Kiplinger

I read Kiplinger waiting for something to inspire me to write about Washington D.C. I read and read and then finally I found it. Kiplinger writes about the tour guide buses and cars that show tourists around the city while pointing out all the sights and attractions. Why does this inspire me you may ask? Because I completely disagree with the concept. D.C. is small city, densely populated by sights you cannot find anywhere else. I do not need a bus to show my the attractions because I see cool things everywhere, whether I make an effort to seek them or not. I have spent many a hours walking around the streets of D.C. and I always see something new and interesting, things a tour bus will never show you. I once walked to the Georgetown Library (for work of course) and on the route I saw a statue of Gandhi right outside the Indian Embassy and a tombstone/memorial of some South American leader who was assassinated on near Florida avenue itself. There are embassies on every street and statues of great American heroes at just about every circle and block of green. Simply walking around this city inspires and intrigues me. I am able to see a new and interesting sight on even the most insignificant of strolls in this small city. To rely on a tour guide to show what's interesting is not only an insult to oneself but also limiting one from getting the full experience of the politically most important city in the world. New York has Wall street and Money, Los Angeles has Hollywood and stars, Boston has history and the Great Dig, but D.C. has politicians and power. One can really only appreciate this city on a nice day and on a nice walk, not on a bus with a tour guide.