Arlington, American history, and an important flag

Hi Everyone,

Sorry this post is a day late. I try not to keep everyone else awake while I type. Today we visited Arlington national cemetery, and witnessed the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier.

Arlington is a massive cemetery, with uniform white gravestones as far as the eye can see in all directions. It was a somber reminder of that the cost of war should be measured in more than dollars and cents.

In the afternoon we went to the American History museum. I was really looking forward to going to this museum; I think of it as the attic of American culture.  We saw the gowns of the first ladies, along with their carefully selected White House china. Mary Todd Lincoln must have liked purple, because both her dress and her china were purple.  I saw one of the pairs of ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz, and Kermit the Frog.

One of the highlights of the museum is the flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the Star Spangled banner. The flag used to be hung on the wall, but it has undergone a massive and detailed conservation effort, and is now displayed in a low light, and sealed glass case. Instead the museum has this art installation where the flag used to hang.