The White House is so much smaller than I had imagined. And back then, when I visited Washington D.C. for the first time, I was surprised you were able to get that close up. I mean it’s the leader of the free world we’re talking about 😀 Don’t know what it is like these days, but I imagine security is a bit tighter. The back of the presidential palace, with the South Lawn, you can take in from the Ellipse. The front, with the main entrance, facing Pennsylvania Avenue, you can have a look at from said street, and an open space at Lafayette Square. I found it to be a lot busier at this park than at the back. Here people were demonstrating, peacefully, in addition to a couple of street vendors and buskers, and tourists. Unless you are of the lucky ones that get to go inside, there is really not much to see.
Wanna go inside? It takes advance planning. From the Washington D.C. official tourism website:
“Public tour requests must be made through your member of Congress and submitted up to three months in advance and no less than 21 days prior to your visit. If you’re an international visitor and wish to schedule a tour, please contact your home country’s embassy in Washington, DC.”
PS! In the evenings, when I noticed helicopters flying over more than at other places I’ve been to, it hit me where I was, and gave off an aura of being at the seat of power. I stayed at a hotel not far from the National Mall, which means the Hill and the White House, among other things, so no wonder, I guess 🙂
Website: whitehouse.gov
