Eternal Flame

on my visit to Arlington National Cemetery. A vivid memory from my childhood was the lighting of this flame. I finally got to pay my respects.

Not only is there the Eternal Flame, but there is a beautiful fountain.

The site of President John F. Kennedy’s grave sits on a hillside which overlooks the Potomac River. You can see the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument in the distance. The vantage point from which this beautiful panorama is viewed contains stones with excerpts from his most memorable speeches carved into them.

The site is truly inspiring.

I’ve been to DC twice, and the last time, when we went to the Eternal Flame, there were maybe 50 people crowded around the flame, snapping pictures. Which is fine. It’s a unique experience, and I took a few pictures, too.

But these people (who mostly seemed to be foreign tourists and American teenagers) were exceptionally rude: talking quite loudly, pushing people out of the way, and generally acting in a way unbecoming visitors to a cemetery.

If you can find a time when these jerks aren’t there, it’s a moving tribute.