D.C. Days, again

Washington, D.C. is very very expensive. I would compare the cost of just being in D.C. with some of the more expensive places I've been fortunate enough to travel to, including New York City, Tokyo, and Switzerland. The cost of three days at my hotel is more than what I pay for rent back in Oregon. The restaurant I ate at with my fellow Council members had entrees which ranged from $28 to $100 for a five-ounce Kobe beef steak. The price only reflects the dish. The usual accompaniments, salads, potatoes, pasta, what have you, cost extra, as does dessert and drinks, which is not all that unusual. A pint of beer, something that I use to measure the costs of different places, costs at minimum five dollars, and if you like microbrews, like me, then you're looking at six maybe even seven dollars. Breakfast at my hotel is never less than $10 for the usual suspects--french toast, eggs benedict, eggs florentine, granola and yogurt.
Some people reading this are probably scratching their heads and wondering what on Earth I am whining about. But if you live in Oregon, which I am convinced due to lack of a sales tax must have one of the lowest costs of living in the country, then these prices are kind of steep. Not break the bank expensive, but complain on a blog costly. Really, that is what I can't help but think about every time I go to D.C., money. More specifically, how money is time and time is money, and everywhere in D.C. somebody is vying for both from somebody else of importance.
It may sound as if I don't like D.C. Truth is I don't. But that is not to say I dislike D.C. However I just see the pluses and minuses, the pros and cons of a city that is basically the eight-cylinder engine of our national government, with all the gears and mechanics to boot. There are though plenty of reasons to like our nation's capitol. For one you feel as if you are right there in the heart of everything of pertinence in this country. Cab drivers all seem to have their radios set on public radio or some news station. For a city with teams in almost every major sport category, I've heard almost no talk about any of them, even in bars and restaurants with games being broadcast live. Conversation everywhere seems to be about politics, during this week Barack Obama's pastor is getting more attention than anything, really.
That still doesn't stop me from carrying his red, white and blue pin on my Timbuktu bag. But that two-inch diameter discus draws a lot of glances, ones that I can't help but notice. Very few people say anything, although one Oregon representative with whom we met was genuinely excited about it. I might even say it was a major icebreaker, as his face and posture lit up. On the other hand, a couple of Hillary supporters find it fuel for jokes, telling me that is why I keep getting stopped by security at every other building entrance, ya know, because in supporting Obama I am basically supporting Muslim extremism. Speaking of security...
Many people don't know this, but at the entrance to almost every government building in D.C., at least the ones we visited, there are security guards and metal detectors, just about the same as in airports. I can't count how often we must repeat the ritual of emptying our pockets of cell phones, removing our belts, and walking through those detectors. Some times this is not a big deal, but if you are unfortunate enough to get behind a tour group, then pray you've got a nice time cushion.
What may also don't know is that a lot of these same buildings are connected by a network of underground tunnels and passages, some of them quite old. Not all of them are the walking variety either, there are some weird trams carting people in between buildings as well, roofless but with glass sides. I must admit these remind me somewhat of an amusement park more than our Federal government. In some ways I doubt that comparison ends there either.
Before flying to D.C. for this trip I stopped by Macy's and forked over a couple hundred clams for some new dress shirts, jackets and pants. I still don my chocolate matte Skechers when throwing the new suits on, which like my Barack pin attracts some odd stares, but given the amount of walking we do during these trips maybe I can be allowed a minor rebellion to make it easy on my feet.
The funny thing is that while it I feel pretty proud of myself for the step up in professional attire, an afternoon on Capitol Hill reminds me of how what is a special occasion for me is a daily endeavor for many of Washington's residents. The man that doesn't wear a business suit would really stand out here. I would like to know the total value of tailored suits walking around D.C. on any given day.
on second thought, maybe not. That whole money thing again...