Washington, D. C.

Washington, DC, is a place I enjoy visiting; always teeming with activity and always growing.  The parks and museums are interesting; many places to visit.  As the focus of our nation's wealth and power, lobbyists, unions, trade organizations, NGOs, international organizations, and every other conceivable group have representatives here to play their part.  The city is highly stratified economically and racially.  Growing wealth pushes poorer citizens out from the center of the city as tenements are re-developed into high end condos.

My son & his wife live in a predominantly Hispanic section of the city near subsidized housing; priced out of more affluent neighborhoods.  For some reason, the residents of subsidized housing seem unwilling or unable to pick up their discarded trash along the sidewalks.  Sirens are surprisingly frequent as police and fire personnel are called out to minister to semi-conscious drunks and other minor disturbances.  Modern buildings experience few real fires; thus, the medical & rescue service helps justify more city personnel in these departments. 

 

It was a Thanksgiving visit with cold, blustery weather.  And I caught a virus; spent much of the visit resting.  But our hotel was beautifully decorated, and Rock Creek Park is directly adjacent; thus, we had pleasant surroundings and were able to take a long walk in the park every day.  While DC is a place we enjoy visiting, we are also glad to leave and return to Colorado.