"Compared To" Land --- Day 13/88

Walk: no, home nursing airplane cold

Distance: n/a

Try as she might, after the better part of a century on the planet, Ciwt has a difficult time avoiding "Compared to...." land.  As in "compared to the last time I lived here, saw that, visited there....."  So, of course she spent much of her trip to the current DC in that land.  

And actually, the city compared very well.  Its buildings are still stately and historical, including her gorgeous hotel where she was welcomed (see above) and  extremely well served.

And 'compared to' the time she lived here there are numerous more museums, and the art collections of the museums she used to haunt have been greatly expanded.  'Compared to' that same era, there seemed to be many more people.  But, as she found on her arrival, it was also a trifecta week of Cherry Blossom Festival, Spring Vacation and Easter, so maybe this wasn't the best time to do that comparison.  Plus she would have been inside working  and unaware of the crowds then.

'Compared to' the time she lived in DC there are many more buildings.  But what city hasn't grown in the past 50 years?  

Really the only major - but unfortunately understandable - disappointment was DC's new emphasis on security.  On her way home from work, she used to love walking by the White house.  Whether she stood in front of it or at the edge of the rolling East Lawn, she was right next to the grass and feeling proud and welcome at 'America's house.' Same thing was true the many times she walked through the halls of Congress in in and out of the House and Senate chambers.  But now, 'comparatively speaking,' those places are carefully guarded and more remote.