I went to the White House today! Full Report

[backtocrappie]

We did a cub scout tour today. Ok, it works like this. Visitors better be on the list first! No ticky no laundry. Once past the first checkpoint, they repeat the process in another line. Once you get cleared there, you have to get past the dogs. They sniff you down in a separate room where you stand on predetermined marks on the floor. The dog/dogs are behind a screen that has vanes passing thru, with a fan that blows your scent in thru the vanes. Craziest thing I've seen in years. If the dog lets out a yelp and your cleared to the next security measure. Now we go thru metal detectors. My 9 years old set one off with his cub scout belt. By now there's a uniformed or undercover secret service agent everywhere your eyes look. No joke. My son noted every camera in every tree and bush. And they have MANY these days. Once cleared in the metal detector and scanning room, you press on indoors. It was cold and snowing so we were darn relieved! Upon entry, which was rather non-ceremonious. You meet another SS agent who tells you, it's a self guided tour from here. Really???? Because I was definitely there to discuss gas prices!


As you enter the long east hall toward the center of the WH you soon realize just how duped the American people really are with all the dumb conspiracy theories. It's just a building. I mean, I've been working on commercial buildings my whole life and know exactly what I'm looking at. The only bullet proof glass was fairly obvious in the east and west wings where special events take place. Moving on... The only M4 I saw very decked out with more tactical crap on it than was really necessary. Guns, guards, and SS agents EVERYWHERE. Oh, and the agents.. they're as normal as anyone else. I overheard an SS agent talking to another about getting his fingers caught in a door upstairs (what a wuss).

As we went through the rooms where ropes and guards half halfheartedly manage your progress, I peeked into one of the presidential lamps. YES, Barack Obama does use CFL light bulbs.

I was unimpressed by the flooring. It reminded me of stuff I've seen in cheap apartments. But the walls, ceilings, and doors were magnificent. My son asked a million dollar question of someone standing behind the rope in the East Room. "Is that the picture of George Washington that Dolly Madison saved during the fire in the war of 1812?" It was! (Smart kid. He's the brains in the family). Naturally there are portraits and pictures of every president. Some candid, some staged. I was struck by a huge portrait on a wall before we went upstairs. It received zero attention from onlookers. It was Hillary Clinton, and people passed by with a "whatever" attitude. So did I.

The tour is rather short considering all the hoops we had to jump thru to get in. AND... you may note I have no pics from the inside. It's illegal to takes pictures while inside the WH. Odd rule# 1 with me was no cameras, but phones with cameras were accepted. I did take one pic while too close to the building and got called out for it by an uniformed agent. I'll see about some pics later when I get them off my phone.

As a local, I knew the deal with parking in DC, but rates have changed! Bring about $5 in quarters for the meter, per destination. Because ALL parking garages are closed on the weekend. We finished our day at an obscure museum I never knew existed. The National Building Museum. It was kind of boring except for some damn amazing Lego architecture of the worlds tallest buildings in the Lego room. The kids loved that! One of the better days I've had In DC--uneventful. Peace Park was empty--no protesters, not too many hobos and bums. However, police presence around the WH is extremely heavy these days. In fact police presence was rather ramped up across town for a Saturday morning. A very safe feeling. Not a bad day at all!

[fishinRod]

hmmmm....i used to live in Fairfax VA as a kid back in the 70s (real close to DC).....went a couple times when relatives would com visit......we'd just form a group and tour guide would take us around...no problem

[kycreek]

Sounds like a good trip.

[backtocrappie]

s

hmmmm....i used to live in Fairfax VA as a kid back in the 70s (real close to DC).....went a couple times when relatives would com visit......we'd just form a group and tour guide would take us around...no problem

I grew up in Fairfax. Vienna to be exact. I live in western Loudoun now. It was MUCH different then. Security is tight there these days. Penn Ave on the north side is slowly turning into a police precinct. The feds have the WH blockaded 9 ways to Sunday now. And once you're on the grounds, even hundreds of feet away, you're watched like a hawk. I made made no exaggerations. Literally, where ever your head and eye's go...there was either uniformed and or plain clothes SS. At no point is anyone out of their view. You are not allowed entry into any rooms. You can view from behind roped areas.

Here's the closest pic I could take, and even this one got called out by a uniformed SS agent.


This image grabbed me so I snapped a pic. No matter who's president, this says it all for me. By now the sun had come out and it was perfect.


This was the whole reason for us being there. Our 2 scouts.

[fishinRod]

s

I grew up in Fairfax. Vienna to be exact. I live in western Loudoun now. It was MUCH different then.

i lived in Middle Ridge subdivision, lived on Middle Ridge Dr. and went to 7th grade at Chantilly HS, rode my bike to school They had 7-12 grade then, That was one heck of a gargantuous school, never seen anything like it since.....it had 4 cafeterias and two libraries