6 February 6, 2022The Sunday TimesTravel USA special
application is refused, you must apply for a
visa. The US embassy says that “appointment
availability remains extremely limited” —
check ais.usvisa-info.com for updates.
Mask-wearing is strictly enforced on
planes, trains, buses and at airports, as well
as more generally in a number of US states.
Some cities and regions also require proof of
vaccination to access indoor places such as
restaurants, theatres and museums. New
York makes it clear that unvaccinated over-
fives will not be allowed into such venues;
the same applies in Los Angeles for over-12s.
Rules are most relaxed in Florida, where
facemasks must be worn indoors at the
Disney and Universal theme parks, but
proof of vaccination is not required for
entry to attractions.
Check with your tour operator for details.
For more see gov.uk.
Chris HaslamAdults must be vaccinated to travel to the
United States. Under-18s don’t, but everyone
over two years old must present — with proof
of vaccination, if applicable — a negative PCR
or antigen test certificate not more than a
day old at the time of check-in.
All UK visitors require an Electronic System
for Travel Authorization (Esta) for visits up to
90 days or for transiting through US ports of
entry; the cost is £11 at esta.cbp.dhs.gov —
beware of third-party websites offering these
for an enhanced fee. To be safe you should
apply at least ten days before travel. Once
issued the Esta is valid for two years.
If you are not entitled to an Esta or yourVISITING THE USA
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
this with the vicious and racist
history that forged the place,
or the bloated and divided
discourse that now plays out
on it. Lessons hardly learnt.BA Holidays has four nights’
room-only at Hotel Riggs
from £1,169pp, including
flights (ba.com). For more on
the Smithsonian museums
and DC see si.edu and
capitalregionusa.co.uk.
Luke Jones presents Breakfast
on Times Radio on Fridays,
Saturdays and Sundaysoverlooking the White House,
is classic luxury, while newer
arrivals include Lyle, a comfy
art deco hotel with an
outrageously good restaurant.
I end by touring the
monuments at either end
of the National Mall twice —
once during the day and
again lit up at night. I stop
several times in quite pathetic
wonder. It’s a city with a rich
history, and its complicated
national story is laid out well
for curious tourists. But on
your way back try to reconciledown a family-sized platter of
vibrant vegetarian tacos; Maiz
64 is a punchy and inventive
Mexican with supple, slow-
cooked pork belly.
And away from the
worthwhile tourist traps such
as On the Record (a political
cartoon fest down from the
White House), there’s a really
inventive drinks service,
such as Silver Lyan (a British
outpost), in the new Riggs
hotel where I stay — a
sumptuously renovated old
bank. The Hay-Adams,reproduction of the bed in
which Washington died,
available in original brown
or “Barbados White”.
Thankfully this is not the
case on my other field trip,
which is closer to the
menagerie of museums — the
Arlington National Cemetery.
Here, in seemingly endless
rolling hills of 400,000 small
graves, are America’s fallen.
There’s the Kennedy family
and Ruth Bader Ginsberg,
liberal hero of the Supreme
Court, and veterans from
every war in which the
country has fought. Over the
hill in any direction the Last
Post is struck up again and
again as 21 men and women
are laid to rest each day.
A young woman sits in
front of one grave, tearfully
chatting to the small white
headstone. It’s clear why the
cemetery is so close to the
seat of government and the
many monuments of victory.
Then I abandon my
curriculum to taste “the other
city”, which a friend and local
assures me exists. The food in
particular betrays the city’s
stuffy appearance — Maketto
is a Taiwanese and Cambodian
restaurant with spicy fried
chicken that will bring
thankful tears to your eyes;
at Chaia in Georgetown I wolfonce there. A guided tour
takes you through his rooms
and office, your hand running
along the original banister. In
the adjoining museum the
sight of Washington’s manky
dentures is worth the air fare
alone. But throughout you
are reminded that 317 slaves
supported his family. The
“many lives” who lived at
Mount Vernon are frequently
named and referred to; the
slave house, although a
modern reconstruction,
is a shocking lesson.
The solemn vibe is
undercut by the on-site Papa
John’s pizzeria and a mountain
of gift-shop tat, including — for
just £5,700 — a licensed→Continued from page 5 The sight of
Washington’s
manky dentures
is worth the
air fare aloneThe American Art Museum
and adjacent courtyard, topDANITA DELIMONT/ALAMY