Typical D.C.?

Today we were down near the White House (how cool is that??) on a walking tour. There was a lot going on: protesters on Pennsylvania Avenue: "Free the Tamil Tigers" (but we think Obama is out of the country), a woman across the street who has lived in a tent for years protesting nuclear war (or maybe it was weapons); thousands of tour groups - on foot, going in and out of tour buses; people sitting in the park enjoying the nice weather; guys playing street hockey on skates on Pennsylvania Avenue where the cars can no longer go.

In addition to Sri Lankans protesting about the Tamil Tigers, Stephen donned his "Free the donuts!" t-shirt and demanded that Obama use his power and influence to stop the oppression in this vital area of national security (only after realizing that the U.N. had been totally ineffective in this area).

Stephen learned lots of things on both tours we went on. The one near the White House was on Lafayette Park and White House architecture. We had gone on one in the morning at Rock Creek Cemetery. It is a beautiful place - very peaceful. The first person buried there was buried before 1776. We have to go back and explore it further. Lexi and I didn't learn as much as Stephen. She was more interested in running around in the cemetery where we also found a small pond with lily pads, 1 live raccoon and 1 dead raccoon. Down near the White House, Lexi was more interested in crying that she wanted OUT of the stroller and watching the various people around us.

The grave markers at the cemetary were extremely varied and ranged from Celtic crosses to a Japanese lantern, and from its 95 mausoleums to flat-on-the-ground headstones.

The cemetary's most famous attraction is the memorial by Gaudens nicknamed "Grief." It was a place that Eleanor Roosevelt visited on occasion.