Charlottesville

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I spent two nights in Charlottesville. I was last here 14 years ago when Em and I spent a week in Williamsburg and we drove here for the day.

I visited both President James Monroe‘s and President Thomas Jefferson‘s houses. They lived just a few miles from each other and their houses were very different. Monroe’s house (Highland) was very simple while Jeffereson’s house (Monticello) was much larger and ornate. Monroe’s original house was burnt down and they have found the original foundations where the house was. The house was re-built in the 1850’s. Jefferson was a mentor to Monroe. Both Presidents owned slaves and both had financial ups and downs. I will be posting pictures of both houses as well as pictures from the University of Virginia. i Started talking to the tour guide and found out the was from California. Upon further investigation, we discovered that we both lived in Millbrae and attended the same junior high school and the same school that I taught at. The odds of this is pretty high.

The University of Virginia is an amazing campus. It’s beautiful, very green with all the grass around and the old buildings are amazing. Jefferson designed the orginal university in a u-shape around the dome building that was the library.

I had lunch on both days at Michie Tavern. They make the best fried chicken I’ve ever eaten, and you can eat as mux as you want! Talk about finger licking good.

I went to the historic district at night and walked around and had dinner. They had the street closed off with trees and tables in the middle of the street.

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