Saturday, December 18, 2010

Washington, D.C., cont...

On Thursday we awoke to one sick child and the other child complaining about being out in the cold all the time.  (She really is her father's daughter.)  Thankfully, the sunshine was encouraging, so the kids rallied after lunch and we headed back to the city.

We didn't make it in time for a tour of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing as planned, but next door is the Holocaust Museum.  Although I wanted to see this museum it had not been on a list of places to take my kids.  I was so wrong.  They have an amazing exhibit called "Remember the Children: Daniel's Story."   Even though Andy was disappointed that Kristen was too young to view the main exhibit I am adamant that this is the perfect exhibit for children of any age.  It puts a personal perspective on the Holocaust  I have never experienced before.  You walk through Daniel's house in 1937 Germany, experience the Nazi's rise to power, travel to a German ghetto and then to Auschwitz.  I knew the kids really got it when we were in twelve year old  Daniel's room looking at his toys and photos. They kept asking why the Jews were hated when they were just like us.  I am glad we didn't tour the more graphic exhibits because I want my kids to remember Daniel as a child who is just like them and know how completely senseless all of this was.   We are all to quick to blame others for our problems and we should all be reminded about what happens when prejudice and hatred overcome reason.
 

The World War II memorial near the base of  the Washington Monument.


The memorial truly captures the idea of a "World" war.  It is symmetrical, with one side dedicated to the battles in the Pacific and the other to the battles across the Atlantic.  




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