Hey everybody! My name is Stephen and I fail miserably at keeping this blog going for long periods of time.

I took a trip this past weekend up to one of the COOLEST places that I have ever been, and that is Washington D.C. I’ve often wondered how this amazing place could not be in a state. It’s part of the United States of America, so shouldn’t belong somewhere in the states? No! Washington D.C. is it’s own little place where the federal government sits. I asked my mom when I was small what state Washington DC was in, and she told me simply, “It’s not in a state.” My perplexed little brain just couldn’t wrap around this fact so again I insisted, “Well, is it in Maryland?” To which she replied, “No, it’s just the District of Columbia.” Do what? What is that supposed to mean? Is it in Maryland or Virginia? I was so confused. I’m not as confused anymore because I’ve learned that it’s the seat of the federal government. It can’t be in a state or it would be required to abide by state laws, which it doesn’t. One thing I can ask is, why is there housing there? Where do they fall?

Anyway, none of that is what I actually wanted to talk about. I believe that EVERY American citizen should venture to our nation’s capital at some point in their lives. I was instilled with a sense of patriotism that I just don’t carry around on a daily basis. Between the memorials, monuments, and craptons of historical places, I was enthralled with our country. You actually get to see the history of the place we live and gain a respect for all the people who came together to make it what it is. The Vietnam Memorial wall was one of the most sobering sights that I have ever seen. There are SO many names of people lost during that war, and you just can’t understand it until you’ve seen it laid out like that. It really is unbelievable.

Seeing pictures of these places and watching videos will never do it the justice it deserves. I’ve seen Abraham Lincoln’s memorial I don’t know how many times, but it was ten times more amazing that I ever though it would be. This is a guy who pretty much held together our country when it was at it’s lowest point, and you feel that when you are in that memorial. It’s not something you walk up to and just nonchalantly look at and walk away form. I stood there and was completely amazed by what I was seeing. Whoever carved this thing was an amazing artist and took great pains to capture every detail. There are also a couple of Abe’s most famous speeches carved into the wall. It truly is an incredible site.

Everything in DC is so HUGE. I’ve seen plenty of pictures of the Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial, and everything else, but those pictures cannot capture the size. These buildings are massive, and it’s truly a sight to see. So, long story short, you should go visit as soon as you can. One thing I would advise is to stop OUTSIDE the city and ride the Metro in. That subway is the easiest thing to understand and I would take full advantage of it if you can. My feet are still killing me from walking for those 3 days, but it was worth every minute. Go see it!