VIRGINIA VACATION -- DAY TWO (Wednesday)

We got up Wednesday morning after a good long sleep.  After getting ourselves together we went downstairs to the free breakfast in their dining area.  It wasn't anything to write home about, but it was enough to hold us over.  I had a bowl of Froot Loops and a cup of apple cinnamon tea.  Joe had a bowl of oatmeal, a bagel with cream cheese, an apple and a cup of orange juice.  Then we went back up to our room, got our things together and left for the historic area.

But first we decided to go to K-Mart and get me some aspirin and an ace bandage for my knee so that I could walk around all day.  According to the map we had it was up the street.  So we started off.  We drove and drove and saw beautiful scenery, but no shopping center.

We turned around, made our way back and found out the shopping center was directly across the street from the hotel.  Duh....  After getting the things we needed (and a few extras like these really cute fall placemats) we went back to the car.  There was a Chinese restaurant there with these really cool Chinese dragons outside.  I had to get a picture.

I actually found the Visitors Center on the GPS so it was easy to get to.  There was a waterfall out front in a little garden and there were the state flags of each of the 13 original colonies.  So pretty.

We got a one day pass and got on the shuttle bus to go to the colonial area.  Fortunately I remembered a lot about the area and knew my way around.  We decided to explore first one end, have lunch and then do the other end.

Did I mention that the day was hot?  It was the hottest day I have experienced in a long time.  It was in the 90s.  And hot!  Did I mention that before?  Oh my.  I wished I had dressed cooler.  And so happy I had cut my hair.


The first thing we saw were sheep.  I knew we weren't in Philly anymore.

The first building we entered was the courthouse.

They were performing three trials -- one for a gossiping woman, one for a mistreated apprentice, and one for a Catholic man who refused to attend the Anglican Church even though once a month attendance was mandatory.  They asked for volunteers from the audience to perform the parts and Joe was the first one to volunteer.  He was the Catholic man.  He did a terrific job.  The court cases were so funny.  It was great!

There were different types of carriages going around and you could take a carriage ride, but we didn't.  Maybe next time.  But they were fun to watch.

 

These beautiful trees were everywhere, not just in the historic area.  I wish I knew what they were.  I would plant one in my yard.

 

We went into a little store.  In the front room was things like soap, sewing supplies, children's games.  In the back it was like a dry goods store with clothing.  These dresses were beautiful.  Joe was interested in the hand-knit socks.

Next was the gunsmith shop.  It was very crowded.  Joe went in, but I just took a picture through the back door.

Next we went to Bruton Parish Church.  It has been in continuous use since the early 1700s.  It is an Episcopalian church and is the one that was mandatory to attend.

There was a sundial outside that turned out to be a memorial to someone.

 

The inside of the church was beautiful.

 

There were two graves of unknown confederate soldiers.

And other ornate graves.

Across the street was a garden with pomegranate trees and sunflowers.

There was a shoemaker's shop.  Again Joe went in, but it was too crowded, so I stayed outside.

Further down there were some souvenier booths.  Even though we didn't buy it, Joe had to try on a tricorn.

We went to the Magazine and Guardhouse next.  This is where the militia stored their gunpowder, firearms, sabers, pikes, etc.  Very interesting.

We finally ate lunch at Chowning's Tavern.  Although we both had sandwiches, they also serve 18th century food.  I've been wanting to eat there for years, so this was wonderful.

We saw the tailor...

... and the wigmaker.  Both of them were very interesting and informative.  I liked the way everyone of the interpreters would pull people from the audience and make them a part of their story.

Wherever you looked there were people in 18th century dress, horse drawn carriages with the sound of the horses' hooves clip-clopping, the smell of 18th century food.  It really transported you back in time.

The last place we stopped was the governor's palace.  This was the best.  The woman who was our interpreter was a "friend of the governor" who was happy to show us, the "visiting friends of the governor here for the ball tonight" around the palace.  Even though it was allowed, not one person took a picture inside of the palace.  She was so interesting and funny that no one wanted to miss a thing she was saying.

We exited the building in the back into the garden.  It was beautiful.  My favorite place is the alle which was also the favorite spot of the governor's wife and daughters.  It was cooler there on hot days.  The topiaries were wonderful.  These are just a few of them.  And the rear of the building was as beautiful as the front.  So glad we got to see it.

These are only a fraction of the pictures I took, but I hope it gives you a taste of the place.

We got a shuttle at the Governor's Palace and went back to the Visitors Center and headed back to the hotel.  We were tired.  We both took naps.  Between the drive the day before, and walking around in the heat all day it took a lot out of us.  But we both got tans!

We got up around 7:30 p.m. and went to Cracker Barrel for dinner.  We both like Cracker Barrel and it was only a block away.

Joe had country fried steak and I had a pork chop.  So good.  By the time we were done the place was closing up so I really didn't have a lot of time to look around the shop.  But that was OK because we were really tired.  More to do tomorrow.  Like going home.