Gettysburg + a few pictures of the week

This week I got to see a little bit of Old Town Alexandria (and the Masonic Temple) and walked around some neat streets near Dupont Circle a little bit.

But the highlight of the week was a trip to Gettysburg on Saturday. There is a fantastic video and museum teaching the history of the area and the Civil War in general. It's hard to imagine people lined up against their own countrymen to fight. Wandering around the monuments and battlefields it felt like hallowed ground where many died fighting for liberty and freedom!

"The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." - Abraham Lincoln

Some lessons learned:

- War is horrible!
- I'm grateful for brave people who sacrifice much.

- Communication is important (flag signals, leaders, press, etc.).

- Courage is important.

- Staying on and in control of high ground is the key!