Stinks

[mjarrels]

Took a trip Sunday with my family, visited a large city... Closed my eyes, took a wiff and said to my wife, where are we. Manila Philippines. Nope, we are at the fence in front of the white house. Spent all day Sunday around the National Mall in Washington DC and I thought I was in a third world country. Stagent air, hot, sewer smell, shady venders. I was shocked with our Nations Captial.

mark

 

[Big Bri]

well we are turning our country that way, immigration, mosque at ground zero, importing everything from over seas, spanish printed on half the products we buy and on billboards and tv commercials, and many more. . . what do you expect. This isn't the America we all once remembered.

 

[MossRoad]

Took a trip Sunday with my family, visited a large city... Closed my eyes, took a wiff and said to my wife, where are we. Manila Philippines. Nope, we are at the fence in front of the white house. Spent all day Sunday around the National Mall in Washington DC and I thought I was in a third world country. Stagent air, hot, sewer smell, shady venders. I was shocked with our Nations Captial.

mark

Hmmm... we were there two years ago and had a great trip. The subways were cheap, clean and efficient. The monuments and mall area were clean. The street food vendors were cheap, clean and tasty. We were really impressed with it back then. And it was in the high 90's both days we were there, so plenty hot. If there was garbage it would have rotted. Sorry you had a bad trip.

 

[czechsonofagun]

Must be the summer season, I work in Arlington with a trip to DC every so often and generally it is a clean area.

Even visitors from Prague find DC to be a clean town, unlike NY.

But I usually don't go to the Mall or near White House.

 

[MossRoad]

Sorry folks, no politics. :thumbsup:

 

[Heywood Jannockitov]

Could be worse, you could be in Moscow right now.

 

[Alan L.]

I was hoping to go back someday, haven't been in about 20 years, but while I disagree with most of the politics going on in that town at least back then it was a super impressive place to visit, lots of history.

 

[Jim Thompson]

These are very awful things.
The stinking and the politics(!)

And strikingly similar!:laughing:

Jim

 

[2manyrocks]

Isn't DC built in a swamp anyway?

Been several years since I've been there, but the traffic had gotten to the point that I don't see why anybody would go there voluntarily.

 

[sweettractors]

Isn't DC built in a swamp anyway?

Been several years since I've been there, but the traffic had gotten to the point that I don't see why anybody would go there voluntarily.

I thought it must be in a swamp, because, someone mentioned something about draining a swamp there. Ken Sweet

 

[nap61]

Ken,
Good one!!!

Norm

 

[MossRoad]

Isn't DC built in a swamp anyway?

Been several years since I've been there, but the traffic had gotten to the point that I don't see why anybody would go there voluntarily.

You never drive into DC. You park outside DC and take the subway in. It is a good working subway, clean, efficient, easy to use and cheap compared to parking fees. It will drop you off within a short walk of just about every place of importance or historic interest. I could spend a week there with my kids and never get bored. I used to go there every year when I was a kid to visit relatives. My uncle was retired from the Navy and had a 2nd career in Naval Intelligence. We got behind the scenes tours of the Pentagon, White House, FBI, etc... really cool stuff. If you contact your congressman, he or she can usually get you into tours and such that you can't get in to if you just walk up.

The monuments and history of the place are unmatched anywhere in the country. Be sure to go up to Philly and see Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell as well. Eat from the street vendors. The hot dogs and pops are cheap. :thumbsup:

 

[czechsonofagun]

You can drive in DC if you know where to go and where to park. Sometimes its better.

Museums - I remember how impressed I was seeing real moai in the natural history. You are right, it is a great city to tourist in.

 

[riptides]

One time in your life, you and your family should make the trek into downtown DC.

And remember I told you this "When your here, and you see the monuments, and the memorials, and the places of politics and law..... remember we are only 200+ years young."

 

[Bird]

You never drive into DC. You park outside DC and take the subway in.

I haven't been there since 1986, and I was driving a Honda Aspencade (Gold Wing) at the time. One day after riding around downtown, just sightseeing, I went into underground parking under the Air & Space Museum. I didn't stay long though, because I saw right away that, if I stayed awhile, the parking fee could be $18. So on another weekend day, two of us went on the bike to the Pentagon, parked free, and rode the Metro downtown to the Smithsonian. If I remember right, it cost us 75 cents each way. And yes, it was clean, well lit, comfortable, and a bargain price.

 

[backdoor]

I take my daughter to DC 2 times each winter for dance competition with her group. We stay at a hotel at 9th St. and New York Ave., within walking distance of lots of tourist stuff. I park under the hotel for $25.00 per day extra and walk everywhere I go, but the dance gang rides the Metro all over town. I was there a few days before Obama was inaugurated. I bet there was 5 or 6 tractortrailer loads of porta-potties near the Washington Monument. Make your own conclusion about that. I'll be going back this winter, too. Can't wait.

 

[mjarrels]

Yes, we parked 10 miles outside DC and took the Metro light rail into downtown. First time I ever took a subway in this country. Light rail in Singapore or Australia is much better.

mark

 

[WVBill]

My job frequently requires that I go to downtown DC and until a couple of years ago I worked in downtown DC and commuted via the metro.

Here are some personal observations.

1) The DC metro underground system has grown more crowded, dirty, less reliable and less "safe" over the years. It used to be a pleasant experience. It is no longer.

2) The National Mall, where all of the monuments, and the Smithsonian are located is generally safe and clean

3) #2 above applies to the Mall and 1-2 blocks on either side - during daylight hours. Beyond that area, DC is like any other large city with it's share of panhandlers, homeless, crime, etc. After dark, I would not feel safe ANYWHERE in DC.

4) #2 above does not apply when there is an "event" going on on the Mall - either a celebration like 4th of July or a protest march. The area very quickly becomes crowded, dirty, grid-locked and extremely unpleasant.

If you are careful, going to DC to visit the monuments and Smithsonian can be a great experience!

 

[jpm]

well the smell in the air was politic's.thats why their not allow at TBN :laughing: