Today, in the nations capitol, it was business as usual. The sun rose over the Capitol dome, illuminated the National Mall for a time and set over the Potomac. There was only one thing I noticed that was out of the ordinary . . . I was there to witness the entire process. 
We took a tour with a group called DC by Foot which took us from the Washington Monument, through the WWII Memorial, past the Vietnam War Memorial, to the Lincoln Memorial and ending at the Korean War Memorial.
This marble placard is located at the head of the Korean War Memorial. A gift from South Korea, the Korean Embassy hangs a flower wreath at the memorial every Monday.
DC by Foot is free. You simply tip the guides at the end of the tour. Our guide was a retired school teacher who was very knowledgeable about the area.
Visiting the capitol, one realizes that war has always been a part of the American story. From the Revolutionary War to the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, Washington sometimes feels like a monument to war and it’s costs.
The Tomb of The Unknowns is guarded by the U.S. Army twenty four hours a day three hundred and sixty five days a year. It is an honor for the soldiers who are selected for the duty and the ceremony follows a strict protocol. A lone soldier takes twenty one steps in front of the tomb, stops for twenty one seconds, does an about face and takes twenty steps back. He does this for thirty minutes after which he is relieved through a changing of the guard protocol. Click on the link below to watch the changing of the guard.
