tour guide preparation

I had confirmation today that family will visit over the next holiday weekend, and I am so stoked. We'd already talked about a couple of things to do, but now that the schedule's firming up, I'm starting to mentally put together a basic agenda. Now, keep in mind she's been to DC before, many years ago, some of the obvious stuff we can skip. Except the memorials as the WWII memorial wasn't up when she was last here, so we'll go see that. And I thought today that her trip might be a good time to finally go up into the Washington Monument...something else I haven't done in the last four years.

Other options? While scoping out the Spy Museum, I saw this thing for Spy at Night, which might be kind of cheesy, but for visiting family, it might be the right amount of cheese. And then of course there's Georgetown, and some of the other neighborhoods that she may not have seen while last here doing mainly touristy type things. And of course...dinner at my favorite Ethiopian place. That's a type of cuisine that I don't think has hit her city yet.

I know, I know...I have time. But it's a lot of fun to plan. It's a good chance to also do some things I haven't done before, like that Spy at Night. I'm open to other suggestions as well!

what's in a name?

So the Sears Tower (which has not housed Sears for over a decade) will soon be...ok, will probably still be known as the Sears Tower, but will technically be the Willis Tower. Reading this article yesterday, I got to thinking about name changes for landmarks. The article even mentions that it could take about 20 years for the new name to catch on. And chances are, that will happen after a huge ad campaign, otherwise...people would probably just keep referring to it as the Sears Tower.

Two years ago when I was in Montana, I'd learned that the Big Mountain ski resort was to be renamed to the Whitefish Mountain Resort. Why? I don't think I got a confirmed answer to that. But the few people I talked to still referred to it as Big Mountain, and said those they knew would as well. I even saw some signs that had been posted that said it was still Big Mountain, or something to that effect (hey, it's been two years!). And then there was the oh-so-clever "The Mountain formerly known as Big."

I don't think the mountain got any smaller.

And then of course there are city changes, or country changes...what brings on these changes? Especially in instances where one name may be so ingrained in our minds that it's going to take an investment of time and money to make the change. Words of wisdom?

"Even Old New York was once New Amsterdam.
Why they changed it I can't say
People just liked it better that way.

Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople"

-Istanbul (Not Constantinople)
They Might Be Giants