It's the weekend and it's lovely

One of the nice things about doing a little bit of work (OK a lot of work but only for 4 weeks at a time) is you learn to appreciate the weekend again. I don't work on a Friday and neither does Nigel so our weekend starts on a Thursday night. Chores are done, groceries are done, and we have visitors this weekend too so it will be lovely.

I crammed in a bit of scrapping today between the chores and spent an age making a number plate for the title and the leaves in clusters, all cut and inked and scored and bent. I have just washed all the ink off m hands. I looked like I had a 40 a day habit as my fingers were all stained!

This film also popped up in my facebook page today and I thought it was a very powerful message and so thought I would share it here.It was made by Steve Cutts

Today I am thankful for

being out of the rat race for starters
weekends
my silhouette- love using it and making things
the satisfaction of chores all done

Monday 22nd October

The One Where We Went Back to the Start

Today was yet another early start as we knew we wanted to cram a great deal in … when do we ever not? We had a swift breakfast, perhaps not as good as some we have been blessed with this trip, and we headed out. And yet again it was still dark. We are certainly making the most of sunrise even if we are not always seeing the sunset. But heck – it’s the East Coast so sunrise is always going to be better I guess. We drove fairly steadily southwards – the direction we will be taking for the rest of the trip after our brief foray into Pennsylvania. We were heading for the coast, and on the coast, we would stay until we veered inland in Florida with our goal being Disney.

The traffic was again light and with only one stop for a Starbucks, we made good progress. The trip to Starbucks was another very odd detour which seemed to take us all round the Wrekin, but missed a lot of heavy traffic getting back on the interstate. We were so early the Starbucks it took us to was in a Borders and they didn’t open until ten o’clock. Thankfully there was a Target in the same mall and they had a Starbucks too. I love America!

The tricky bit of today was navigating around the nation’s capital, Washington DC. It was the first real traffic we encountered and even that was not at a standstill, just slow moving and lots of reasonably hectic intersections. Eyes on stalks, we negotiated round safely ... although I was heard at one point when watching for a tricky intersection, checking the sat nav that seemed to have odd ideas and watching heavily merging traffic to have said 'oh dear, it's all kicking off now!' with a slight edge of panic in my voice, but we negotiated that junction too and the capital was soon behind us and quieter roads ahead.

We arrived in the Williamsburg area just after lunchtime, earlier than we had hoped for. There was so much to do in the area that we had had to be very selective. People often spend a whole week at just Williamsburg and we wanted to include Jamestown as well and had just the day and a half. Typical Leahy trip then. As it happened our timing was just perfect for us.

The Williamsburg area was very bizarre. The roads were ‘odd’. They were not like regular highways, had little or no road marking and it was a bit like being in a theme park. It’s hard to describe properly, but it was just different and a little odd. We followed the signs to Jamestown Settlement, a place we had looked forward to visiting. It sounded, on paper, like Plymouth Plantation we loved in Massachusetts. And indeed it was, if a great deal smaller.

Jamestown was the earliest permanent settlement by the British on the East Coast. Near the site of the original colony, Jamestown Settlement tells the story of 17th-century Virginia; from the arrival of English colonists in Jamestown in 1607 to the cultural encounters and events that planted the seeds of a new nation. It was very impressive to pull up to. Nigel and I both said you just don’t see places like this in the UK. We have so much less space and in America, museums are built on a grand scale and this was no exception. We paid our money and went off to explore.

The first part of the visit was the Powhatan Village. It was a re-created village featuring reed-covered houses, crops and a ceremonial circle of carved wooden posts. And of course, this was the world of Pocahontas, daughter of Powhatan, the powerful leader of 30-some Algonquian-speaking tribes in coastal Virginia. The re-created Powhatan Indian village is based on archaeological findings at a site once inhabited by Paspahegh Indians, the Powhatan tribal group closest to Jamestown, and descriptions recorded by English colonists. Historical interpreters discussed and demonstrated how the Powhatan culture grew and prepared food, processed animal hides, made tools and pottery, and wove natural fibres into cordage.

The guides were very knowledgeable throughout the settlement and enabled us to learn more than we would have done just wandering around.

From the village, we wandered down to the ships. Re-creations of three ships that brought America’s first permanent English colonists to Virginia in 1607 are moored at Jamestown Settlement’s pier and you are able to go on board and explore. We were shocked at how small the ships were considering they were at sea for some four and a half months. Space was at a premium and the settlers were not allowed on deck very often during the voyage. The Susan Constant was the largest of the three and we spent quite a bit of time on board this ship, speaking with the guides and learning about what life would have been like and what they would have been expecting on the voyage. Again the guides were all in authentic costume which added to the whole experience.

The final part of the visit outside was to the fort. Inside the triangular wooden palisade of the re-created 1610-14 fort are wattle-and-daub structures topped with thatch roofs depicting dwellings, as well as an Anglican church, a guard house, a storehouse, a cape merchant’s office and the Governor’s House. We were staggered and had to ask several times if the buildings would really have been like this. We had been to Plymouth where the Pilgrim Fathers’ settled and their dwellings were very basic and almost dug into the ground. These buildings were far more elaborate. Sturdy structures with beams and brickwork too and the church was amazing. It was explained that these were not poor pilgrims. These settlers had the backing of wealthy merchants and people were selected on the basis of the skills they could bring to be able to build these dwellings and the fort and to be able to create a proper settlement that others would come and join.

We ended with the museum which was, quite frankly, amazing. It was huge and perhaps it would have been better if we had seen the museum first as we would have started at the beginning of history instead of entering the museum from the wrong end and being like two unravelling time travellers and spinning backwards through time. However, even going the wrong way through history it was fascinating. The way the displays were done, with so many interactive elements, huge exhibits and copious easy to digest information, was truly amazing and made for a very enjoyable educational visit.

We had almost not visited Jamestown, thinking we had better focus all of our energies on Williamsburg, but I am so glad we did as it was both enjoyable and educational and it was also so right to see it BEFORE Williamsburg to set things in context.

By now we were starving – absolutely starving as we had not eaten all day – and so we headed for dinner at Ruby Tuesday. Ruby Tuesday is one of our favourite chains in America. It is known for its amazing Garden Bar and we love it. It’s not the cheapest of places but – well we are savvy shoppers and we were Ruby Tuesday members so of course, we had VOUCHERS! It meant my meal was free so not only a delicious dinner but a cheap one too. Oh, and it was meant to be served lying down like that!

Finally, we went in search of our home for the next two night – it was a Comfort Suites –a chain we had not used before and it was one of the nicest hotels we stayed in. It looked like it was brand new. The décor in the room was lovely, it had a separate lounge area and was clean and comfortable. All in all, what a great day for going back to the beginning of the British time in America.

Monday 22nd October

It’s an early start again this morning and we need to get the car loaded and ready for departure which will be immediately after our 6.00 am breakfast. The end of breakfast is usually determined as being when Nigel reaches the last half of his cup of tea.

It’s the perfect time to pronounce breakfast is over and we need to get moving. After all, I wouldn’t want to turn into a snail again!

Our journey continues South and will take us around Washington and Baltimore today and should put us in Jamestown with the remainder of an afternoon to explore.

It’s a comparatively long drive mostly on the interstate but it does appear to switch between major routes rather more than I had anticipated.

To pass the time, and to stay alert, we engage in our favourite pastime during road trips or any occasion where waiting is necessary, we play guessing games or naming games.

We start with a category and try to name as many things taking it in turns until we are both out of ideas. This usually occurs around four or five answers after Nigel is out of ideas. Karen almost always wins.

Today is no different as we begin with films set in or around the first world war. The list in our heads is not very long so we soon concede into extending the classification to the second world war and then, I think, to almost any feature set before 1950!

When we are done with that, next comes songs. We have to name any song titles containing names of cities. Our final classification before we have had enough of thinking, is Sci-Fi films.

Karen is an easy winner in all classifications though I try to disguise my failings by affirming that I am too busy concentrating on the road to make a fist of it!

Both driver and van require refreshment so, after a stop to get Starbucks and Gas we press on without the guessing game for now.

For the first time on the open road, we encounter quite significant traffic. The negotiation around Washington moves slowly forward without coming to a standstill but it pushes our arrival time back according to the GPS.

We actually reach Jamestown just after mid-day and pull up in the parking lot at 12.30pm.

The buildings and museum are impressive and much larger than we might have imagined.

It’s a simple process to buy a day ticket although we notice a number of options to purchase multi day passes that include nearby Colonial Williamsburg. Although planning to go there tomorrow we are not seduced by the seven days all-inclusive super-duper multi saver ticket. No, just a one day pass for us. Oh and let’s not forget Karen is a teacher and qualifies for a discount so, I suppose, we could say we are on a saver after all!

We are not quite sure what to expect, we know that the site comprises of an historic village (Jamestown settlement) but we also believe we are going to see at least one reconstructed boat and as it happens a representation of an Indian settlement such as would have been there before the pilgrims.

It’s a reasonable walk to get to the Indian village but the site is not that huge and we investigate the interiors of the dwellings and engage with a couple of the guides in character

Then its onwards to the boat dock another short walk along the path.

Turns out there are three replica boats here, Godspeed, Discovery and the Susan Constant.

The overriding impression, to begin with, is how small they are and how many people would have been aboard.

The crew it seems were allowed on deck where there was at least some space to move around. The other passengers would be confined below amongst stores, equipment and even weapons! It is thought, and hoped, that the crew would give permission for the passengers to go on deck on occasions but mostly they would be crammed in makeshift quarters during the weeks of the crossing.

The boats are accessible for photos and we spend a good deal of time exploring each one in turn and snapping away.

To complete our experience we walk the remaining half of the circular tour back towards the museum via the settlement village itself.

Here we are surprised to find the buildings looking a far cry from the wood and straw constructions of Plymouth Plantation in Massachusetts. Indeed these were much more in keeping with the colonial houses of a much later period, or, at least to our eyes.

On enquiring, we were soon corrected. It seems that the English arrived with all the tools and knowledge of shipbuilding and construction and were fully prepared for the task in front of them.

The result is a collection of sturdy buildings giving a vivid impression of life in the period.

Several interpretive guides are engaged in various activities including the ironmonger and the leatherworker and there was a regular demonstration of armoury that sent the sound explosions and gunfire around the site for all to hear.

As we exit the settlement we are directed through the museum. We have, however, entered at the end rather than the beginning of the timeline. It is an amazing display full of information and different aspects of life from several different perspectives. Despite wandering, rather aimlessly in the wrong direction, we are still able to savour the information and though saturated with facts and images it had to be seen.

I'm quite sure we could have spent the whole day on site between all the exhibits both outside and in, but, in true Leahy style we give it all the ‘cook’s tour’. Three hours is plenty for us to soak up the history!

What’s needed now is a bit of retail therapy so we set the controls for Walmart and a simple browse around our second favourite theme park in America!

We grab a few bargains but Karen is thwarted in her attempts to buy any clothing as for some reason known only to themselves, this store has no mirrors what so ever at the changing rooms.

Its only a short hop to our chosen spot for dinner tonight. Another favourite of ours, ‘Ruby Tuesday’. We have been saving vouchers on email at home with great anticipation of using them. Unfortunately the redemption process It makes the ordering process slightly more complex as we have to decide on which combination will be the most advantageous and if the restaurant will deem it to be within their ‘rules’. Our helpful server assists and we are soon on our way to a couple of chicken sandwich meals with the obligatory garden bar with a free beverage for Karen and a soda for Nigel. This is further followed up by a shared dessert comfortably big enough for two. When the check is delivered we have enjoyed all this for a mere $29 rather than the full price of over $40.

Having had our fill, including refill drinks and all you can eat salad, it’s time to find our bed for the night.

Our hotel is located behind another and we are dubious at first with Karen warning that she is not sure about this one, it might be a bad choice.

Her fears are unfounded as we can see straight away that it looks brand new. Everything is spotless and gleaming. There is a freshness about the place which looks to be quite empty and just one very relaxed receptionist on duty.

He informs us that he is pleased as he is only expecting “two more check-ins” after us so is anticipating a quiet shift.

This will be our base for two nights and we are delighted with it after all.

You would never have guessed but, when we come to check out two days later, we will be informed that it is, actually, five years old!