^^ This picture is actually really cool. When we were strolling about we had no idea what USCT stood for, but that night when we watched a National Geographic on Arlington {nerds, I tell ya!} we learned that it stood for the United States Colored Troops who literally fought for their freedom during the Civil War ^^
^^ because cupcakes never last long in the presence of a Berry ;) ^^
We spent our first DC Memorial Day by following the masses to Arlington Cemetery, but the cliche aspect of it fell away as soon as we stepped out of the metro station portal. While trying to enter the gates, we were given a handful of red roses from a precious little boy scout & no explanation as to what to do with them {we quickly figured it out}. But can you imagine? Nearly every person who entered the gates that day was handed a few roses & seeing them trekking all over the cemetery was something almost romantic.
And by the way, walking around Arlington armed with roses to place on headstones can send some serious goosebumps down your spine & remind you of what was at stake every time one of these soldiers died. Since the Thursday prior, every headstone {& we're talking a quarter of a million by the way} had been decorated by members of the military with an American flag in a tradition known as "Flags In." But the roses? That was the cherry on top. What an incredible picture of both military & civilians honoring the fallen.
After spending a few hours wandering around the grounds, we walked across the Memorial Bridge to have a little picnic near the Lincoln Memorial & enjoy a good dose of people watching... Which eventually lead us to a cafe near our apartment where we immersed our nerdy selves in our books for the rest of the afternoon {because Dan Brown's Inferno waits for no man}. Which now that I think back on it, can we go back to that day? Perhaps we'll make that a tradition of ours ;)
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