve seen it in to look back and snap a picture. The WWII Memorial frames the Washington Monument quite well.


As the thunder grew louder and the lightning flashed closer, we hustled to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. From here, we (all the tourists huddled under the roof) all oohed and ahhed with each new flash of lightning. I’ve seen the fireworks on the 4th of July in D.C. and I think Mother Nature put on a show that was just as good … it even included a Grand Finale.


Ironically, as we hung out for a good 45 minutes with Lincoln, Mat and Carol bumped into Mat’s cousin from Chicago. She was also hanging out and avoiding the rain. Neither of them knew the other was going to be in D.C. for the weekend. Weird, huh?

Finally, the rain let up, and we took the a route that would take us past the Korean Memorial and at least give us at least a glimpse of the Jefferson Memorial before we headed home.

The soldiers in the Korean Memorial look very real at night after a storm … like they are emerging from the mist in the jungle. They were the only ones prepared for the weather!

We almost skipped the Jefferson Memorial, because we were all getting a bit tired by this point … can’t remember who said it, but someone said, “well, it’s just like the Lincoln Memorial … only it’s a different guy and a circular building.”

It is quite pretty reflecting on the water. This picture doesn’t do it justice.

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