Washington, D.C. 
The thing I like most about Disney, Action Park, Dorney Park, Hershey Park, Busch Gardens, you name it is that they give people something fun to do and keep them out of the National Parks, Streams and Rivers and Washington DC. The trip to DC is required daytripping for parenting 101 but the truth be known it is ‘the best’ for children and adults alike. We drove down Wednesday morning. Although we were there before the Cherry Blossom festival the cherry blossoms were over the hill, mostly gone. Yet we had three spring like days for our public school spring break.
We stayed at the Capital Hilton two blocks from the White House. There are places
to stay at every price range. (Try www.washingtondc.com or Capitol City Hotels
for additional info). We checked in and where walking through the city be 2:30.
On a June day you could arrive a 6 pm and still see a great deal before dark.
Assuming it was to late to get into some of the most interesting exhibits The
Supreme Court, The White House, The Capital Building, the National Archive, we
headed for the outdoor exhibits. Walking past the White House we headed towards
the Washington Monument which has been under renovation and was closed while we
were there but is now reopened. Our first stop the Lincoln Memorial.
On a previous trip my eldest son pointed out that you can see Lincoln in his memorial
on the back of a penny just as we could see him from the Washington Monument sitting
back in there. I didn’t know that…He knows that Lincoln freed the slaves along
time ago. My Daughter, seven was told the story Beth, my wife and I took a moment
before we went up the steps to discuss with the kids what we were about to see.
Yes Lincoln finally put an end to slavery, and possibly ultimately as important
he kept the Union together preventing the country from being split in two.
I’ve
wanted to see this memorial for years. The Black Wall brought back memories of
a different time. Far more intense in person then the pictures on TV. More like
the black and white television pictures from 1969 of helicopters body bags and
demonstrations. I didn’t go. I always felt terrible for those that did and I felt
that again far more for those that did not come back and who would be my age now
some with grown children. Alex I think really got it, all those names. He seemed
saddened . Each I explained died at a young age. Each would not be there for their
son or would not have a son growing up today.Korea follows or extends ahead as
you walk through. Life size Soldiers of a different era walk through rice paddies.
Very serious. Alex’s attention strayed. Ruthie six at the time had little interest
in another war memorial. At the far end of the Korean memorial and at the end
of the memorials of the two wars fought in my life time the words very large mounted
on a granite wall "FREEDOM IS NOT FREE".
We sat beneath those words and took a family moment. While Beth explained the cost of freedom. During Lincoln’s time the civil war fought to end slavery and young people died, and during the Revolutionary war and there were other wars WW I and WW II. All those names on the black wall.
"If Freedom is not free then what is the cost of freedom?" " All those dead young people". "Yes they all paid with their lives so we could be free." I was very proud of these two youngsters. A long mental leap from the security we are In trying so hard to make them feel everyday. 
In Washington DC you do want a reservation and you want to know where your staying.
Some of the out of the way hotels are not as safe as you’d like. I like to stay
at downtown business hotels. I’ve been asked to leave the bar at the Luxury Suites
Hotel the old Ritz Carlton in Washington with Alex when he was seven. After cocktails
though. A nice thing is they often have a buffet breakfast included. The Capital
Hilton did and I took the children and gave Beth a few childless moments no small
thing on a family vacation.
We discussed our day. I was surprised when my son wanted to visit the Supreme court first. So began our family discussion on the three branches of government the Judicial, legislative and executive. Then we were off to not only this incredible building built in the 1930’s but on our way to visit the first of the three branches of government The seat of our countries highest court. I mentioned 1930’s because although the court is a relatively modern building built with steel, block and curtain wall it looks and fits in perfectly with the capital across the street built in the early 1800’s.
The next day we would visit the capital and the two houses of congress the legislative
branch. Then the White House where the president lives. The President is the head
of the…? " "Executive Branch!!!" We were in the groove.
name
is Clark. Her maiden name and my sons middle name. They are decedents of Abraham
Clark a signer of the Declaration of Independence, one of the representatives
to the Continental Congress from New Jersey. He signed Abra Clark, so I guess
he was called Abra by his friends. Jefferson had 7000 acres at Monticello, Alex
and I were there. Washington had Mount Vernon. Clark had a 50X50 foot lot in Roselle
and a law office over a hardware store in Elizabeth. But in our family Abra is
the principle-founding father. His picture can be seen in the Capital rotunda
with the other signers and there is a key to the picture so you can identify Grandpa
Abra Another oil painting of the founders including Clark can be found at the
National Archive a few blocks from the Capital Building. 
