Blogs from Virginia, United States, North America - page 11

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 ... read more

April 3, 2018Weather: 50s and cloudy half the day, Upper 60s and sunny rest of the day. States: VirginiaCity: Williamsburg to Jamestown to Yorktown... read more

Wednesday 6 June 2018 – In the Air Up at 5 am for a 6:30 am pickup and drive to the airport. Quick breakfast, checkout, driver on time. We are using Suntransfers who we have used before – they are reliable and provide their service at a good rate for an airport transfer. Nice Mercedes sedan – comfortable and our driver had some great relaxing music on. The trip only took about 20 minutes at that hour of the day. Had to wait half an hour for the check in counters to open. No officious luggage witch this time counting every ounce in the check in baggage so straight through to security. All good and the long trek to Gate B67 at the ends of the earth in Barcelona airport – pity help the ... read more

blog 11-07-17 Homestreatch We left Hoover, AL with temps in the 70s and bright skies. Our route changed in Birmingham to I 85 where we took a more northerly route toward 95. Our destination was Durham, NC but we couldn't find a campground that would accept us. There were 2 that rejected us because of the dobermans, something about their insurance not accepting viscous breeds. Obviously they haven't met a doberman lately. The only other campground in town was not accepting one night stays. It was truly a mystery to us but we had no other choice but to stay at a Walmart parking lot. When I mentioned to Ginnie that there was a super Walmart in Chapel Hill she said that's where my cousin lives. Ginnie didn't know that we were near Chapel Hill and ... read more

Well we started our second day in Washington by heading over to Arlington cemetery. This is the place where a number of the American soldiers had been buried from the civil war until today and has a number of monuments. One of its residents? is JFK and his family so we thought we would go visit as well I also wanted to see a huge statue of the famous flag raising at “Iwo Jima” which is near the cemetery. When we arrived there were hundreds of people already there which was a bit of a surprise for me as I thought it wouldn't be a popular tourist trap…I was wrong!! It was a little surreal seeing people standing next to graves smiling have their photos taken and leaning into JFKs plot and doing the peace sign ... read more