Resident Tourists: Washington Monument and The Mall's Memorials

Scott gets to see quite a bit of the city and its buildings by nature of his job, so on the weekends when he's home, we've started taking advantage of the sightseeing normally reserved for tourists-which I think I'll probably feel like for a few more weeks. However, I have started not waiting for the appropriate time to cross the street when it's clear and safe (and when Henry's not with me-no "do as I say, not as I do" conversations) which makes me feel a bit more like a local.

This last weekend, we visited the Washington Monument, World War II Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, and Korean War Memorial. Walking up to the Lincoln Memorial, a young girl was singing the "Star Spangled Banner" in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, and it was quite moving to behold these sights with a live version of the anthem in the background.

It's actually really nice to see that tourists-both Americans and international-are so respectful of these memorials and monuments--quietly observing as well as preserving them for the future.