The path to Williamsburg. Doesn't it just beg you to come and see what is around its corner?
Chowning's Tavern.
The Slave narrative.
The Capitol where delegates from the colonies voted for independence and drew up the Declaration of Independence!
The first on the list was Colonial Williamsburg. This happens to be one of my favorite periods in American history along with the English Regency Era which coincides with it. The first thing we did was stop in at the visitors center and pick up all the information on touring the town; we realized right off that there was to much to be seen in one day so we opted for a week long pass. May I just say I could live here. I have never been one to fully appreciate technology, now I like my comforts just like the next girl, but the gentility of this town, this era, just swept me right in...I am in heaven here.
When you leave the visitors center there is a bridge that leads to the walking trail that leads you into town. In the middle of the walkway there is a plaque that says "You are leaving the 21st century", as you continue down the right side of the path there are smaller plaques the state all the things you are leaving behind and the date they were introduced, things like tv, the woman's right to vote, the convenience of prepared food. Very interesting. As we walked along the path we were taken with the beauty of the foliage, the log fences and the farms and homesteads. I longed to walk right in and begin my new life right there!
Once you leave the path, you enter the most lovely and charming city imaginable (at least to me). Williamsburg is larger than I imagined and I would guess my reaction to it was the same as a child entering Disneyland for the first time. I literally had chills. The drum corps was marching on the lawn, beautiful ladies and gentleman were strolling the streets and horse drawn carriages were being pulled along the road (I didn't even mind all the horses deposits in the middle of the road!). Heaven, I said, absolute heaven. Of course the whole time I was there I was thinking of Maddie Paige and how much she would love to see the town that her Felicity Merriman lived in.
We were hungry, so we stopped at a Tavern called Chowning's and had a nice lunch served by a charming young waitress in her period garb. She was delighted with William and talked with us of a friend of hers who had adopted three siblings. It seems that wherever we go with him, people have stories of there own adoption experiences to share, they are always so gracious and happy for us. Of course, the first thing that people want to know before they find out he is adopted is how old he is and then how come I look so good for just having a baby!
Everything closes at around five and we didn't have alot of time, so we cruised up the street and stopped to listen to a slave narrative, which was amazing. Very lovely and sobering; what strength and resiliency she demonstrated in her character. She was instructing another slave on how to help a young girl who had just witnessed her mother being taken away and sold to another master. Instructing her on how to relate to her and give her hope. She quoted extensively from the bible and I couldn't help but well up at times. Thankfully, she infused her demonstration with a light heart, otherwise it would have been hard to bear.
From there we walked down the other side of the street where we were able to walk through the back gates of adjoining yards and view all of the different and lovely styles of gardens. Did I mention I wanted to move right in? Through all of this, William slept. He didn't wake the entire time. Sometimes I think he is to good to be true.
Truly, there is so much to see and do here I am glad that we have the week. We are in awe that most of the buildings here are original and that people like Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Patrick Henry and many others traversed these paths. We are just a little star-struck!
On our way home we stopped to eat at the Cracker Barrel (they really must put one of these in back home) and then headed back to the hotel. For the first time, we noted a little fussy period in William. From about 10-midnight he fussed of and on until he finally settled down and went to sleep. Darren fed him at around 5am and then we all slept until he was ready to eat again at 10. That was nice! He his beginning to be a voracious eater and I am wondering if he wouldn't like more than the 2 oz. he is currently eating. He still loves being held and snuggled!
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