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Grex > Agora46 > #166: visiting Washington, DC -- need tips | |
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| 25 new of 72 responses total. |
jep
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response 33 of 72:
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Aug 26 16:34 UTC 2003 |
I'm not an aircraft fan, but my son is. Thanks!
Why visit the National Cathedral?
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albaugh
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response 34 of 72:
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Aug 26 16:36 UTC 2003 |
If you are at all in seeing really, REALLY big churches, that would be why.
You aren't going to see them that big unless you go to Europe. If that
interests you (not likely to interest a kid), you could also drive out to see
the National Shrine, whether you're Catholic or not.
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polygon
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response 35 of 72:
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Aug 27 23:13 UTC 2003 |
Taxicabs in DC are extremely cheap compared to other cities. They have
a zone system, so the cabs have a map instead of a meter. In other words,
there is a set fee for traveling from any point in zone 1 to any point
in zone 2. Or within a zone. Zone 1 includes the Capitol and major
tourist destinations.
My favorite monument in DC is the Einstein Memorial. It's on the grounds
of the National Academy of Sciences, just across the street from the
north end of the Vietnam war memorial. It features a much larger than
life size statue of Einstein, wearing jeans and sandals and a rumpled
old sweater, sitting on a circular patio which doubles as a star chart,
with little metal nubs of different sizes indicating stars of different
magnitudes. It's surrounded by trees and shrubbery, so you follow a
little path to get in and come upon it all of a sudden.
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cmcgee
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response 36 of 72:
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Aug 28 00:10 UTC 2003 |
Aren't there some Really Big Diamonds and such, like the Hope Diamond, at the
Museum of Natural History mineral exhibit?
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gelinas
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response 37 of 72:
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Aug 28 03:28 UTC 2003 |
Last I heard, the Hope Diamond was visible at the Museum of Natural History.
I kind of doubt they've sold or lent it.
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klg
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response 38 of 72:
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Aug 28 16:22 UTC 2003 |
(Was that before or after the Clinton administration left town?)
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jep
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response 39 of 72:
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Aug 29 02:30 UTC 2003 |
How much does a taxi ride cost if you're going, say, 2 miles to your
hotel? Or 5 miles? Can you give any examples, Larry?
I don't think John knows what a diamond is, other than a hard rock.
Maybe I'd be surprised, though. I'll have to remember to ask him.
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polygon
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response 40 of 72:
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Aug 29 14:29 UTC 2003 |
I haven't been to Washington in several years, but I remember the taxi
fares being surprisingly low compared to taxi fares in Ann Arbor or
Lansing. The absence of a meter makes it a different experience: the
driver gets no extra money from going out of the way or dawdling.
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oval
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response 41 of 72:
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Aug 29 15:43 UTC 2003 |
..and room for haggling!
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jep
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response 42 of 72:
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Sep 3 03:47 UTC 2003 |
I've been bopping around sites such as orbitz.com, looking to reserve
a hotel room. It's quite interesting. The prices go up and down on
orbitz.com, even if you enter the same search a 2nd time. I have no
clue, but just re-entered my search, and the lowest priced hotels
within 2-5 miles of Washington, DC jumped from $60 to $126. I've gone
through this several times. Maybe the WWW page is getting tired of me.
I've called a couple of hotels, and found their outdoor pools closed
at Labor Day, just as they would in Michigan. Oh, well, my son will
be disappointed but I'm not interested in paying $300 per night for a
hotel room so there's an indoor pool.
Aha, I just noticed something. The rates are lower if I say there are
two people. What's up with that? That's why the prices are going up
and down, anyway. I keep forgetting to check the box that says "2".
Heck with this. As soon as I find something that says it's close to
the Metro or has a shuttle, with complimentary breakfast (because it's
one less thing to fret about in the morning), and from a recognizable
national chain, with free parking...
A refrigerator can substitute for a free breakfast...
A cooler can substitute for a refrigerator...
Annd the winner is, Day's Inn of Alexandria, Virginia "a convenient 10
minute walk from the closest Metro-DC's subway system (the cleanest &
safest in the world)." (That's a definite selling point for
me; "cleanest and safest" I mean.) 'Tis done, now I can try to make
sure I see as much as I can of Washington in 4 days!
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jep
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response 43 of 72:
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Sep 3 03:52 UTC 2003 |
There's an article in the newspaper that says you can tour the White
House again starting September 16. I'll be in Washington from
September 13-18. I e-mailed my congressman's office to ask for
reservations; never heard back from them on my previous e-mail but
maybe they believe in silent service. (Heh.) You have to have
reservations from a congressperson and pass a security check. If we
get the reservations we'll worry about the security check later.
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cross
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response 44 of 72:
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Sep 3 04:38 UTC 2003 |
This response has been erased.
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klg
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response 45 of 72:
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Sep 3 16:12 UTC 2003 |
re: "#43 (jep): You have to have reservations from a congressperson
and pass a security check. If we get the reservations we'll worry
about the security check later."
According to our news source, it sounded as if the security check
occurred prior to the issuance of tickets.
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jep
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response 46 of 72:
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Sep 4 02:36 UTC 2003 |
The congressman's office sent me an e-mail; they're not sure what's
needed for the security check either. They took some information from
me and will get me tickets if they can, they said.
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edina
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response 47 of 72:
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Sep 9 18:32 UTC 2003 |
First off, to clear something up said back there, it has been my understanding
that your tax dollars DON'T support the Smithsonian - at all. Your $10 lunch
of a hot dog and fries and soda however . . . .
After having cabbed in NYC, I wish DC would go back on the meter. The problem
with zones is that the zones seem open to interpretation depending on the
driver.
And John, if you really want to get into the Air and Space Museum, I'll take
John for a few hours and give you some time there.
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jep
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response 48 of 72:
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Sep 9 19:14 UTC 2003 |
Heh. Brooke, John is fascinated with airplanes since he flew to New
Orleans a month ago. He wants to see airplanes. I want to see space
stuff. We'll need a lot of time for Air and Space!
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jep
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response 49 of 72:
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Sep 13 02:33 UTC 2003 |
I heard from my congressman's office today. They didn't have time
(due to staffing issues) to send me tickets to any of the things I'd
requested, but made reservations for me for some of them, and e-mailed
me the information I'll need. I guess I'll have to stop by the
Congressman's office to pick up the tickets I'll need.
We will be able to visit the Supreme Court and Kennedy Center on
Tuesday, and then take a US Capitol tour, then visit the Library of
Congress on Wednesday.
We don't get a White House tour. As they said, we can just do that
one later, next time we visit Washington.
The Congressman's office also recommended the Spy Museum. We'll have
to buy tickets for that, but they assured me it's well worth the
trip. Hmm, looking over their WWW page, it looks like it might be a
little old for John (they recommend it for ages 12 and up) but I'll
discuss it with him and we'll see.
I'll be back in a week! You may dread my report, which I will place
in this item, when I return.
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jep
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response 50 of 72:
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Sep 13 14:06 UTC 2003 |
Just as we were ready to leave on vacation I found my cell phone
missing from my car. I left it in there overnight -- I've done it 100
times before. So, I'm pretty sure it was stolen. I put in a police
report and called Cingular to report it stolen.
So, if I was coming to visit you while I'm in Washington -- Rick, I
have your phone numbers. Denise -- I have yours too. Brooke -- I
don't have yours but I have your address. Call the hotel, please!
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newjp2
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response 51 of 72:
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Sep 14 23:47 UTC 2003 |
Actually, skip the Spy Museum, there is not much there and a lot of it is
inaccurate. I suggest the following: The Federal Reserve (not sure if they
currently offer tours), check out the City Museum (in DC's original Carneige
Library), and the Kennedy Center.
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dah
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response 52 of 72:
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Sep 14 23:48 UTC 2003 |
And go to jp2's house! Smoke tobacco from his hookah!
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newjp2
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response 53 of 72:
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Sep 15 00:49 UTC 2003 |
Yah man. Hookah party!
I checked out the Fed and they start offering tours of their art collection
on the 26th.
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mynxcat
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response 54 of 72:
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Sep 15 01:10 UTC 2003 |
jp2's house is cool, though I've never had a chance to try th hookah :9
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edina
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response 55 of 72:
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Sep 15 17:44 UTC 2003 |
Jamie has a new house.
I saw John and John yesterday for breakfast, kinda gave them a rundown on the
metro (how to use it) and am having them over tonight to have dinner.
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tod
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response 56 of 72:
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Sep 15 17:56 UTC 2003 |
This response has been erased.
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edina
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response 57 of 72:
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Sep 15 17:58 UTC 2003 |
We do what we can. It was fun trying to find something that both John (the
younger) and I could eat. Solution? Homemade macaroni and cheese.
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