Have you ever wondered what might be going through the mind of a tourist to our fair area? We see them all around every day, from all corners of the globe – wandering museums, walking the Mall, riding transit. So what if we took a moment to find out what it is they’re thinking as they visit what we see every day?

This is the first in a periodic series of interviews of tourists to our area. Call us curious, but I’m sure all of us at one time or another want to know what these out-of-towners really think about Washington, DC.

So let’s introduce a recent visitor. Meet Diane, from New York City. She actually was in town for the Cherry Blossom Festival; I had enjoyed talking with her then and felt she’d be a great start to this unique series here on WeLoveDC.

Thanks for doing this, Diane. So let’s cut to the chase: why did you choose to visit DC?

I always wanted to visit DC because of its significance in my interest / field – legal & criminal justice

Was this your first visit to the capitol?

Yes.

Did you have any preconceptions about the city before you arrived? Did your visit change any of them?

The only preconception I had is that the security would definitely be tight and that instead of celebrities, I would see politicians all over. Alas, I wasn’t lucky enough to see any!

What did you expect to find here?

Federal offices and officers all over the place and very tight security with cameras all over the place.

What did you find that surprised you?

It’s relatively very easy to navigate and it seems very small and condensed (compared to NYC).

While you were here, what did you most want to see? Were you able to? What did you think?

Cherry Blossom Festival! It is as beautiful as hyped up to be! I am an avid cherry blossom spectator for 2 years in a row here in BK Botanical Garden so I wanted to see how DC adds up to the “Cherry Blossom” category. I was happily amazed.

I also wanted to see the US Supreme Court. I am one of those people that are “born-to-be-a-lawyer” and my greatest dream (next to hosting SNL) is to argue my case in front of the US Supreme Court one day. So visiting the highest court was definitely a touching moment to me.

Will you return to visit again?

Definitely! It is definitely a quick getaway and there is so much more to discover on my next trip!

What differences do you think there are between DC and NYC, now that you’ve visited our fair city?

DC is definitely cleaner but in NYC we take pride in our dirty streets so… [laughs] DC is also not very crowded (which is good) considered that it is a major city; then again, this is coming from a person who works in the middle of Times Square!

So there you have it, DC. One more happily satisfied tourist to our fair area!

Ben H. Rome

Having lived in the DC area for ten years, Ben still loves to wander the city with his wife, shooting lots of photos and exploring all the latest exhibits and galleries. A certified hockey fanatic, he spends some time debating the Washington Capitals club with friends – but everyone knows of his three decade love affair with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

A professional writer, gamer, photographer, and Lego enthusiast, Ben remains captivated by DC and doesn’t plan on leaving any time soon.