November 2, 2019
At the announcement “George Washington University, Foggy Bottom” I almost instinctively stood up. But no, today I wasn’t on the Blue line to go to my internship – I was on my way to the Arlington National Cemetary.
While I am a student at UC San Diego, I have been living and interning in Washington D.C. for this past quarter with a program called UCDC. This program allows students to reside in the UC Washington Center, a satellite campus in D.C. near Dupont Circle while taking classes in the building, and taking on an internship in the city. The program also offers a number of excursions around the city that, truth be told, I have not been taking advantage of. So, I was on my way, along with other UCDC students, to Arlington.
Arlington Cemetery had been at the top of my bucket list in D.C. because of the depth of history and meaning on the site. As a former AFJROTC cadet in high school, I hold the utmost respect for our veterans – and visiting this cemetery would be both in respect for the buried dead, and an excellent opportunity to explore more of the areas surrounding D.C.
Upon arriving in Arlington, our little group took off at a half-run: it was nearly noon, and we didn’t want to see the Changing of the Guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers. When we arrived, winded and eager, there was a small crowd already there. There were four Marines in total that performed the ceremony – two leaving, and two arriving. The stoic expressions, as well as a ceremonially slow walk, brought me back to high school – and gave me a greater appreciation for the symbolism of this ceremony. Etched on the tomb between the two Marines that, following the ceremony, stood on guard, were the words, “Here rests in honored glory, an American soldier, known but to God”. While this particular tomb became a symbol for the sacrifice of our servicemen and women, it was also a sobering remember of the fact that there are still those missing in action, or held as prisoners of war, whose whereabouts and status remain unknown.
Behind the tomb, there was a circular amphitheater, with rows and rows of seats facing a stage. The architecture was simple but elegant, and at the foot of the stage, there was a throne-esque chair. Above the stage, etched on the ceiling, was a quote, “When we assumed the soldier, we did not lay aside the citizen”. To me, the quote embodied the human grief and emotions that soldiers must, at times, put aside in carrying out their responsibilities. It spoke to the longing to return, both to the awaiting family, and to their homeland, but with the deep-set understanding that the work they were doing was in service to the country of citizenship.
I had stepped out onto the amphitheater, thinking that the ceremony had finished because the crowd began to disperse. To my surprise, when I looked back to find the rest of our group, it was still ongoing. I especially thought that the segment in which retired veterans, most of whom were elderly and in wheelchairs, played a role in the ceremony, adding their years of sacrifice and their salute to the meaning of the sequence.
Our group went on and went to the Kennedy Memorial. In between the tombs of the two Kennedy’s stood a low torch-like structure lit with a strong flame. We were told that this flame was always kept on – in tribute to the former President and his wife.
As we continued on our way, we were met by rows and rows of tombs. It was sobering to see the sheer number of veterans from our wars, but also gratifying to see that they were laid to rest with such respect.
At this point, it was nearly lunchtime… and with our guide ready to return to the city, we decided to take our leave as well. While it had been a meaningful glimpse into the national cemetery, I fully intend to return and take a much more slow look at the biggest military cemetery in the country.
During my short time in D.C. so far… I had been… unimpressed with the food, to say the least. People have told me that I’ve become spoiled with the top-notch Asian food offered in SoCal and while I agree… it hasn’t made the lack of such easier to adjust to. And so, when I realized that Pho 75 – a pho place that I had been recommended by half a dozen people for – was nearby, I quickly asked the others in our group to join me. Perhaps it was the carefree mood of the day or the fact that we were already out in Virginia, but everyone agreed to go with us. An afternoon of exploring – and food! – beckoned.
It was only after a metro ride, a fairly extensive uphill walk, and a ridiculous line that extended outside of the restaurant, we finally found our seats at Pho 75. And wow, it was worth the effort and the wait. It was phenomenal. Clearly family-owned and affordable. The bowls were a substantial size and the quality of the noodles was excellent. But what really impressed me was the broth. After – too quickly – finishing the noodles, I must have sat and slurped down the broth for another 10 minutes.
Mutually agreeing that we needed to walk off our calorie-intake, our group agreed to head to Alexandria. Once again, I am so impressed by how… widespread and effective the metro system in D.C. is. If L.A.’s public transportation was even a quarter as good… I would have taken more advantage of the city. After arriving in Alexandria, we immediately spotted a free cable car that would take us to the waterfront.
Now, the cable car was adorable – I felt like I was in a movie – but the waterfront… was not what I had imagined at the word “waterfront”. Again, I am from California. I have also spent the larger portion of the past two years in San Diego. This said, I fully acknowledge that I am spoiled from the beautiful beaches of San Diego. But still… I must admit I was disappointed by the waterfront.
While I know that it is a river – the Potomac, to be specific – and not the ocean… it was definitely anti-climactic. For starters, the water was more akin to brown than blue or green. It certainly didn’t look very deep, though I could be wrong on this account, and close to the docks, it was littered with garbage and dirt. I missed the beach back in San Diego.
Nevertheless, we strolled around in the park bordering the river and admired the beauty from afar (from afar, it was a lot harder to tell how dirty the water was).
When the weather turned a bit chillier, we walked down King street looking for a coffee shop. The one we settled on – oh why can’t I remember the name? – was absolutely charming. It was warm relief, and we were surprised – and lucky – to find a table to fit all five of us.
I tried warmed apple cider for the first time and I officially have a new favorite drink. That, with a ham and cheese croissant, was absolutely heavenly.
When we headed back to the UC Washington Center, all of us were half dragging our tired feet. But it was a full, fulfilling day where I met new friends, explored a new state, and found a new favorite drink!