This isn’t a cherry blossom tree. It’s an ash tree in my yard. But where one tree blossoms, soon will those around the Tidal Basin.
And then here comes the boom — of tourists.
I know, I felt the same way before becoming a tour guide where tourists mean money. The downtown weekend traffic is gridlock. But then, it’s bad during the week anyway so what’s the difference?
I wish tourists wouldn’t hog the sidewalks. I know the eighth graders can be a pain on the escalators and metro. I know sharing our town isn’t easy.
But in times when we’re all trying to make it through a tough economy with these government cutbacks creating real headaches, let’s appreciate the 18 million tourists annually who drop a huge amount of money in our economy. Let’s remember this is the nation’s capital and our fellow Americans want to see the icons we take for granted.
So play nice out there.
