25-05-2005 04:36									#91
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quote: Originally posted by Winston Yes, the service called TravelNow/hotels.com will charge my credit card for the full amount up front.

Well, then, good luck to you.

And may god rest your soul.

	25-05-2005 04:41									#92
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Thanks.

I should add that while I will certainly be a stranger in town, no argument there, I am not completely unfamiliar with staying in a large city that is unknown to me. In Chicago, I stayed very close to the city center, and also in San Francisco, though that was at a small place recommended to me by Sten Sture.

Here's a picture of my hotel in D.C.:

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	25-05-2005 04:51									#93
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This also means that I've more or less settled on skipping a visit to Philadelphia this time around. I will be in Washington for 9 nights, and as it is now, I will go for 10 nights in New York. I think I will have more than enough to do in those two cities, without adding a third.

I've also moved away from my thoughts of renting a car for some of the days. At least renting it in advance. If I like to get out of the city a little while I'm there, I could always rent one for the day, but I think I will have more than enough to see by sticking with the metro and a cab every now and then.

Front of the hotel:

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	25-05-2005 04:55									#94
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Hey, I know the area. I know exactly what you're getting into.

	25-05-2005 05:00									#95
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I'll wear my sun glasses to try and look a bit tough.

	25-05-2005 05:11									#96
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By the way, that's near where they're going to build the new baseball park.

The gay stripclubs are being evicted.

	25-05-2005 05:22									#97
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quote: Originally posted by lord of the mark Baltimore is fun if you have time to spare - inner harbor, Fells Point, Little Italy (restaurants only, no street life like NY) Balt Museum of Art with its Matisses, etc. An alternative to extra time in Philly. Too much in NYC to even get started.

If he goes to Baltimore, then he need to go Hunt Valley and see if Sid will take him on a tour.

	25-05-2005 06:03									#98
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For a car, maybe you can get one of this "ZipCars" or other per hour rentals to get around town if you really need to.

	25-05-2005 06:35									#99
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Or just take a cab like a regular person.

	25-05-2005 06:42									#100
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Well, I already found out that I'll be getting a 7-day pass for the metro, and also that I can get from Dulles Airport to West Falls Church station by coach for 8$ on my arrival. A car will only really be needed if I decide to take a trip outside the city one day.

It's very convenient to find lots of practical information, that's one of the perks of visiting a large city taking in millions of tourists.

	25-05-2005 08:19									#101
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The hotel you chose is not too bad. The key is closeness to Metro. SW is actually pretty safe. In fact, a few supreme court justices live in that area. Can you not book from www.priceline.com from Denmark? Using the info from www.biddingfortravel.com and then placing bids on priceline has allowed me to get $200 hotel rooms for $100. Also, cabs in DC work on zones. It is very reasonable except during rush hour when they charge a couple of dollars extra per ride.

	25-05-2005 08:41									#102
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pchang, I didn't attempt to get prices from priceline.com as I had started out at hotels.com, which I had accustomed myself to; they gave me prices for all of the hotels up front, so it was easier for me to compare between several options and check out the ones that sounded good in more detail.

I'm glad you don't consider the one I've chosen to be too terrible. And that the surrounding area is not the worst either. Yes, I plan to rely heavily on the metro to get around, and I wanted to get a hotel near a station so I won't have to spend my time walking long distances unless I want to. The metro system seems very extended, unlike in e.g. Chicago where the rail system wasn't of much use to me.

And thanks for the advice on taking cabs, I'l keep that in mind.

	25-05-2005 08:46									#103
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I believe the hotel you booked has high speed internet available in the room (if you decide to bring a laptop). That makes it easy to upload pictures from your digital camera so you don't have to worry about filling up your memory card/stick.

	25-05-2005 08:53									#104
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Yes, I believe they have high speed access, but I'm not bringing a laptop.

And I'm only about to go looking for a digital camera in the coming days, I only have a "conventional" camera, which I bought before my last trip to the U.S. But I would like to get a digital one, to my knowledge they're pretty expensive here (starting at ~400 USD), so I thought I'd check out a couple of models, and then ask you guys here if you could find the same model's price in the U.S. I have a feeling it may be much cheaper to buy the camera in Washington than Copenhagen. But we'll see, I'll check the prices in the days to come.

	25-05-2005 08:57									#105
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you're going to have a great time!

In DC

Go to Ford's Theater. Also, there's that statue in that park, the one of the giant awakening while buried alive... anyone? I also like the Smithsonian (origional buildings) as I am more about the architecture. Definitly do Mt. Vernon and some Battlefields if you get the chance... and have fun

	25-05-2005 09:06									#106
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Thanks Japher!

Yes, Ford Theatre is on my rather extensive list. I believe it's located with a couple of other locations that should also be worth a visit. I went to Abraham Lincoln's tomb (and also his house) in Springfield, IL and I would very much like to see the theatre also.

	25-05-2005 09:09									#107
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When you figure out your schedule start a thread about a polymeet in DC. Even though you're a **** I'll buy you a beer...

	25-05-2005 09:09									#108
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As long as you make sure to cede all claims to Hans Island, that is.

	25-05-2005 09:13									#109
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Go to see the Lincoln memorial, by the way.

By far the best monument in DC. That and the Viet Nam memorial were the only things to hit me emotionally in the city.

	25-05-2005 09:15									#110
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Smithsonian Natural History museum was very nice when I went. A good afternoon there.

	25-05-2005 09:17									#111
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Hans Island!

I'm afraid the matter is entirely out of my hands.

Sounds great, KH, even if it is American beer... I arrive on a Thursday, 9 June in the afternoon, and leave again on 18 June.

Maybe a Poly-meet is the best way to go, instead of trying to hook up with people individually, sounds like an idea. It won't be more than a couple of days before I have some idea of a "schedule", but I expect it'll remain rather flexible throughout.

Meeting OT characters is one of the best things about travelling.

	25-05-2005 09:19									#112
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Oh, Lincoln memorial is one of the top things I'm dreaming about these days. Just the thought of standing before it..

	25-05-2005 09:21									#113
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Weekend is probably a good time for a polymeet.

Maybe the first saturday afternoon/evening you're there (june 11).

The parking situation is much easier for me if it's not a weekday during work hours, plus it means that I'll be able to make it without skipping out on my job (which is doable with minimal repercussions, but nice to avoid if possible)

	25-05-2005 09:28									#114
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Yes I would also think Saturday 11 June would be a good time for a meet. I've had a chance to "settle in" a little, but it'll still be at the start of my visit, so you guys could still be a lot of help to me on practical things if need be.

Maybe I should start the thread now to see what people think, there's only two weeks.

	25-05-2005 19:20									#115
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quote: In fact, a few supreme court justices live in that area.

The only way we know that is because a Supreme Court justice was mugged in that area!

	25-05-2005 19:31									#116
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(literally)

	26-05-2005 03:19									#117
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Also, what kind of food are you into? I can supply you with some restaurant recommendations if you're looking for good eats at a reasonable price.

	26-05-2005 14:43									#118
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That would be very nice Timexwatch, if it's not too much trouble for you. Just a few suggestions would be nice to have, but I also have the Lonely Planet guidebook to help me find good places for food.

I'm not very sophisticated when it comes to food, I like a good steak like most people, and sometimes seafood also. I'm not much interested in pizza and other fast food, if I feel like it while I'm there, they should be easy enough to locate.

If you could list a few places where ordinary Americans also go, not just tourists, for a steak etc., it'd be most welcome. But like I said, don't trouble yourself too much.

	26-05-2005 16:27									#119
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Next time you visit the U.S. you might want to consider visiting some of the big empty states. The scenery is often spectacular. I live about 30 minutes from Denver which is a smallish big city with an international airport. Thirty minutes from me is Rocky Mountain National Park which is spectacular and well worth a day of your time. Even closer is the Roosevelt National Forest (which is gigantic) and a lot of world class climbing.

I visit California about once a year to see my father and a number of friends who live in Hollywood and work in the music industry. I usually drive over the continental divide to Utah and spend the night (great scenery along the way), then get up in the morning and push on. The highway goes through the Canyonlands which is spectacular in the morning. I end up in Las Vegas by the middle of the afternoon, and sometimes I spend the night there. LA is about a half days drive from there, and you can take a short side trip to Death Valley if you like.

LA / southern CA is huge and has a lot going for it, including a lot of great beaches as well as amusement parks, museums and Hollywood etc. California alone would make a fantastic trip. I enjoy driving up the coast to San Francisco, which is one of my favorite U.S. cities.

My general point is that the U.S. isn't all about cities and museums. IMO I'd usually rather be in Europe for that sort of thing, they are generally better at it than we are. But there are a lot of fantastic sights to see in the natural world here that are unnmatched almost anywhere. Anyway, I hope you have a blast on your trip.

	26-05-2005 16:54									#120
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Thanks Sikander!

I'm getting more excited about it with each passing day, now it's only 14 days till I arrive. Today I got my hotel in New York booked, at a very favourable price, it's on E. 57th St, close to the Southern end of Central Park.

Your point about experiencing the beauty of the open countryside, and the stunning scenery in the West is well taken. In 2000, I had a fantastic time travelling along the old Route 66 in a rented car. I was "on the road" for 14 days and travelled through Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, a little bit in Utah, and finally California. I also ended up in San Francisco and had 4 days there before flying home. It was a marvellous trip, and I would highly recommend it to others, although it can be a little exhausting and also quite expensive when you're travelling alone like I did. But you get to take in some fantastic sights which you can't really get any other way.

This time, it's about the big city sights. If I go again sometime, it will probably be a combination of the two.