Virginia

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Though it is located in Virginia, it is a real suburb of Washington DC, where a rather wealthy population lives, a big part of which works in the capital. Besides, it was included in the District of Columbia until 1846. Both are connected by the Arlington Bridge. We stayed in that town, and we stopped to admire some of its sites before visiting the National Mall in Washington and its surroundings on the first day.
 
In the Arlington National Cemetery lie more than 400 000 departed. It extends over a wide 170 hectares green and wooded area by the Potomac River. An eternal flame burns on the former president John Fitzgerald Kennedy’s grave. It lies close to his widow and their two children died at an early age. There also stands his brother Robert’s grave, as well as the one of the space shuttle Challenger crew. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier pays tribute to the man fallen during the two world wars, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War whose identity is ignored. On the top of one of its hills stands the Arlington House (photo), superb Greek Revival plantation house dotted with a portico with Doric columns. The General of the Confederate Army Robert E. Lee lived there with his family before the American Civil War. You can see it from the distance, and it offers a breathtaking view of Washington. You can visit it, as well as its gardens and the old slaves’ building.
The Marine Corps War Memorial, better known as Iwo Jima Memorial, is a world famous statue that depicts four Marine planting an American flag. It shows a scene that took place during the tough battle between American and Japanese soldiers on Iwo Jiwa Island in 1945.
The Pentagon houses the Department of Defense and the Staff of the three armed forces (Army, Navy and Air Force). The dimensions of that five sides building are impressive and more than 25000 employees (military and civilian) work there. By its side, the Pentagon Memorial pays tribute to the victims of the attacks of September 11th 2001. We stopped there on the second day after we visited Georgetown district, and before we go to Alexandria, Virginia and Annapolis, Maryland for the rest of the day.
 

That port city founded in the middle of the 18th century by Scottish merchants was part of the District of Columbia like Arlington. It was included in Virginia in 1847. It is a picturesque small town with many Federal style buildings with a unique character. Red brick appears on most façades, and even on some pavements, which provides it additional charm and authenticity.
We visited it on a nice sunny Sunday and it was lively. We mingled with locals who were practicing their favorite activities: biking or footing along the Potomac River, volley-ball on the lawns, walks or simply idleness. Some had a picnic, or even a barbecue. After we listened to a band of three teenagers playing rock classics from the 80’s and the 90’s, we went to admire on its small harbor the Cherry Blossom, beautiful paddle wheel boat. Then, we took a long walk, notably in King Street, iconic street of the town were nice colored buildings with porches, stoops and bow-windows run along.
The George Washington Masonic Memorial was built between the 1920’s and the 1930’s to pay tribute to the first president of the U.S.A., and to lesser degree to the Freemasons community to which he belonged. It houses some of his personal effects, which have thus a strong historical and symbolic value.
The Carlyle House bears the name of the founders of the town, a Scottish merchant who lived there with his slaves. Indeed, on the wide plot of land stood tobacco plantations and a foundry where they worked.
The Franck Lloyd Wright’s Pop Leighy House, far from the center, is totally different to the other buildings for it was built in the 1930’s, 1940’s by the famous architect in his so characteristic Usonian style with brick, glass and cypress wood.
 

Located in a valley in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains, it was the ideal place to recharge and have a green interlude and some healthful fresh air after many urban tours, some of them extraordinary. We devoted it a whole day the day after our ride to Georgetown, Alexandria and Annapolis. It is located more precisely in the Blue Ridge Mountains range. It offers a real return to wilderness far away from all traces of civilization. We were fortunate to see a young bear from the very start of our long hike, which confirmed us that - further to our previous year trip in the American West - we were very lucky with animals. The park is composed of forests, falls and small natural pools, notably along the Rose River Trail (photo) that we took. There are even caves: Shenandoah Caverns, with uncountable stalactites.
We drove along a part of the famous Skyline Drive, picturesque road through the park. Viewpoints there are beautiful, notably Pinnacles Overlook, and Mount Bearfence that offers a breathtaking view of the mountains after a short ascent.
 
 

Published on January, 4th 2019