I have visited the Tidal Basin for many years and of course it's always packed with visitors, but I wouldn't let that stand in your way for a single moment. Besides the amazing cherry blossoms (which can still be beautifully photographed at any time of the day or evening), there is a carnival atmosphere that's fun to photograph too, and the annual parade on and near Constitution Avenue can present some great photo ops. So please don't forget that adding outstanding shots of people can often make your photographs a lot more interesting than the gazillion formal shots of the Tidal Basin when it's empty of all humanity. And by the way, I've seen very few rude people there, but I've seen plenty of kids and adults from all the way around the world having a great time together and putting on quite a show.

I believe all the reliable sources sell at the same prices. I bought 2 Pro 10s a couple of years ago when my local store had a smokin' deal on 'em. When I went for more ink I found the local store, B&H, Amazon and Canon USA all sold at the same price per cart. Sales tax at the local store but in hand now, everybody else had free shipping on 3 or more carts (it takes 10 inks, so I was always ordering a bunch at once), and Canon threw in free paper. (I have ~250 sheets of 13x19 paper that I'll probably never use - just haven't yet found a shear big enough to cut it down to sizes I do use.)

I bought the Pro10 because I print B&W and had always been taught that pigment inks were the only way to go for B&W. Based on what I've seen over the past few years I suspect I would have been just as happy with the Pro100, and would have had an extra black tone to use in the process.