June 27th Niagara Falls and then home

I am tired of blogging.  Among other things, I will be glad to be home so I can stop writing this blog.

Today we made out last stop of the trip in Niagara Falls. We stopped on the American side and walked around.  The best way to sum up the American Falls is Coney Island.  The area actually looks like the Coney Island boardwalk without the wood.  Niagara Falls State Park is being renovated, but it is still busted up. When I was here with the kids about 15 years ago, the sidewalks were all broken with potholes and dented railings.  It doesn’t look as bad now, but there are large sections that are roped off while they are under construction. When the renovation is done, the area still won’t look as good as the Canadian side.

While on the American side we attempted to go out on the observation tower, but we couldn't because a movie was being filmed there today.  “Tammy” with Susan Sarandon and Dan Aykroyd apparently has a scene at Niagara Falls. I hope it is good since I missed going out on the 20 story observation tower.

We took the elevator to the bottom and took the Maid of the Mist tour. The boat loaded up and headed out to the American Falls and then the Horseshoe or Canadian Falls. Even with the blue rain ponchos, we got drenched. It was great fun. Afterward, Rob and climbed up the stairs halfway up the falls.

We went over to the Canadian side to stay at the Hilton (I found a Groupon). Rob and I had decided that we were not going back to Canada because the people were just too weird. But here we were again. (Although I have to admit, I asked a young female bar tender in Geneva what time zone we were in and she didn't know either. Dang, are people that dumb?).  There are casinos now at the Falls on both sides. We spent a little time in the casino dodging the rain, and then we walked around.  We finished the evening at the Hilton’s Brazilian steak house (remember that Groupon?) and had our one fancy dinner of the trip.

We saw a lot on this trip - good and bad.  I will be glad to get back home and check on my garden.

June 25th and 26th The Finger Lakes

On our way out of town, we decided to skip the plant tour at Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream. It sounded like a good place to visit, but it would take too much time. Our drive to Geneva was long through a lot of smaller roads. And, of course, we found another turtle. I think we should rename our trip “The Seybold Turtle Rescue”. This time we found Little Snappy’s big bother in the middle of the road.  Apparently, snapping turtles migrate.  So I had another stinky snapping turtle in a box on my lap. This one was bigger and kept thumping around; so I was glad to get that one out of the car.

When we got to Geneva, NY, the town looked pretty run down.  Geneva is at the northern end of Seneca Lake, the largest of the Finger Lakes. We walked along Seneca Lake and walked around downtown.  There were a lot for sale and out of business signs.  The place looked really depressed.  There was a ‘winery’ near the hotel so we went in for a wine tasting. 

The finger lakes are is noted for its wineries. There are winery tours where you go from winery to winery to sample their wines. Some of the wineries are just store fronts. You pay $4 or $5 to taste about 7 wines and then you can buy what you like. Some of the places are actually wineries where the grape vines are, but you and only visit the tasting room and store front. This first winery was just a store front.

The next day we drove down to Watkins Glen to Watkins Glen State Park. There is an unexpected canyon in the middle of the town. The canyon is 1.5 miles long and we hiked along the path, under waterfalls, through tunnels, and up stairs to the top of the canyon.

Afterward, we stopped at Wagner Winery which has wine tasting and a tour of the winery. We learned about the wine making process, different varieties of grapes, and barreling. The tour would have been so much better if the tour guide had not been such a jerk. He was one of those wine snobs who knows everything. You know the type.

Our second night we stayed on Keuka Lake in a town called Penn Yan. (The name sounds really exotic, but came from a combination of Pennsylvania and Yankee. I know, such a disappointment).

June 24th – Vermont

The drive today was absolutely gorgeous.  We started out from Bangor on the highway and then got onto the back roads. As soon as we got off the highway we saw another snapping turtle to be rescued.  (I would have just left the turtle in the middle of the road).  Rob picked the turtle and put it in our trash basket until we could reach water and release it. We turned around to check the turtle and it had climbed out the basket and onto the middle seat. Did I say that snapping turtles stink?  Well, yeah, they do. 

After releasing Little Snappy we drove up into hills and to New Hampshire and the White Mountains.  All during our drives in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Maine and today in NH and Vermont, we saw Moose warning signs. I had always thought that Moose were out West in Wyoming and Montana. Well, they are all over New England and Canada, too. People up here see Moose like we see deer in Columbus.  It seems to be a serious problem.

The scenery up here is gorgeous. Okay, I already said that. We drove through small towns in the hills; everything had a fresh pine smell. We could see mountains in the distance. We even passed a large stand of white birch trees.  Everything was just so pretty. Of course, there are very few people here. I think I might go stir-crazy since I am not really one with nature. There was a definite lack of urban areas...and let's face it, 4 buildings does not make up a town.

Instead of going directly to the hotel, we drove straight to the Rock of Ages quarry. Yes, that’s right…the Rock of Ages quarry. Rock of Ages supplies the granite for all of the cemetery headstones and mausoleums. They supply granite for buildings (mostly in Asia) and all the statues and monuments that you see around cities.  The place is huge and the visit was very worthwhile.  At Rock of Ages, we saw the quarry, how the granite is cut and moved, and how the designs are sand blasted onto the granite.  The granite is cut out in 10 foot benches (with diamond). It takes about 4-6 weeks to bring out a bench.  The bench is then cut to thinner slabs depending on the purpose. There are sculptors who design and create the statues. There is enough granite in his location to last 4,000 years. That is because the granite in the picture below goes down 10 miles.  Each one of the lines in the picture is 10 feet high. 

When we got to the Comfort Suites, we talked to the owner during check-in.  Rob realized that the hotel owner is the friend of one of his very good friends in Milwaukee.  It is a very small world. Here we are up in Vermont and we run into a mutual acquaintance. Afterward, we drove into Montpelier for dinner. We saw the State Capitol of Vermont (more interesting than Columbus) and had dinner at a very nice pub.

(Tonight we had to get more Kahlua. I hope this bottle makes it to Columbus).

Sunday June 23rd

Today was uneventful.  We stopped for lunch in New Brunswick at McDonald’s so I could try a McLobster. It was pretty good.  Too bad we can’t get that in Columbus.  This was the first fast food that we have had on the trip since breakfast on June 1^st.  How 'bout that?

I am glad to be back in the US on Eastern Time and heading toward home.  It is getting so that Rob and I can’t remember what our room number is since we have had so many. Tonight we are staying in Bangor, Maine at the Hollywood Casino. This is the same casino as in Columbus, only smaller. 

Saturday June 22nd Halifax, Nova Scotia

A few thoughts about Halifax:

First, I have been waiting a long time to get to Halifax, Nova Scotia.  The name sounds really cool, cruise ships go there, people say it is really beautiful, so it must be a place to see. Well, let me tell you, aside from the water, Nova Scotia and Halifax look just like Ohio. I was imagining the beautiful pines of New England and got Ohio.

Second, these are some of the fattest people I have ever seen. Really.  The people are huge here. They might be a little bigger in Saint John, but not by much.  The people that we have been seeing are larger than the biggies in Ohio. It doesn't seem possible, but it is true. We saw four weddings today and two of the couples (bride and groom) were huge.

Third, there are some different things that you can get here.  Rob and I were walking along and we came to a McDonald’s in the downtown area.

Yes, That’s right. You are reading it correctly. They have a McLobster sandwich. (No, I did not get one).

Fourth, I was wrong about Halifax being dry.

 Tomorrow we start heading back west toward home. I will be happy to leave the alternate universe. I really think there is a disconnect between the way Americans and Canadians think and approach things.

Friday June 21st – first day of summer, maybe

Our drive to Saint John, New Brunswick took us on smaller roads to Calais, Maine.  Along the way Rob spotted two snapping turtles trying to cross the road.  Of course, we had to stop, go back, pick them up, and move them to safety. We saw the larger one first and just had to move him to the bushes. Later we found the baby snapper. We had to locate water to release the baby snapper, so we had him in the car for a while. They bite, so there was no way I was touching that thing.

When we crossed the Canadian border we crossed into the Atlantic Time Zone.  We noticed a temperature drop and it was downright cold when we got to Saint John.  The temperature is 64 degrees and that is the expected high for the day.This is good weather here. “Welcome to the Maritimes”. Apparently, the Canadian Maritime Provinces – New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island - are always cold. 

There is not much to see in Saint John. Our hotel is located in the middle of nowhere on Fashion Avenue next to Costo. Yep, Fashion and Costco. We went downtown to walk around and see the City Market. We walked around the Boardwalk and took some pictures.  While Rob was off to the side taking pictures, I was standing by myself looking into the harbor. This man came over and stood kind of close to me. I thought that was odd since I was the only person standing there and the railing was long – meaning there was plenty of space and this guy didn't have to stand so close. I moved away and walked over to where Rob was taking pictures and told him.  We then walked back toward the guy so that we could leave the Boardwalk.  The guy looked like he wanted to ask something.  Rob and I both concluded separately that the guy must have thought I was a hooker. Really. I had on jeans and my Kung Fu shoes. But all the guy saw was me standing on the boardwalk alone and then walking over and engaging a white guy in conversation...and then walking away with him.

Next we went inside a mall area and took a walkway though several buildings to the City Market.  When we got there, the shops were closing, but it looked and felt just like the North Market.  We walked around and then headed back to a Sports bar/restaurant for dinner. When we sat at the bar I noticed about 12 TV’s in the bar.  But 11 of the TV’s were tuned to the same station – a talk show about the Toronto Blue Jays. OK. Then Rob said “I bet the bartender doesn't know what time zone we are in”.  I told him of course she knows (young, blonde). And sure enough, when Rob asked, the woman had no clue what time zone we were in.  Somebody else sitting at the bar had to tell her. I felt like I was watching the Jaywalk All-stars (you know, when Jay Leno goes out on the street and asks regular people basic questions and they are so stupid that they can’t answer them correctly). Yeah, like that.

So far, I feel like I am in an alternate universe. We saw an older building downtown with "Canada Permanent Building" engraved at the top (are other buildings temporary?). Saint John is so boring that we were back in the hotel room watching TV at 7:30 pm.  And then we saw the strangest commercial for hot dogs. This body-builder was in a skimpy cow print Tarzan outfit with a cow cap on his head. He was flexing his pecs and talking to a woman about natural beef. It was weird. And now “La Country Show “ is on. Country music in French.

I have no idea what Halifax will be like. But we already know Halifax is dry, so that is not a good sign.

June 20th Acadia National Park

Our first stop of the day was LL Bean. The drive from Portland to Freeport was less than 20 minutes.  We got there before 8am and sure enough LL Bean is open 24 hours and there were already a few people in the store shopping. I bought a dress RFC.  Afterward, instead of taking the highway we decided to stick to the local roads on our drive to Bar Harbor. We passed through Bath, Belfast, Searsport, Bucksport, Wiscasset, and Penobscot.  

We arrived at the hotel to find the place crawling with people from Edward Jones and their families. It looks like a rewards conference for the sales reps. We got changed and got right out and went to Acadia National Park. The park is absolutely gorgeous.  We had a picnic lunch and then drove over to Sand Beach.  We walked a 2 mile hiking trail along the ridge to Otter point and back.

Then we drove around the park and up to Cadillac Point. (No, it is not named for the car. Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor are on an island. French King Charles XIV gave the island to Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, the French explorer who founded Fort Detroit). Cadillac Point is the highest point on the Atlantic coast and, supposedly, if you stand on Cadillac point at sunrise you will be the first person in the country to see the sunrise. Ok, fine. If I ever want to be up and out before 4:30 am, I'll let you know. This far east, the sky starts to get light that early.

A couple of Notes:

We saw this sign in the park. What were they thinking???

Only four 12-packs left.

June 19th - Whale Watching

Today we went whale watching and it was great!! I found the Odyssey Whale Watch Cruise while I was down on the wharf and saw that they had a 4 hour tour daily. And I found a Groupon for it which made it even better! (You know I only shop RFC). We were both very excited about it and really hoped we would see something.

 It took about an hour to drive out to several underwater shelves where whales tend to feed.  The first hour we saw a Minke whale, which is one of the smaller whales. We saw the Minke whale at a distance. The whale would blow for a few times and then dive for 4-6 minutes. They travel when they dive so it is hard to tell where the whale will surface. The boat crew spots the whales and then they time the dives. They try to anticipate where the whale will surface and which direction the whale will head. We were never able to get really close to the Minke whale.

 The second hour we spotted a Finback whale several miles off in the distance. The Finback whale is the second largest whale and reaches 70 feet long. Since the Finback whale is so large we could see it spout water high into the air.  The Finback was feeding so it dove under water and surfaced rather quickly. The boat drove toward the Finback so we could get a better view, but the whale was also swimming toward the boat.  The Finback actually swam in front of the bow of the boat! We saw the Finback up close and personal and were able to get a few pictures.

Rob and I decided that we both like Portland and we would definitely come back here again.  Portland is a basic city. When you walk through the wharf area, the stores that you see are one of a kind.  Starbucks was the only chains store that I saw. No Bubba Gump Shrimp here. 

(From what we saw, Portland is also very pet friendly. There were dogs with their owners all long the streets. And there were leashed dogs in the open air bars).

June 18th - Finally Maine

The drive from Hyannis, Massachusetts to Portland, Maine was not very long, so we made several stops along the way.

1-We stopped in Plymouth and saw Plymouth Rock and where the Pilgrim landed. Plymouth Rock is in a memorial and the rock looks like it's in jail. 

2-Our next stop was Salem, Massachusetts where the 1692 witch hysteria and trials were held. We learned about the 1692 events at the Salem Witch Museum. That was interesting. That hysteria started with a former slave telling stories of her native land to entertain a group of teen-aged girls.  Scientists now think the girls had eaten some grain that was infected with a fungus called ergot, which causes hallucinations and seizures. That led to 19 people being hanged and one crushed to death. Glad I didn't live then, let me tell you. (I still think those girls should have been slapped).

3-Once we got back on the road, drove through a little of New Hampshire, and crossed over into Maine, we decided to drive through Kennebunkport. The town was very neat and tidy – like everything we have seen in Maine so far. We thought it ironic that we started the day in Hyannis (Kennedy’s) and wound up in Kennebunkport (Bush’s).

...And then we got into Portland. For our entire trip we have been looking for fresh seafood.  We got oysters in Key West, but have been hard pressed to find fresh seafood in our other stops.  We had lobster rolls in Martha’s Vineyard, they were really good; but the oysters we had tasted muddy.  But today, we had dinner that was worth the wait. 

               (This is a chicken. Lobsters that are 1 and 1/4 pounds and smaller are called chickens).

Tuesday June 17th - Cape Cod...a day to remember

Well, yesterday was a day to be remembered. We took the ferry from Vineyard Haven to Woods Hole on Cape Cod and drove to Hyannis (home of the Kennedy's). We arrived at the Hyannis Harbor Hotel which is right down at the water’s edge in the harbor. The hotel is older and is located right next to the Martha’s Vineyard/Nantucket Ferry. We pulled into the parking lot and had difficulty finding the lobby. That should have been an indicator of things to come.  We checked in and then could not find our way from the car to our room. I had to get one of the maids to lead us to the room.  I found my back out to the car, but couldn't find my way back. I ran into the couple who had checked in after us. Their room was next door to ours and they were carrying their luggage. When we checked in, we were given a map of the hotel, but not all of the wings of the hotel are on the map. It took the three of us about 20 minutes to find our rooms. We were actually lost. Wow. The place is a maze. And we really like it.

To sightsee we decided to drive all the way out to Provincetown at the end of Cape Cod.  On our drive out we realized that Rob had left his wallet in the hotel. After the breakdown over that, we decided to keep going.  We drove to the Cape Cod National Sea Shore and walked on the beach.  We were at the end of the cape and we were trying to reach the light house on the point, but it was too far.  The beaches are great – long, clean, pretty water, no shells. We spent an enjoyable afternoon there.

While we were on the beach we noticed that there were no children. And that most of the people on the beach were gay men. So that’s what the signs on the beach were for:  no nudity on the beach, no sex on the beach.  As it turns out, Provincetown has a large gay population. As we drove through the town when we were leaving, some of the business names that we saw were Mussel Beach, Admiral’s Landing – fireplaces and hot tubs, and Devon’s Deep Sea Dive. OK.

Our day turned sour when we discovered that my wallet was missing.  We hoped it was back at the hotel, but I was certain that I had it when we left the room.  Now, let me back up and say that Rob rarely locks his car. He also leaves the key in the ignition all the time. Stupid, right??  Yep. I had been after him to lock up the car, but he didn't see any need. The day before on Martha’s Vineyard, I was after him to lock the car and he snapped at me for trying to make him paranoid. So today we went for a walk on the beach and left the car unlocked, the key in the ignition, and the windows down. This entire trip I had been expecting to come out and find that our car and all of our stuff had been stolen. So it was only my wallet. When we got back to the hotel we spent 2 hours cancelling credit cards and moving money in bank accounts. Luckily, Rob had left his wallet at the hotel so we still have credit cards that we can use.

I don’t ever say “I told you so”. I don’t bother. I leave it hanging out there unspoken. But I did feel the need to unwind at the end the day.

June 15th and 16th - Martha’s Vineyard

The ferry over to Martha’s Vineyard was fun.  We had a quick drive from RI down to the ferry dock on the end of Cape Cod. Since we arrived early, we were put in the standby line. While we were waiting, we watched a semi back onto the ferry. I had no idea that the ferry would be so large. Luckily, we were able to get on an earlier ferry.    

Our first afternoon here, we drove around the island. We drove over to Menemsha Beach where the fishing boats are. Menemsha Beach is rural and remote. There are fishing stores/shacks where you can buy fresh catch or have them cook it for you. I had clam chowder and a fish sandwich. But there are no tables where you could sit down and eat.  

 Afterward, we drove around the entire island to see what we could see.  We wound up in Vineyard Haven and then were directed to Oak Bluffs to find a beer.

We got up and out early on Sunday morning and walked on the beach for 4 miles. People were fishing, digging clams, riding bikes, and sun bathing. I liked that the beach wasn't crowded and you could park anywhere along the road. After walking, we went into downtown Edgartown and had lunch at a restaurant at the water’s edge.  We looked over and realized that we were right across from Chappaquiddick Island.

 Since it was right there, we took the ferry 150 yards (literally, 150 yards) to Chappaquiddick Island.  I told Rob that young people would not have a clue about Chappaquiddick. (We asked Nathaniel and Ali and sure enough they had never heard of it).  Chappaquiddick is the place where Teddy Kennedy bumped off Mary Jo Kopeckne and got away with it.  We walked across the infamous bridge which now leads to a wildlife area, but we were too cheap (and too uninterested) to pay to go in. 

(I asked one of the locals, and at the time of Mary Jo's demise, the rails on the bridge were only 18 inches).

 Afterward, we drove around the island because when else were we going to be there. We looked at a couple of wildlife areas and toured the Mytoi Japanese Garden. That was actually kind of interesting because one of the caretakers was very knowledgeable about the wildlife. We found a Spotted Turtle which she had never seen before; and we got into a turtle discussion since we've had at least 10 pet turtles (Pookie, Ted, Doris, Morris, Ray Charles, Manitoulin, MicroMan, and about 6 others I can’t remember). 

All in all our visit to Martha’s Vineyard was fine, but Rob and I have both decided that it is not for us. Most of the people who come here rent houses and pretty much do beach or biking family-based activities. There are a few crowded touristy places, but not many.  Most of the island is dry, meaning no alcohol.  You can only get a beer in two of the towns on the island.  And as you would expect, everything here is very expensive. A dozen oysters in Key West is $12. A dozen oysters in Martha’s Vineyard is $34. 

  

Tonight for dinner I had my first lobster roll. A lobster roll is a hotdog bun filled with hunks of lobster. I had a hot lobster roll – lobster in melted butter.  Yeah, I can live with this. When I get to Maine, I will be looking for more.

June 14th - Seafaring

Our drive took us from southern New Jersey, over the George Washington Bridge into NY, through Connecticut, and into Rhode Island.  There was steady, heavy traffic the entire way. I had forgotten how crowded this area of the country is. There is very little empty space; and the drive seemed to be one continuous town with a continuous traffic jam. I do not miss this.

We stopped in Mystic, Connecticut to visit the Mystic Seaport Museum.  Mystic Seaport is a village that shows the life of seafaring communities from the 1800’s.  Mystic is also a museum that does actual ship restoration.  We toured a whaling ship which is the last known surviving wooden whaler. We were able to tour the ship while it is being restored by hand using the old methods.  We also saw a tall ship, a schooner, and a sloop. We visited the cooper, the instruments shop, and a small ship builder. The docents were very knowledgeable, hippie types who really liked what they were doing.  It was like being at the Historical Society’s Ohio Village, only much better.

We learned about whale hunting in the small whale boats and how the blubber was harvested. The hunting was dangerous and the harvesting was disgusting.  (You know, this trip has made me very grateful for the 21^st century).

We stayed in Warwick just outside of Providence. We drove around the area and found our way to the happening area in downtown Providence.  For dinner I had a “stuffie”, a local RI dish that is basically a large stuffed clam. We were at a bar called the Hot Club.  It was an after work place. As we were leaving some younger people were coming in to hang out on a Friday night.

The weather has gotten colder. When we left Atlantic City it was 59 degrees. The temperature hovered in 68-71 degree range all day. The high for Martha’s Vineyard this weekend will be around 73. I switched to my cold weather suitcase and got out my jeans.  I am ready for the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard.

June 13th - Mishaps

Yesterday when we arrived in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania we had just enough time to go to the Visitor’s Center for an hour.  We saw an excellent History Channel film which explained the events leading to the Civil War and the events of the three-day battle at Gettysburg. Afterward, we went to the Cyclotron show– a 360 degree painting depicting the Battle of Gettysburg. We went back to the Visitor’s Center this morning and finished up by going through the museum. All-in-all, Gettysburg was the best national park that I have visited.  We ended our visit to Gettysburg by taking pictures on Cemetery Hill, a major battle location where I slipped and fell in the mud. great.

We got to Atlantic Club Hotel in Atlantic City only to find that I had made our reservation for the Friday the 14^th.  Luckily, we were able to switch our reservation. (I checked the remainder of my reservations and everything looks right. But I know Rob is just going to keep torturing me over this). We walked on the boardwalk and decided to stop in and check out one of the Trump hotels. We went into the Trump Plaza and the place was a dump.  There were roped off broken slot machines, lights out on the marquee, grimy windows, and $6 beers. No need to give Donald my money.

We kept walking and saw the preparation for the World Championship of Sand Sculpting which starts this weekend. There are stations for about 30 competitors including contestants from Singapore and Norway. Each station has black tubs of sand, pails, shovels, and a plaque with biography for each contestant. Check out the website: http://www.worldchampionshipofsandsculpting.com/

While we were looking at the sand castles, it started raining. I decided to risk it and stop at Nathan’s for some hot dogs. By the time we got back to the hotel, we were drenched. I was wet down to my underwear. We have been pretty lucky with the weather so far on the trip. Except for yesterday, it has rained every day, but it never interfered with what we were doing. Today, well, I can’t remember being so wet up in a rainstorm.  We were dripping water when we got back to the hotel. I don’t think my Kung Fu shoes will be dry anytime soon.

Today was challenging, but not a total loss. I fell down in the mud, messed up my hotel reservation, and got caught in a torrential downpour. BUT, we both won money in the casino!!!  Altogether, we are up $130 for this visit, so I can’t complain.

June 12th - Done with the South

Our final destination today was Gettysburg. On the way we decided to stop at the Luray Caverns.  To get there we actually drove through the Shenandoah National park and through a part of the Blue Ridge Mountains – places that I had heard of but never thought I would visit.

 Luray Caverns was fascinating. You go down about 4 flights and then you are in a series of caverns of stalagmites and stalactites. As you go through, you wind your way down and are eventually 160 feet underground.  There were shallow pools of water, huge stalactites, and an actual organ. Years ago some guy hooked up an organ that actually tapped different stalactites to create musical notes.  The tour was enjoyable and would have been so much better without the screaming babies. There was a couple there with a 5 year old, a 3 year old, and a set of triplets about 8 months old (I would have just killed myself). The mother had one baby on her back and one in her arms. The father had the other one and he was useless in terms of help. The grandmother was watching the older two kids. When one baby stopped howling, the next one started. They stayed to the back of the tour group and I stayed in the front, but, dang.  Sometimes you should just wait in the car.

On our way to Luray we drove through Chancellorsville, the location of another major Civil War battle. As we drove through the town there was an historical marker by the side of the road indicating where Stonewall Jackson was wounded. We saw signs for Manassas and Fredericksburg. We also passed several small battlefields that we had never heard of.  It seems like a lot of the war was centered in Virginia, probably because Robert E. Lee led the Virginia army.

I am glad to be finally out of the South. It was just too weird for me. Florida was fine. It was like being anywhere else that I am used to. It didn't feel like the South. But some of the other states, wow.  Don’t get me wrong, people were nice. But the areas we saw were so rural and empty. There were police everywhere. All the news people were fat with big hair. It was just so different. And clinging to the confederate stuff…these people will never let that go.

June 11th Another day of History

Richmond has a street called Monument Avenue where there is statuary significant to the city. For the most part the statues are of Confederate Generals. There were statues of J.E.B. Stuart, Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, and Stonewall Jackson. 

Stonewall Jackson - killed by friendly fire at Chancellorsville in 1863

The statues were on a boulevard separated by several blocks between statues. At the very end of the row there was one other statue. It was Arthur Ashe.  Yep, Arthur Ashe.  It was kind of surprising that he was with the Confederate generals, but Arthur Ashe was from Richmond. Later we saw another statue. It was Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson, a very famous black entertainer/tap dancer from the 20's and 30's. (He was in The Little Colonel with Shirley Temple). His statue was in the hood.

                                                                      McLean House

 After touring the monuments we headed out of town to Appomattox.  It took us 1.5 hours to get there, but it was worth the drive.  The area is preserved and looks just like the old photographs.  For those of you who were not good history students, Appomattox is where General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant effectively ending The Civil War. A lot of the buildings are gone, but enough are left that you get a feel for the town. The visitor’s center is in the actual old Appomattox Courthouse building. We saw where Grant had his headquarters. We learned about the sequence of battles that trapped Lee and caused his surrender at the McLean House. And we learned how the confederate soldiers turned in their arms and went home. It was very, very interesting. 

When we got back to Richmond we still had a little time to visit the Museum of the Confederacy and the Confederate White House. These buildings are right downtown in the middle of the VCU campus.  The museum had actual clothing, weapons, letters, and pictures of confederate soldiers. There was a replica of Robert E. Lee’s field tent with his actual belongings in it.  The coat that Jefferson Davis was wearing when he was captured was also in the museum.  I did not realize that Jefferson Davis was captured at the end of the war. He was captured trying to flee the country (supposedly in his wife's shawl) so that he could set up a new government in exile. He sounded delusional.

We did not get a chance to tour the White House, but I did take pictures. The Confederate White House is on the street across from VCU’s School of Dentistry.

We ended the day seeing Bojangles' statue in the hood and having dinner at a soul food restaurant. Today was a very good day. One more stop (Gettysburg) and we will be done with history.