fun baltimore business trip pics/why i hate terrorists even more

[cheapie]

Att and I went to a Orioles vs. Yankees game. It was crazy. I'd say at least a third of the fans were cheering for the Yanks. Tons of fights around us in the bleachers.

http://www.littleboyinc.com/uploader/uploads/us.jpg

My co-workers and I went walking around DC Thursday afternoon. We saw the prez pull away from the Dept of Commerce and pull up to the White House in his caravan. There was a ton of vehicles for a 1 or 2 mile drive.

http://www.littleboyinc.com/uploader/uploads/white house.jpg

The Korean War memorial was creepy. The figures looked very sad and depressed. Everyone was quiet around the memorial. I'm not sure why it was so unsettling.

http://www.littleboyinc.com/uploader/uploads/korean.jpg

The Lincoln Memorial was a very cool place. I enjoyed reading the Gettysburg Address up on one wall and his second innaguration (sp?) speech on the other. What a great man.

http://www.littleboyinc.com/uploader/uploads/lincoln.jpg

Looking out from the Lincoln Memorial across the reflecting pond to the Washington Monument.

http://www.littleboyinc.com/uploader/uploads/lincoln 2.jpg

I was awestruck by all of the beautiful building like this one. This isn't a very good perspective but they were all ornate down by the mall. I think this was the Dept of...uh....hmmmm....don't remember. I don't think I've ever been in a city with a greater concentration of grand and beautiful buildings.

http://www.littleboyinc.com/uploader/uploads/building.jpg

This is at the WW2 memorial. There was a completely different atmosphere here than at the Vietnam (which was under construction) and Korean war memorials. It was festive, loud, and seemed somewhat celebratory.

http://www.littleboyinc.com/uploader/uploads/michigan.jpg

http://www.littleboyinc.com/uploader/uploads/ww 2.jpg

http://www.littleboyinc.com/uploader/uploads/ww2 memorial 1.jpg

http://www.littleboyinc.com/uploader/uploads/pacific.jpg


yet another monument under construction. the washington, lincoln, and vietnam memorials were all under construction. :disa:

http://www.littleboyinc.com/uploader/uploads/washington.jpg

ok, this is where i get into the i hate terrorists even more now part. i dearly wish i had gone to dc before 9-11. you can no longer walk up the steps of the capital. there are cheesy metal gates in front of them. the kind that look like bike racks. surrounding the mall are tons of concrete barriers, hastily put up in an attempt to increase security. the road in front of the white house (not PA ave) had that, plus some ****ty-looking guard shack which likely was put up in a hurry. i'm so pissed that these ****heads had to do what they did and ruin dc. this stuff seemed to be everywhere. part of the problem was that there was a festival going on and i'm sure some of the plastic fences were there for that reasons, but....

in a lot of places the grass was terrible, even just along the streets. not mowed, full of weeds, etc. the pool in front of the capital was just nasty. i'm betting the capital and park facility costs have skyrocketed because of the need for increased security and they've had to chop out some maintenance costs. :bawl: i would have liked to have visited when it was pristine. :shrug: i guess i should just be glad the white house is still there.

http://www.littleboyinc.com/uploader/uploads/capital.jpg
anyhow, it was an incredible city. i'm proud to live in a country represented by that capital.

oh, we were so effing hungry that the three of us stopped at the first restaurant we came to. i paid the bill.

http://www.littleboyinc.com/uploader/uploads/chingching.jpg


of course, i'll likely be reimursed....but holy ****!

[look_ma]

What the heck did the three of you get for $200 bucks. I hope you got s*cked and f@#$ed for 200 bucks.

[cheapie]

between us...4 beers, i glass of wine, crab cakes, tomato salad, regular salad, calamari, 3 orders of ribeye steaks (some of the most tender and thick ones i've ever seen. lacking flavor tho'.), deserts for everyone, and water. still, pretty expensive. i think we got ****ed on the drinks. anyhow, the food was spectaculer. esp. the crab cake and the dessert.

[cheapie]

btw, did you know what the difference between a memorial and a monument is? a monument is started when the person is alive.

[bachviet]

That is a big bill for 3 pple. :eek:

[brain]

That's not out of line for 3 people at a nice steak house. Try going to Mastro's in Beverly Hills. That will dent your wallet even more.

[cheapie]

i've posted these pics here and another site. the only thing people have noticed is the bill. is it that outragious or do the rest of my pics suck?

[DaFunkyUnit]

This is at the WW2 memorial. There was a completely different atmosphere here than at the Vietnam (which was under construction) and Korean war memorials. It was festive, loud, and seemed somewhat celebratory.


maybe because that was the only war we won? :shrug:



There are no good wars, with the following exceptions: The American Revolution, World War II, and the Star Wars Trilogy.

[cheapie]

maybe because that was the only war we won? :shrug:


we did ok in the revolutionary war, war of 1812, and ww1

[ialsohaveadream]

Cheap, as someone who had the absolute thrill of living in DC pre-9/11, let me just say....you totally missed out.

Also, I hope that you got to stop by the Arlington National Cemetery, but I'm assuming you didn't, because you definitely would've had some pics of it. It's one of the most beautiful sites in DC. It can take you days just to get through it.

One time in Boston, me and two friends got hammered to the tune of $250 on St. Patty's day. And your bill isn't that outrageous. A sandwich and a drink sets you back $12 for lunch in DC. It's a rich city.

[DaFunkyUnit]

we did ok in the revolutionary war, war of 1812, and ww1

in terms of out of the the memorials you visited: Korean, Vietnam, and WW2,

ww2 is the only war we came out as outright victors.


Cheap, as someone who had the absolute thrill of living in DC pre-9/11, let me just say....you totally missed out.

Also, I hope that you got to stop by the Arlington National Cemetery, but I'm assuming you didn't, because you definitely would've had some pics of it. It's one of the most beautiful sites in DC. It can take you days just to get through it.

One time in Boston, me and two friends got hammered to the tune of $250 on St. Patty's day. And your bill isn't that outrageous. A sandwich and a drink sets you back $12 for lunch in DC. It's a rich city.

does DC still have a ridiculously high crime rate?

[Jenny]

Beautiful pics! That is, and has been, one of the top places on my list of places to visit. :)

[ialsohaveadream]

does DC still have a ridiculously high crime rate?

Pretty much all big cities do. I wouldn't say it's a dangerous city, though. I never felt unsafe, even in the parts of town you're told to avoid. For those of you who don't know, surprise! They tell you to avoid the places where all the black people live....as if they're just waiting for a white guy to walk off the Metro so they can rob him. Silly gringos. :rolleyes:

[Apex]

Ugh, did someone forget to get you guys gotapex t-shirts before your trip? ;)

[redcolours]

aha! good idea! i need to remind myself to wear my gotapex shirt tomorrow at eric claptons concert. :P

[AlpineJay]

What are these shirts people speak of? Me wantee...

[cheapie]

i don't know why, but i honestly feel a deep sense of loss. i was so saddened by the intrusion of the barricades and fences on the otherwise incredibly beautiful city. will it ever be the same again?

[look_ma]

i don't know why, but i honestly feel a deep sense of loss. i was so saddened by the intrusion of the barricades and fences on the otherwise incredibly beautiful city. will it ever be the same again?

No, I am almost surprised you didn't just seem lines of military men carrying their rifles around like it is nothing.

[cheapie]

i wouldn't mind the military walking around. they aren't imposing on the buildings. there were cops everywhere. they fit in. the freakin' metal gates and ugly cement barricades blocking stuff don't. if they just got rid of the cement and put in nice iron barricades. or just made sure that the bad people didn't get into the capital. so it's ok if you can walk up to the steps, but not up the steps? i think i'm going to write a letter to the white house. lol. i'm sure i'll get a response.

[ShawnLee]

i'm sure i'll get a response.Dear Concerned American...

[DarkFury]

Pretty much all big cities do. I wouldn't say it's a dangerous city, though. I never felt unsafe, even in the parts of town you're told to avoid. For those of you who don't know, surprise! They tell you to avoid the places where all the black people live....as if they're just waiting for a white guy to walk off the Metro so they can rob him. Silly gringos. :rolleyes:
Stick 'em up.... :woo:

[whitak24]

cheapie, i agree with you that DC is a great place. the mall area is so beautiful, especially in the spring/early summer when everything is so green. the architecture is fantastic.

i love NYC, but DC is a great city as well.....not as worldly, not nearly as fast-paced, but with its own feel and culture.

unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), i haven't been there post-9/11. it's too bad that they're blocking off the capitol and everything. that definitely makes it tougher to enjoy it as a tourist.

i like your pic of the front of the capitol though. the one looking out of the lincoln memorial to the washington monument across the reflecting pool is nice as well.

[JackHammer]

Did you know the majestic and grandiose architecture of DC was designed with the intent to impress and intidimidate (sp?) foreign heads of state when they come to DC?

[nickel]

awesome pics cheapie (and attgig).
cheapie, i was in DC pre-9/11 and got to walk on the steps of the capital. don't feel like you missed the world there.

looks like you had a good time the yankees won, and isn't that the yankees won what it's all about the yankees won in the end? the yankees won :D

[poiselle]

Nice pics. I just realized I moved away before getting to see the WWII monument. I never thought I would miss DC this soon but I do.

[Nanotech9]

i think that Nam is still deeply burned in the minds of many americans to this day, which is probably why that memorial has a more grim and somber sense about it.

[eSDee]

Nice pics cheapster.

[cheapie]

i think that Nam is still deeply burned in the minds of many americans to this day, which is probably why that memorial has a more grim and somber sense about it.


the memorial i'm talking about is the korean war memorial. the vietnam memorial was closed. i've heard that's pretty somber as well.


also, i felt absolutely safe walking around. even in the subway, obviously walking around the mall, and walking around on the streets blocks away from the capital area. of course, it was broad daylight and i'm sure it would be worse in bad sections. but in the places i wanted to be, it didn't even enter my mind to be worried about crime. there were cops and capital police everywhere. usually i could see at least two.

[ialsohaveadream]

Hey, I found some of my old DC pics today! I dont' have a scanner, but I can take digital pics of the pictures and try to post a few. I'll do it later today if I'm not too lazy. Then you can see pre-9/11 Washington.

[Cantacuzene]

I wonder how many people know the classical reference in the difference between 'capital' and 'capitol.' Not many, I assume.

[whitak24]

I wonder how many people know the classical reference in the difference between 'capital' and 'capitol.' Not many, I assume.
care to enlighten us, mr. college graduate? ;)

[Cantacuzene]

The city of Rome is founded on seven hills. The hill with the Vatican and what not is the Palantine Hill. It is also the hill where Augustus lived and the Roman civil service was based out of. Hence, why in cultured circles the civil service/bureaucracy is called the "palatinate."

The Forum and other state buildings were on the Capitoline Hill. The Senate building, the major temples and other official government buildings were built on the Capitoline. Thus when we founded our country our Founding Fathers (who sadly had a far superior classical education to most people today) chose to put the main official buildings of our government on a hill in Washington D.C. which they named the Capitoline.

Problem is too many people don't realize the capital is on the capitoline but rather think the capital is the capitoline.

:)

[attgig]

Ugh, did someone forget to get you guys gotapex t-shirts before your trip? ;)
Yes, somebody did. please send it right away. thanks.

[cheapie]

Yes, somebody did. please send it right away. thanks.


how did i miss this post? hook us up! i have another trip out there soon and att promised to take me to some authentic "*****y" restaurants.

[mcs328]

You ate at the restaurant "in" the MCI arena I see. Well that place wasn't or hasn't been doing great from what little I've seen. That's a pretty big bill. Did you go to the Spy Museum that was like a block away? Around the corner was the Coyote Ugly bar also...very good place for some eye candy if you go out there at night.

[Kenas]

Cheapie Subway in DC called metro, that's for future reference ;)
I hope next time you are in DC, Vietnam War memorial is open, it's a very emotional sight.
You're so precise with that 15% tip on your bill even added two cents, incredible.

[cheapie]

lol at the tip. i was kinda pissed the drinks cost so much but the service was great.