Blogs from Williamsburg, Virginia, United States, North America - page 5

Monday morning - Must be time for breakfast with Martha Washington - of course she is the real person and wife of George Washington. Anyway we turn up at the Bar and Grill for breakfast at 8.15 am and sit down to a full English breakfast with lots of grits and things. We are then joined by Martha who tells us (in context) all about life in the 1770s. Their lifestyle, their living conditions etc. etc. After we have had a hearty breakfast we go back to Colonial Williamsburg. Yes l know that this is our 3rd visit but believe me there is so much to do and see. Its just the whole atmosphere of the place - the people who are really interesting to speak to. Its wall-to-wall history and you cannot help but to ... read more

I know l keeping saying this but we must have a day off sometime. But NOT today!! Its Busch Gardens day. We have had to go today because it is only open Friday, Saturday and Sunday. So todays the day. Anyway - this Busch Gardens is rather smaller than Tampa but nevertheless good. Nancy says it was absolutely fabulous, the rides were really, really good but unfortunately River Rapids was closed so we could not get really, really wet. There were other water rides but they were not wet enough for us on such a hot day. We eventually got back to the department (sic) at 8.30 pm just in time for a meal and another drink. Not quite as many bottles this time but l am working on it. ... read more

Montcello, his plantation near Charlottesville, Virginia was the centre of Thomas Jefferson's world. To get there we travelled for 2 hours down I64. A very long day!!!! The name Monticello in Italian means 'little mountain. To understand Thomas Jefferson, one must understand Monticello: it can be seen as his autobiographical statement. Monticello was a house, an ornamental landscape, a farm, a small mountain and a large and diverse community Monticello was home to Jefferson and his extanded family but also to as many as 150 slaves who worked the farm, helped construct the house and outbuidings and performed household tasks. We went a full house, garden and plantation tour which we found really illuminating From Monticello we travelled even further west to Staunton in the Shenondah Valley the home of Woodrow Wilson. A very small town ... read more

On another hot day in Virginia we travelled to the Revolutionary City of Williamsburg to see the events that reflect Williamsburg's role in one of America's defining historical periods. All over town, merchants and townspeople are discussing the events of the day. You can interact with them and gain their perspective of events and be a witness to the collapse of royal government and the challenges facing revolutionary citizens at war. Each day highlights a key moment in history. Building a nation turns the spotlight on the crucial postwar years and Williamsburg's role in the formal establishment of the United States. Williamsburg is also about the collapse of Royal Government and re-creates the events that led to the dissolution of British authority in the colonies and America's declaration of independence. A brilliant place to visit if ... read more

A really interesting day on Monday. Travelled to Jamestown Settlement where in 1607 the British arrived in Virginia in the hope of making lots of money. They didn't!!! Anyway what we found really interesting was the lack of black faces at the settlement. I suppose that should not be a great surprise considering how the negro's came to Virginia. The settlement is really interesting - lots of interactive things to do. We even met Pocoantas and our travelling friend, Jethro, even had his photograph taken with her. Who you ask is Jethro? Well we found Jethro, a 'teddy bear' on one of our geocaching trips. Attached to him was a label attached by a school in Wales asking the finder to take Jetro on a round the world trip and send the shool lots of photos ... read more