Tiring day in Williamsburg

September 15 – Today was real tourist activity and we were tired enough to prove it!  We

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agreed to be ready again at 9:30 for a trip to Williamsburg.  It was a beautiful day out with enough sun to be comfortable but not hot.

After a wrong turn to a museum, we got directions to the Colonial Williamsburg Visitor Center.  Silly me, I didn’t take my camera or my little back pack inside so I didn’t get the best photos or have my snack on hand and my water bottle.

I had forgotten that you board the shuttle at the VC to town.  They had blocked off a lot of the VC so basically you paid for a reduced rate ticket as not everything that is normally open was open.  It was about half price and the major things were open so it was good.

Nice homes along our walk

If nothing else we got in our steps today! We started in the center of Colonial Williamsburg and headed to the Capital Building first.  We stopped in any shops that were open and admired the original homes along Duke of Gloucester.  At the end is The Capitol and our wait for a tour was very short.  They have a limit to the number who go in at a time.  Our guide

The Capitol

was very informative and we enjoyed her presentation.  Luckily for our group there was a restroom near the exit before we headed back in the other direction.

On the walk back towards the Governor’s Palace we stopped to see the blacksmiths at work, the wainrights and cooks.  They were very nice to answer our questions and explain how their equipment works.  They make all of the replacement or new pieces of wood needed for wagons and iron parts for the carriages, furniture, hinges, and whatever inside the colonial area to keep things as authentic as possible. 

Snack Time

We also visited the silversmith and he gave a nice talk as well on the number of smiths and how long it takes to make certain products.  Today he was making spoons that they use in the homes that are open to the public and that are for sale in the shops.

We were pooped and needing a snack so we found a bench right in front of the only snack stand or food place currently open.  They had drinks, water, cookies and pretzels rolls.  Bill got us a bottle of water and ginger molasses cookies.  Jean and Paul went with peanut butter.  They were nice hearty cookies and we all felt ready to get back on the trail after our break.

Next stop was the courthouse.  There was not even a 5 minute

Paul and Jean taking in the courtroom

wait and we got in.  It was another interesting stop where we learned more about how legal terms came to be, such as “taking the stand” and “passing the bar”.  It was a short presentation and then we headed further up the street and turned right to the Governor’s Palace. 

We were directed to a set of benches where we were the second group in line to enter.  We sat on a bench by a tree where an adorable squirrel was having a snack and not the least bit bothered by us being a couple of feet away.  Our keepers provided some history information at each spot and then we entered thru the front

What a cutie!

entrance in the round hall decorated with period rifles and military paraphernalia.   We viewed the offices on each side, the kitchens and then into a big hall where a huge staircase leading to the bedrooms upstairs and forward into the ball room.  The last room was the formal dining room with a warming oven and gorgeous chan-deliers.  I loved the green   it was painted.  

We exited the back door with the Coat of Arms above it into some gardens, where we turned right and made our way back to the front of the palace.  We were all pretty pooped and ready

Warming oven

to go left to the bus stop.  The wait for the bus was longer than the ride back to the visitor center but we were happy to be able to sit in either location.

Since we hadn’t had an actual lunch, we were ready for some grub!  Bill googled while Paul drove and we ended up at Oceans & Ale.  The food was great!  I had coconut shrimp, Bill and Paul had  steaks and Jean had a HUGE hamburger!  Next stop was Williamsburg Pottery, which used to be in one huge old, old building.  Now it was in a plaza and very fancy

Clowning around 

  

from the outside and was 3 separate buildings in a row.  Bill stayed in the car but Jean, Paul and I went shopping.  I got 3 bottles of wine, snacks and a few other small things and Jean bought some Sangria and several other odds and ends. 

Poor bear couldn't breathe

I found coupons in some of our literature that were BOGO ice cream in a gift shop so of course, that became our next stop.  First we looked for postcards and souvenirs, then we got our ice cream and sat out on the “veranda” and enjoyed our bargain treats!

We were pretty much bushed by then and headed for the campground.  Other than a snack later I don’t think anyone had a meal!