WASHINGTON D.C.; A Second look

It is thrilling to be in the nation's capital, and to photograph the sites and memorials symbolic of the United States' history. The Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, with raising of the flag depicted during a tough battle in the Pacific theater of WW II, frames the night scene that can bring pride and strength.

Then there are fleeting moments that also satisfy, such as seeing a racially mixed and orderly group of school children visiting Lincoln's statue during a tour of the emancipator's memorial.

As the word "freedom" comes to mind, glance at the 19.5 foot iron figure that tops the capitol itself, where the flag flies 24 hours a day.It was designed in Italy in 1863 and cast by slave labor in the District of Columbia.

Then there is a solemn moment when looking up at the towering pillars of the Supreme Court and noticing in the same glance the gleaming dome of the nation's capitol.