Thanks again for the last part of the report.

Re this: "DF, who has an artificial hip and uses a walking stick, was treated rather badly by security staff (it happened several times during our trip, a 78-year-old with an artificial hip seems to be the prototype of a terrorist)."

My guess is that the artificial hip's metal components are setting off an alarm, and the fact that they're hidden inside your relative is what's causing concern with the security folks -- the fact that they can't find anything is the issue. Alerts may also be higher than usual given the recent failed attempts at sabotage on the Detroit-bound Nigerian plane and in the New York subway system. It's unfortunate, but it's increasingly becoming a standard situation to deal with.

No idea if telling the security people ahead of time about your relative's artificial hip will help or not here -- just a thought for the future.

He has a medical certificate about the artificial hip, but the security people ignore it. Understandably, because a terrorist could easily fake it. However, so far there has not been any 78-year-old terrorist.

<<<so far there has not been any 78-year-old terrorist.>>>

Well, you never know :-) I'm just kidding. My daughter has plates and screws in her leg and hasn't set off a single alarm yet, which is good, because she'd faint if she knew how much hardware was in her leg! We have one of those medical cards describing the location of the hardware, and have been thrilled not to need it to date.

Thanks for finishing your trip report, Echnaton. I really enjoyed reading your observations of travelling in the US. It sounds like you had a good time and decent weather. How did the rest of the family like their journey?

Your observation on villages reminded me of one of our trips through the Netherlands, which we affectionately named the "A Kerk, a Plein, a Huis, a Waag Tour". We found that most villages we visited had a central square (pedestrian only), which usually included a church, the city hall and the weigh/toll house; and the homes were built around the center of town. This was so different from our villages and towns here in the US. I suppose one of the reasons we keep returning to Europe is to enjoy the quaintness and functionality of the villages.

Here in the US, most cities, towns and villages are laid out in the grid pattern, thanks to William Penn. You can drive your car up and down the Main Street, where you will find most of the merchants and businesses. Unfortunately, urban sprawl and shopping malls have really had a negative impact on many small town Main Streets.

<b>HEY SusieQQ</b> - I'm Pennsylvania Dutch, too. Well, at least half of me. My mom was PA Dutch - several of my GGrandparents imigrated from Germany to PA, including my 5th GGF in 1752. They settled in Schuylkill County, some on land deeded to them by William Penn. I can remember my mom and her 3 sisters and 4 brothers talking in PA Dutch, particularly when us kids were around. Unfortunately, my generation was never taught the language. I can only remember one pow-wow hex that my mom would use on me. Other than that, the language has pretty much died in our family. It's kind of sad.

Oh well... Happy Earth Day!
Robyn :)>-

Thank you for your comment, Robyn.

Everybody in our family loved the trip. For my parents, it was a "once-in-a-lifetime-experience". We have tried to put things for everybody together. For two or three in our family maybe an hour too much in art museums, for others one art museum short. From time to time, we split up, so that everyone could follow his/her special interests. Or the walking-impaired chose a shortcut (you might have noticed that we did a lot of walking).

We are well-experienced with multi-generation trips. But they are very rewarding. Finally, we were lucky that we were able to rent a van which was big enough for everybody. It is much fun with a large party in a minibus. DW is still disturbed by the thought of driving two separate cars in Washington, D.C. (Washington badly needs a good city planner in order to get rid of their crazy traffic problems!).

Thanks for the very entertaining report, and I'm glad you all had a fantastic trip. I know what you mean about DC driving, having passed the same place three times before finding the proper lane to be in to get out of town.

So true about DC driving, same thing happened to me, multiple times around before finding the proper lane.

Very good and funny trip report Echanton.

Loved your trip report. Just curious about the DC driving comments. How did u find it so different than NYC of LA or Boston? or in Europe in Paris, Rome etc? what made it so crazy 4 u?

Thanx for all your comments.

yestravel: I do not want to overstate the driving issue in DC. After all, it was not really bad. But the differences between driving in DC and every other U.S. city were startling.

DC's main problem is that every few hundred yards, a lane is blocked, mostly by cars intending to turn left. Here in Europe, we have either designated lanes for left turns and special traffic lights for left turns or we prohibit left turns. In most other U.S. cities, you find one-way streets with four or five lanes in one direction, so that cars turning left do not cause a problem.

But since D.C. has the blocked lane problem, you have to switch lanes constantly. And here, mentality comes in. When you are in, say Los Angeles, on the very right lane of a five-lane street, and you find out that you have to switch to the very left lane, everybody will politely let you in. In Europe, we have the socalled zipper system (even enforced by law). In D.C., nobody lets you in. Instead, they push forward pretty aggressively. Is it because many Washingtonians work for the government?

Maybe I am exaggerating. Maybe it is just a minority of Washingtonian drivers who are aggressive and impatient. Probably just those who are working for the Department of the Treasury.

Thanks, interesting observations -- I agree DC drivers often don't let other drivers in which is extremely rude & annoying. While many Washingtonians work for the govt, we also have a huge number of non-govt workers, visitors (foreign and domestic), & lobbyists and association workers. We do have turning lanes for left turns, but obviously as u observed not everywhere. Lanes get blocked with construction and delivery trucks frequently. We also do have one way streets, maybe we need more.

I just find traffic in NYC for example far more frustrating then DC, but maybe cause I'm used to DC drivers and know short cuts aroudn the city. The frenetic honking in NYC drives me crazy and find far more traffic tie ups 24 x 7.

Thanks for responding and glad u enjoyed your visit to the East Coast.

I enjoyed your reports also, as much for your choice of language as content.

I am not altogther sure what it means but I found "Yuppies and other childless contemporary brain workers" delightful.

TTT for leisurely read!

Wonderful report. As others mentioned, it is so interesting to read what someone from another country reports about ours.

When we return from overseas trips, I think how awful the paperwork that visitors must complete sounds. You confirmed it. And isn't it ironic that big, spread out, "howdy neighbor" Americans can have such funny rules about alcohol? Also, the underpaid "small people bullies" you mentioned are everywhere in the world. We encounter them with enough regularity in other countries that I think they must be tired of saying the same thing everyday (even if it isn't always correct.) Given the changes in security over the last 10 years, it must be even more confusing and annoying.

"Since I always try local food, I also cooked cayugas, tomatillos and jalepenos as a side dish. Not bad."---had to laugh about that. Tongue in cheek on your part? By the way, your English is SOOOO good. As for driving, we always say (exaggerating) that the streets change names almost every block in Europe. In DC, the road just becomes Massachusetts Avenue no matter where you started out.

If you return to DC area, try to visit Annapolis. Again, great report!