DC
- Chicky
- Posts: 18013
- Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2005 7:35 pm
- Location: Narnia
DC
What an amazing city. Definitely my favourite US city so far, despite the Orange wotsit resident idiot.
We did loads of stuff - international spy museum, natural history museum, Pentagon tour, Capitol tour, Library of Congress, went up the Washington monument, Air and Space museum, National Archives (Declaration of Independence), American History museum, National Mall, shopping, eating, Roosevelt Island parkrun, Georgetown and a Virginia winery. We consciously avoided the White House and anything to do with it.
I was so impressed with everything being free, the only thing we paid for was the International Spy museum, all the smithsonians and monuments and the Capitol and pentagon tours were all no cost. It was also really quiet so no queueing plus the weather was glorious. The day we went to the winery (with some friends who live in McLean) it was 25 degrees. In January! The cherry blossom is all out already too.
There is a real sense of history and culture, the Capitol building was a particular highlight. Next time I’d go when they are in session though, we went on Saturday so no senators or congress in sight. The day before Jane Fonda had been arrested and Joaquin Phoenix and Martin Sheen were there too!
We didn’t do much by way of eating out in nice places but the Cheesecake Factory was a highlight ( ), we had a great Thai meal in Chinatown and the deep pan pizza at pi pizza was amazing.
It was fun to do an international parkrun and we also went for a run along the national mall, including running up the Lincoln Memorial building steps. It had been raining overnight so they were very slippery and Mr C slipped on the way down and slid down the whole flight. He was ok but has a massive bruise on his arse. I said he should sue Donald
Mr C is working with a publisher in DC and I would definitely go back. Some selected pics below!
We did loads of stuff - international spy museum, natural history museum, Pentagon tour, Capitol tour, Library of Congress, went up the Washington monument, Air and Space museum, National Archives (Declaration of Independence), American History museum, National Mall, shopping, eating, Roosevelt Island parkrun, Georgetown and a Virginia winery. We consciously avoided the White House and anything to do with it.
I was so impressed with everything being free, the only thing we paid for was the International Spy museum, all the smithsonians and monuments and the Capitol and pentagon tours were all no cost. It was also really quiet so no queueing plus the weather was glorious. The day we went to the winery (with some friends who live in McLean) it was 25 degrees. In January! The cherry blossom is all out already too.
There is a real sense of history and culture, the Capitol building was a particular highlight. Next time I’d go when they are in session though, we went on Saturday so no senators or congress in sight. The day before Jane Fonda had been arrested and Joaquin Phoenix and Martin Sheen were there too!
We didn’t do much by way of eating out in nice places but the Cheesecake Factory was a highlight ( ), we had a great Thai meal in Chinatown and the deep pan pizza at pi pizza was amazing.
It was fun to do an international parkrun and we also went for a run along the national mall, including running up the Lincoln Memorial building steps. It had been raining overnight so they were very slippery and Mr C slipped on the way down and slid down the whole flight. He was ok but has a massive bruise on his arse. I said he should sue Donald
Mr C is working with a publisher in DC and I would definitely go back. Some selected pics below!
- Hazey_Jane
- Posts: 16642
- Joined: Sun Feb 20, 2005 8:13 pm
- Location: here, there and everywhere
Re: DC
I’m pleased you had a nice time and thanks for the photos, many happy memories of my four trips there!
- Duophonic
- Posts: 20515
- Joined: Fri Feb 18, 2005 9:04 pm
- Location: Glasgow
Re: DC
I'm glad you had a great time.
The spy museum is so much fun. One of these days I'm going to disappear as my alter ego Cameron Evans the Japanese (no I don't know why either) veterinarian.
The spy museum is so much fun. One of these days I'm going to disappear as my alter ego Cameron Evans the Japanese (no I don't know why either) veterinarian.
BRING ON THE TRUMPETS!
Princess Clacky Thing
Princess Clacky Thing
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- Posts: 52587
- Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2006 10:29 am
Re: DC
Thanks for posting chicky. Great you had such a good time.
Which was your favourite museum? I don't think we'll be there as long as you were. Did you do the bike tour in the end?
Where did you stay?
Questions questions
I didn't know parkrun operated overseas!
I'm going to try harder this visit to do some bucket list worthy runs (probably not PR though).
Which was your favourite museum? I don't think we'll be there as long as you were. Did you do the bike tour in the end?
Where did you stay?
Questions questions
I didn't know parkrun operated overseas!
I'm going to try harder this visit to do some bucket list worthy runs (probably not PR though).
- Chicky
- Posts: 18013
- Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2005 7:35 pm
- Location: Narnia
Re: DC
My favourite museum was the Natural history museum, the new dinosaur bit was particularly good. The Air and Space museum was also awesome but it’s being redone at the moment so was mostly closed. The bits they had were amazing though.
We didn’t do the bike tour but I definitely would next time. There are also bike routes along the river which looked really nice - I’ll dig out the pic I took for you. They have the equivalent of Boris bikes everywhere and also electric scooters which looked great fun and easier on the legs than walking everywhere - I averaged about 18k steps a day
We stayed in the Hamilton hotel because it was near to where Mr C needed to be. It was ok although the lobby smell was awful, plus they charged $28 a night “facility charge” on top of the room fee which was excessive. I don’t think I’d return.
There are quite a few international parkruns but not many in the US (I think because Americans are too litigious ) - it’s a very comforting experience as they all run the same and everyone is very welcoming so it feels like home!
We didn’t do the bike tour but I definitely would next time. There are also bike routes along the river which looked really nice - I’ll dig out the pic I took for you. They have the equivalent of Boris bikes everywhere and also electric scooters which looked great fun and easier on the legs than walking everywhere - I averaged about 18k steps a day
We stayed in the Hamilton hotel because it was near to where Mr C needed to be. It was ok although the lobby smell was awful, plus they charged $28 a night “facility charge” on top of the room fee which was excessive. I don’t think I’d return.
There are quite a few international parkruns but not many in the US (I think because Americans are too litigious ) - it’s a very comforting experience as they all run the same and everyone is very welcoming so it feels like home!
- Duophonic
- Posts: 20515
- Joined: Fri Feb 18, 2005 9:04 pm
- Location: Glasgow
Re: DC
That's interesting about the Hamilton hotel.
I'm over there again next week and a few of my EMEA colleagues (I'm the odd one out as I'm in Scotland, they're all in England so travel together) are paying over $150 to stay at the Hamilton when we all land on Saturday and spending an overnight on their own dime to sightsee on Sunday.
I'm over there again next week and a few of my EMEA colleagues (I'm the odd one out as I'm in Scotland, they're all in England so travel together) are paying over $150 to stay at the Hamilton when we all land on Saturday and spending an overnight on their own dime to sightsee on Sunday.
BRING ON THE TRUMPETS!
Princess Clacky Thing
Princess Clacky Thing
- Chicky
- Posts: 18013
- Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2005 7:35 pm
- Location: Narnia
Re: DC
The room was ok but the lobby smell was so off-putting. For your $28 you get free shoe cleaning and extra fast free internet but it really adds up over a few days.Duophonic wrote: ↑Sat Jan 18, 2020 5:39 pm That's interesting about the Hamilton hotel.
I'm over there again next week and a few of my EMEA colleagues (I'm the odd one out as I'm in Scotland, they're all in England so travel together) are paying over $150 to stay at the Hamilton when we all land on Saturday and spending an overnight on their own dime to sightsee on Sunday.
Oh - also you need your passport if you want to go to Arlington Cemetery. Apparently this is new, I didn’t have my passport so couldn't go in, nor could the other people on my bus. V annoying
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- Posts: 97799
- Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2005 10:55 am
Re: DC
I take my passport most places with me in the States anyway because they always seem to want it for something .
I hate those resort fees. They’re everywhere now, and sorry, but I think WiFi is a fairly standard offering now so it’s tacky to charge extra for it. This argument has never once worked for me .
I hate those resort fees. They’re everywhere now, and sorry, but I think WiFi is a fairly standard offering now so it’s tacky to charge extra for it. This argument has never once worked for me .
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- Really Creepy
- Posts: 21810
- Joined: Wed Mar 23, 2011 9:06 pm
Re: DC
Mr C. Did you put your hand in the box thing in the spy museum? I totally chicken out seeing the way people reacted.
Agreed. Mr O refuses to stay anywhere where we have to pay for WiFi.
It’s worth checking hotel group membership schemes and joining them. They’re usually free and if you’re a member you can use the WiFi for free.