National Park No. 3: U.S.S. Arizona

The third park A has had the opportunity to visit was the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial. Unfortunately, it was a cold and rainy day, not what we expected from Hawaii :) But strangely appropo to the feeling of the memorial. We got tickets, got in line to enter the theater and watched a very moving short film on the attack on pearl harbor. Even A managed to make it through the film...and not disturb the audience. Then you take a short boat ride over to the actual memorial. A was not thrilled, as you can see, I'm not sure he enjoyed his first boat ride.

By the time we got to the memorial, it was pouring rain. So we didn't have much visibility. But I was moved by the stories, the names, the fact that people still choose to interred with their shipmates, the fact that the vessel is still leaking oil...

It was a somber day, a somber story, and A's mood fit the day. 

Without the memorial, you would never know that a ship was beneath the water. That many soldiers had lost their lives, and were buried there. It's important to tell even the hard stores. Back on land, we explored the exhibits, very well down, which told a greater story then I had previously known.

It might not be my first choice of national park's for a 10 month old, but A did amazingly well. Absolutely worth the trip for the adults, however!

So A's National Park count is now at 3...only 394 left to go!