Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, USA (2012), Part I

 Grave of William Howard Taft (1857-1930), 27th President of the United States of America (1909-1913) and later 10th Chief Justice (1931-1930), and of his wife Helen Herron Taft (1861-1943).

 Another Taft grave close to the presidential tomb. No relations to the president, it turned out later. A nephew of President Taft, William M. Taft, is buried in section 69, but I didn't get the time to visit his grave. President Taft's grave is in section 30, by the way.

 Grave of Senator Robert F. Kennedy (1925-1968).

 Improvements at Senator Edward M. Kennedy's gravesite was under construction when I visited the cemetery. The work is planned to be done by the end of October 2012, cf. The Washington Post. See also Arlington National Cemetery's press release 22 June 2012.

 The temporary grave of Senator Edward M. Kennedy (1932-2009).

 The eternal flame at the Kennedy gravesite.

 Grave of John F. Kennedy (1917-1963), 35th President of the United States of America (1961-1963).

 Grave of President Kennedy's wife, Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis (1929-1994).

 Grave of President Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy's stillborn daughter (1956).

 Grave of President Kenendy and Jackie Kennedy's son Patrick Bouvier Kennedy (1963).

 The Armored Forces Memorial at Avenue of the Heroes on Memorial Drive. Go to DCmemorials.com for more (and better) pictures and details.

I visited the Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia outside Washington D.C. during my first visit to the United States in September 1999, as I have already mentioned in my previous blog article. I didn't get any time to visit the cemetery during my visit to D.C. in 2006, but this year I made sure to find the time. My aim was to take better photos with my digital camera as well as to visit more graves. In 1999 I had for instance not learned that President Taft was also laid to rest in the cemetery.

I remember that the weather was warm back in September 1999 as well, but this year it was much worse (and humid!), and because of other plans on the day I visited the cemetery (14 July 2012), I didn't get as much time as I had wanted to to. When I arrived at the cemetery, I went directly to section 53 where I remembered that my Hoelseth relative was buried,  but when I arrived, I discovered that my notes with the exact grave number was in my rental car, which was parked at the Fashion Center at Pentagon City. There were too many graves - and the weather was too hot - so I decided against making a random look, and it was also too crowded and I had too little time to get the details at the Visitors Center, so I decided to return to the cemetery on my last day of the visit to the US instead. That's why my blog article on Arlington National Cemetery (2012) will have two parts. Part II will most likely be published after my visit to England next weekend, though.

Updated on Sunday 9 September 2012 at 23.30 (link added).

Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, USA (1999)

 Grave of Grace Sigrid Hoelseth White (1894-1979), my great-grandfather Oscar M. Hoelseth's first cousin.

 Grave of Grace's husband George Robert White (1893-1980), a captain in the US Air Force who served in both world wars.

 Grave of President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963). The eternal flame is invisable on the photo, though.

 Grave of Senator Robert F. Kennedy (1925-1968).

 View of Washington D.C.

 Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

I visited Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia twice this summer and plan to publish some photos from my visit later. The first time I visited the cemetery was back in September 1999 during my first trip to the United States. I thought it would be an idea (how good it is I am not so sure about!) to scan some photos taken with my old (non-digital) camera and publish them first. I didn't manage to get rid of the dust of some of the paper photos, so the quality will vary a bit. Some of the motives will reappear in my next ANC article, but not all.

I plan to deliver (most of) my old negatives to get them digitalized in a not too distant future, meaning that I will be able to use photos taken with my old camera (before November 2004) without worrying so much about the quality. I will only have myself to blame then, and not the scanning!

See also Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, USA (2012), Part I.

Updated on Sunday 9 September 2012 at 22.20 (link added).

Long break

 View of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The photo is taken from Grandview Avenue.

 What is in the water at the Lake Farmpark, Kirtland, Ohio...

The rental car we used during the 3 weeks' long visit. A Buick Enclave, one of the best cars I ahve ever driven. Unfortunately no company in Norway imports this brand.

I haven't blogged for quite a while. The long break was mainly caused by my visit to the United States from 13 July to 4 August and work and other commitments both before and after my vacation. I am still quite busy with various commitments both at and off work, so I am not sure how often I will be able to write. Just have to wait and see how things develop. The work on my website is progressing slowly as well, but I will soon pay the bills to continue Hoelseth.com for at least one more year.

My round-trip in the United States together with my wife and daughter took me to some familiar but also many new places: Arlington, Alexandria and Williamsburg, Virginia; Rockville, Maryland; Outer Banks and Raleigh, North Carolina; Charleston, West Virginia; Franklin and Kirtland, Ohio (with excursions!); Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Gaithersburg, Maryland and at the end of the tour Alexandria, Virginia once again.

The purpose of the visit was first of all to visit family and friends besides my wife attending a conference in Pittsburgh, but we got to do some sightseeing as well, so rest assure that the round trip will result in many blog articles. I have seen several memorials, Colonial Williamsburg, 2 state capitols, 3 presidential graves (two of them for the first time), one Romanov-related grave, 3 cemeteries (again two of them for the first time), several museums and much more. Of course I had to do several "children-friendly" things as well, as for instance several children's museums, a farmpark and Pittsburgh Zoo, but they will most likely not be covered in my blog. The most pleasant surprise was perhaps Old Town Alexandria in Virginia. Don't spend all your days exploring Washington DC. Go to Alexandria! Or stay in Alexandria (or Arlington), as the hotels are usually cheaper there, and take day visits to DC instead!

There are also many other blog articles waiting to be written, about numerous cemetery visits in and outside Oslo and other visits I have made in Norway and abroad. It is just a matter of getting the time to write...