Arlington National Cemetery

I spent an afternoon in Arlington National Cemetery back in April 2006 when I visited Washington DC.

Apart from the scale of the place, the other thing that any photographic image will never replicate is the absolute beauty of the quiet, peacefulness that envelopes you. Bird song and the gentle wind swaying the trees around are broken periodically by gunfire salutes. A constant reminder that this really is an active cemetery and one that still welcomes home servicemen and women to a final resting place.

Of course, there are areas that many visitors crowd around, especially the eternal flame of the Kennedy family. Myself, with my interest in Space exploration, I was moved to see the memorials of fallen astronauts.

However, with the sheer epic scale of the place, you do finally begin to understand the enourmous human sacrifice. Washington is a city of memorials, and Arlington is a very necessary one.