My house is three minutes walk from the White House for 30 years. I welcomed visitors from every continent. I just came back from a walk. My city is quiet, way too quiet. This is scary, said Maricar Donato, a tourism hero and tour guide in Washington DC.
Is Washington DC a city ready to explode? It doesn’t look like this today, but the United States Capital City Washington DC is simply too quiet. It’s a type of silence with a lot of tension. With US President Donald Trump leaving town for the inauguration, this city getting ready for a storm.
“Our community looks like a city at war and more like Afghanistan, Syria, or Iran”, says Maricar Donato. “This is a fortress I had never experienced before.”
Three days before the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on Wednesday, a Washington DC tourism hero and tour guide Maricar Donato shared her thoughts today with eTurboNews
Marisa Donato is a 30 year resident of Washington DC. Her apartment is only steps away from the White House.
“My neigborhood is fenced up. There are security posts everywhere. You need papers, ID’s and a reason to be within her neighborhood. The famous Mayflower Hotel is known to have big events during inaugurations. The hotel is fenced up.”
“I feel safe, but also scared”, says Maricar Donato.
Maricar has been a tour guide in the US Capital City. She is also a brand ambassador for the World Federation of Tour Guides and is leading the Tourism Guide interest group for tour guides of the World Tourism Network.
“We didn’t have any tourists since this city shut down months ago. All tourism services including museums are closed. Our hotels are mostly empty. We had been creative in offering virtual tours or working with LGBTQ and other special interest groups on helping with mini-events.”
Philippino-American Maricar Donato was recently awarded the title of a Tourism Hero by the World Tourism Network for helping a stranded tourist from Cameroon to get home after stranded and without resources for months.
Maricar took photos and videos in Washington DC today, three days before the inauguration.
Watch her report on how Washington DC is getting ready for a very different inauguration on January 20, 2021
Maricar Donato reporting from Washington DC, USA
Tomorrow, Monday, January 18, at 2.00 pm the World Tourism Network will be celebrating the inauguration of President-elect Biden. Maricar Donato will be leading the event. Anyone in the travel and tourism business can join and interact in real-time by zoom. Click here to register. For future events visit: www.worldtourismevents.com
