The themes of several of the last blog posts have centered around appreciating the many monuments and museums of DC. As time runs out on our quarter, a number of my classmates and I have tried and squeeze in as much as possible. None of us could have anticipated how quickly the summer would roll by, and as a result we've had a lot of catching up to do in regards to essential Washington landmarks.
A few fellows and I decided to make good use of our second to last Friday of the quarter, and so we walked over to the FDR and Jefferson memorials. FDR's amazing use of waterfalls and Jefferson's placement overlooking the tidal basin make these my favorite of the DC memorials. There is no better place to think quietly or reflect with friends than in the presence of a gorgeous marble statue of one of the greatest thinkers of all time. Add in the moonlight that slightly illuminates the serene waters of the basin, and it's easy to see why it's among the best spots in DC.
Next week, the area around the tidal basin will be home to what will likely be another powerful memorial. Forty-eight years after the famous "I Have a Dream Speech," the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial will open to the public. Though the opening ceremony (featuring President Obama, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder among others) is not until August 28th, the memorial is open to the public on August 22nd. The memorial cost an estimated $120 million and has some amazing design features which can be seen on the official website. Because I'll be working an extra week after the program is over, I'm looking forward to being among the first to see it. I trust that it will make my favorite stretch of memorials all the more moving.
Steven
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