Sunday was one of those hazy lazy days of summer.  Except that as Linda pointed out she and Dan biked seven miles and walked three.
 
Yesterday (Monday) we all did reasonably long bicycle rides in the morning. Mid-afternoon we gathered up our beach gear and went into the park (Delnor-Wiggins State Park) to our now favorite beach.  Upon arrival we found that the tide was just right for the full emergence of the sand bar just off shore. This meant that after wading in a few feet of water a short distance you could step up onto the sand bar and the water would be just lapping at your ankles but with waves coming at you from three sides.  Adding to our delight was the sighting of a dolphin that was also cavorting in the waves.  Before heading back to shore we submerged ourselves in the warmer than usual water and briefly fought a loosing battle against the waves that wanted to toss us to the shore.  The air temperature and breeze was so perfect that upon emerging from the water we just stood there and air dried rather than making a bee line for the nearest beach towel. And as the icing on the cake a snowy egret stood at the water’s edge also enjoying the scene.  Just glorious.  

The days are beginning to fly by. With the exception of a one rainy day (Wednesday, Feb. 13th) the daytime weather has been perfect.  Like Little Red Riding Hood’s porridge it’s been “not too hot, not too cold, just right”.

On Tuesday the 12th Linda, Dan and Marsha (Harry was sidelined by a sore shoulder) kayaked in Delnor-Wiggins State Park in the morning. Despite some significant wind and a deflating seat on Dan’s kayak we had a nice paddle.  

The list we made of possible activities to do in Naples included a visit to the Baker (no relations) Museum when and if the weather was less than ideal.  The continuous rain on Wednesday (Feb 13th) brought that to the top of the list.  The Baker Museum is part of the Artis complex that also includes a performance hall.   

The Baker Museum is currently undergoing expansion and renovation so the only galleries open are the four within the performance hall that currently house a travelling exhibition entitled Fashioning Art from Paper by Isabelle de Borchgrave. 

​There are a couple of other art-worthy displays including some statues outside the building as well as figures from an exhibit entitled The Four Seasons by Philip Haas.  The building which is currently sharing it space with the Baker Museum normally houses just the Philharmonic Orchestra. The decor of this building is quite nice.

Fashioning Art from Paper by Isabelle de Borchgrave. 

​When told that the exhibit was of dresses made from paper we were skeptical but reasoned that it was raining and the options were few.  Upon entering the first gallery we were all amazed and delighted by the intricacies and beauty of the creations. The vision of this artist to paint, pleat, crumple and manipulate paper to replicate costumes and fashions boggled.  Just check out the photos and you will understand.
​
The Exhibit was on two floors with two galleries on each floor.  First, some overhead shots of the first floor with a Dale Chihuly sculpture -- can't go anywhere without seeing at least one of these...

We visited the second floor first.  It took some time to appreciate that these dresses were made out of paper, not cloth.

Some closeups to show the detail of this work, merging painted paper fashioned into clothing.

An entire gallery was devoted to paper renditions of the costumes used in the Ballets Russes.

Several of the larger costumes of dancers suspended over an atrium looking down on the gallery below.

Since these were paper versions of costumes used in Russian theatrical productions, there were spectacularly colored and reflected the many different characters for which they were created.

All in all, this exhibit has been the best art exhibit of this year's trip.  Even better, this was a surprise!

Yesterday (Thursday, Feb 14th) we drove south to the Gulf Coast visitor’s center in Everglades National Park parked our cars and unloaded our bicycles. Then we proceeded to bike along the 3 ½ mile causeway from Everglades City to Chokoloskee Island and the Smallwood Store.  Established in 1906 by Ted Smallwood on the western edge of the Everglades at the beginning of white settlement of the 10,000 islands area.  
The settlers followed generations of the native Calusas and Seminoles.  They hunted the snowy egrets for their plumes, trapped critters for their hides and furs and fished for mullet.

Ted Smallwood

Some black and white pictures of Ted Smallwood through the years, followed by a color picture of him.  I was walking into a room in the store and turned around and was surprised since I found this man sitting in a rocking chair.  It turned out it was a pretty amazing rendition of Ted:  he died in 1951.

Others raised super cane and tomatoes.  Natives and settlers alike came to Smallwood’s store for supplies until it closed in 1982 with 90% of it’s goods intact it reopened as a museum in 1990 it is a time capsule of early Florida and it is great fun to just wander around therein.   We picnicked by the waters edge and then retraced our route back to Everglades City.

Smallwood's store was a general store and as such it had a little bit of everything...

Glass Jars & Bottles

Canned Goods

​Take a close look at the contents of some of these products: some of the contents are now banned, and justifiably so.

For example, did you notice the percentage of DDT contained in the last item?

Newspapers and Other Artifacts Pinned on the Wall

Did I say that this museum may not be up to the American Alliance of Museums Standards and Best Practices?

Edgar Watson, Mass Murderer

Chokoloskee Florida is famous for two people: Ted Smallwood and his store, and Edgar Watson, an outlaw and mass murderer.  The second image below is of a New York Times article about Edgar Watson on the appearance of a book by Peter Matthiessen who fictionalized the story in his Watson trilogy (Killing Mister Watson, Lost Man's River, Bone by Bone) and retold in the single volume Shadow Country.

In case you are keeping track and wondering what we did on February 11th that makes two of us.   No clue.  Probably “just” enjoying the scene biking, walking and swimming etc.  

There comes a time every morning when one of us decides it is time to ponder a bit about “what to am I/we going to do today”. Here the choices are as wonderful as the sunshine and ocean breezes.  In between the bicycle rides, beach walks and pool swims we have also gone to a craft and art show, on a kayaking expedition and to the zoo.

It turned out that the roadside/waterside free kayak entry point we had scouted out online no longer existed due to road construction so we opted to pay the small fee to launch our kayaks at a nearby marina.   On any one of these winter jaunts the day that we first use our inflatable kayaks is usually fraught with angst trying to keep our cool while following the multiple step instructions.   This time was no exception.  Adding to my particular discomfort was the presence of an ant nest on the patch of grass we chose as our inflation point. Two days later, with the aid of some Benadryl cream and antibiotics my ankle has finally stopped itching.   

​The Naples Zoo was formerly the site of the Caribbean Gardens so the lush plantings are as interesting as the animals.  Marsha took a liking to an anteater that was in a bit of a rut.  Behaving a bit like the typical image of an expectant father he was pacing back and forth. He would walk several steps toward the viewing public extend his long snout toward the barrier turn and head off back from whence he came and then turn and repeat.  He was a lumbering somewhat adorable perpetual motion machine. 

Yesterday we went to a small art and craft show and are looking forward to the big show later in the month.

It took us a few days to figure out but the AT&T phone connectivity in Naples is notoriously bad.  We are lucky to have one or two bars and frequently our phones indicate that there is NO SERVICE. 

Internet wise the first day we all struggled with slow upload speeds and almost no download ability.  The result of the first call to Comcast was their suggestion to go to the nearest service center and exchange the outdated modem for a newer model.   That was easily accomplished but did not solve the problem.  So the initial phone call was followed by many more to no avail. 

Harry has been remarkably calm even when having to repeat the account information over and over for each new technician. It was finally determined that the landlord’s service plan had outdated ridiculously slow speeds and needed to be updated. She agreed and called to change the plan. And indeed the next day the connectivity was great – then – no so much.   This afternoon Harry waited for the service technician to arrive, which, of course, he did not.   Maybe tomorrow.

You should know that this is not the first time we have had issues with adequate Internet capability.    Don’t just assume it actually exists ask some specific questions.   When was the modem last replaced?  What is the upload speed?   Is there coverage throughout the unit?   One previous landlord thought he could say there was “internet” because there was – in the lobby eight stories below the unit. 

Richard and Lillian Gray drove over from Miami to join us for the day and the game.   We had stocked up on snacks, appetizers, and libations at Trader Joe's.  To add to the dips, pot stickers, and spanakopita Linda and Dan went out in search of “the best empanadas in Naples” and the verdict was that they succeeded.   Which is also what the Patriot’s did so all in all it was a good day.

After driving down from Sarasota we met Linda and Dan at the nearest supermarket to the condo we were renting.   After stocking up on groceries we proceeded to the condo to meet the owners.  After three weeks on the road it was great to unpack and settle in.

As advertised we have a first floor unit, which is great for quick in and out access during the day.   The swimming pool is just a few steps away and warm enough that even Marsha can walk right in without hesitation.  It is far enough away that the noise of the jovial afternoon crowd is not bothersome but close enough that we don’t hesitate to take a quick dip.  The beach is a short 150-step walk.  In one direction you pass high rise condo buildings and the surfside homes of the 1%.  Turn the other way and you can walk for a mile within the confines of Delnor-Wiggins State Park so your view is restricted to sea, sand, sky and scrub brush.  The combination of the flat landscape, designated bike lanes and actual paths makes for easy and enjoyable biking.  All this contributes to our daily dilemma of deciding what form of exercise to do and when.   Thankfully the choices of where to just sit and relax are equally abundant. 

The weather has been great so far – not too hot – not too cold – just right.  

With long time friends absences are not of consequence.  You just resume the discussion and camaraderie where you left of.  So our two days (three nights) with Alex and Kathy where just an extension of times gone by.  Above: Some pictures from past visits to Sarasota and the McKenzies.

During our two day we had dinner one night in the dining room of their complex (the Fountains) and were joined by two of their friends Arline and Milt. After dinner Arline, a very talented artist, invited us to her apartment to see her work.   Currently she is creating beautiful mosaics and we saw some in process and many other finished pieces.  In the past she was a ceramic artist and a quilter and her apartment is filled with gorgeous examples of her work.

On our last night in Sarasota we went out to dinner at a terrific Italian restaurant.   Harry and Alex were thrilled that Osso Bucco was on the special list.  Kathy and I opted for pasta dishes.

For daytime entertainment we did a walking and driving tour of buildings designed by  architects part of the Sarasota School in the mid 1900’s.  The pictures are a mix of Alex's pictures and mine.

​A House

And the other day Marsha and Kathy went off to do a bit of clothes shopping.   

Our 5-hour drive from the Georgia coast to the West Coast of Florida was uneventful.  Google maps rerouted us around a few road closures that avoided traffic delays and afforded the opportunity to experience some bumpy 2 lane state roads along with the views of Florida horse farm country.   
 
Alex and Kathy McKenzie greeted us with hugs and made a lovely dinner, and assured that our wine glasses were refilled in a timely manner.  Good wine, good conversation and good friends.

Reading me email today, Tim Groves sent me this dispatch from the Boston Globe about our nearest neighbor in Commington.

Rachel Maddow enjoyed a weekend of ice fishing near her Western Mass. home
Ice Fishing at the Ashfield Lake House in Western Mass, the greatest place on earth."
By Kevin Slane
 
January 28, 2019 Whether you’re an avid cable news watcher or an unwitting fish, you’re liable to get hooked by Rachel Maddow.

The MSNBC host took time away from the hustle and bustle of New York City for some ice fishing near her home in West Cummington, Mass. over the weekend.
​
“Ice Fishing at the Ashfield Lake House in Western Mass, the greatest place on earth,” Maddow wrote on Twitter, posting a photo of herself out on the ice with a red folding chair and a Vexilar ice fishing rig.

Maddow has sung the praises of ice fishing and Ashfield Lake House before, citing the bar and grill’s Sloppy Joes as perfect ice fishing fuel in a January 2018 tweet.

This morning the sunlight returned and there was nary a cloud in the sky as we passed over the Sidney Lanier Bridge.   We decided to give that Oceanside bicycle path a second chance and headed back over to Jekyll Island.   We both had a terrific ride and some quality time sitting in the sun just listening to the waves. 

In the afternoon we went back to St. Simons.   Since the powers that be in Washington have momentarily come to their senses we had decided to see if the National Historic Monument at Fort Frederica was open.   It was open and staffed by some “happy to be back at work rangers”. 

The fort and town were established in 1736 by James Oglethorpe to protect the southern boundary of his new colony of Georgia and, in particular, his new settlement at Savannah from the Spanish in Florida.  Which nation actually held claim to the Georgia land was debatable and in 1742 the Spanish attacked St. Simons Island and were repelled by a coalition of the British, Scots, and Natives under Oglethorpe’s command at the Battle of Bloody Marsh.  This battle was one of the last of the wonderfully named War of Jenkins Ear.  A British naval officer named, Jenkins lost his ear when the Spanish boarded his ship in 1739.  The war was fought on several continents and the Battle on St. Simons was one of the last.  

With Marsha's interest in interpreting history for visitors to Lexington, she frequently takes pictures of good ideas she sees at other venues.  Here are some:

 The site was excavated beginning in the 1940’s and today the archeological remains are protected and interpreted by the National Park Service. It is a beautiful site resplendent with Live Oak trees dripping with Spanish moss and Orange Trees.

The foundations of the several houses are visible as was as the battlements of the fort.  The interpretive signs and artifact cases coupled with the relatively new technology of audio content accessed by QR codes combine to tell the story quite effectively. ​

The weather this morning was questionable at best but our goal was to both ride our bicycles on the wonderful bike paths at Jekyll Island so we went anyway.   It was too windy on the ocean side of the island so we decided to try the leeward side of the island.   It was lovely riding along under the live oaks with views of the marshes until the occasional rain drops intensified to the point that it was really raining.   I made it back to the car only slightly wet but Harry who was going much faster and therefore further was pretty much soaked. 

We ate our picnic lunch in the car as we headed over to St. Simons Island to try an indoor activity.   Along the way the high bridges that span the Intracoastal Waterway offered a birds eye view of the coastal marshes.

We decided on visiting the St. Simons Lighthouse and Museum.  The first lighthouse on this site was destroyed by Lee’s confederate forces in 1861 to prevent the approaching Federal troops from using the beacon for navigation.   There are only five surviving lighthouses in Georgia.  Given the wobbliness of my knees after the bike ride and the likelihood that the view would be obscured I decided to pass on climbing the 129 steps to the top.

We finally have gotten the hang of just hanging out.   This morning we drove over to St. Simons Island and spent the rest of the day outside and doing as little as possible.   

Having retrieved a folding chair from the car and placed it in the sun I am well situated to enjoy the scene at Clam Pass Park and catch up a bit on writing while Harry prepares our bicycles for our first ride of the trip. 

When we spent a day on Jekyll two years ago we began our day by taking our take-out coffee to the veranda of the fancy Westin Hotel. This morning we made that a ritual to be savored on subsequent visits.  Imagine palm fronds swaying in the breeze, wooden walkways sloping down into the sand, and the sun dappled water beyond.  

Jekyll Island (and Jekyll Island) was one of the Georgia Sea islands where slaves labored on rice and cotton plantations in the stifling heat.  When that era passed the Jekyll Island Club became one of those place where rich and famous men came to hobnob and do a bit of hunting.   Although the Jekyll Island club still exists as a fancy hotel most of the Island is now a state park.   There are wonderful walking and bicycle paths along the water and boardwalks through the marshes.  ​

When checking out “things to do” on Jekyll Island this morning I read about a walking trail commemorating a slave ship named the Wanderer that landed here in 1858.   Since the importation of slaves had been outlawed in 1808 this was an illegal activity and the perpetrators were later convicted of the crime.  In the interim their human cargo was sold and dispersed.  The interpretive signs that were along a path through the live oak trees were excellent and it was great just to be outside and walking around near the water.

Here are the full shots of a set of 6 signs that told the story of the Wanderer.  After that, there are separate sequences showing details of signs that had images as part of the display.

First sign with details:

Second sign with details:

Third sign with details:

Forth sign with details:

Along the path to an observation tower, there was another sequence of signs:

Finally there was a sequence of signs about the food grown on plantations on which slaves from the Wayfarer did the work.

At the end of the history of the Wanderer walk, there was a nice viewing tower which overlooked the water.

Harry just managed to get his bicycle operational and will be headed out on his maiden ride of the trip.   There were technical difficulties with my bike so I will just have to sit here in the sun a bit longer.   Such is life.   ​

The rain cleared early in our drive from Asheville as we headed toward the Georgia Sea Islands.  The temperature also steadily increased to the high 50’s.  We will be spending the next several days here exploring a few of the islands.   

It was raining lightly this morning and the view of the surrounding mountains was obscured.   After consulting with Rosemary and Ed last night we chose three different destinations for today’s adventures. 

First up was All Souls Cathedral in Biltmore Village.  George Vanderbilt and his architect Richard Morris Hunt constructed a mock English Village just outside the gates to Biltmore to house the workers.  The pseudo timber houses, workshops, estate offices and the train depot are now shops and restaurants but you can imagine what it would have been like at the time.  Even McDonalds is housed in an old-style building.

Next up was the Grove Park Inn on Sunset Mountain.   The exterior of the building is faced with rough granite stones and the main lobby has two enormous granite fireplaces.  Edwin Wiley Grove was the maker of Grove’s Chill Tonic, a syrup elixir containing quinine, which was very successful he sold millions of bottles and became rich. When he became afflicted with a severe case of the hiccups his Drs. suggested that the climate in the Blue Ridge Mountains might be beneficial to his health.   Once in Asheville he realized that North Carolina would be a wonderful place for a resort.  

On the 3rd to 6th floors of the hotel is the Palm Court, an open atrium decorated with a variety of Roycroft Arts and Crafts furniture and motifs. 

Our final destination of the day was the Folk Art Center near the beginning (or end depending of which end you are at) of the Blue Ridge Parkway.  The building houses a gift shop operated by the Southern Highland Craft Guild that is more like a museum since the prices for these exquisitely crafted pieces are not for mere mortals.   There is also an actual gallery space on the second floor that presents actual exhibits.   In both cases it is fun to see the variety and quality of work produce by today’s artisans.

Refreshed by our late afternoon nap we drove into the city center to meet Margaret for dinner at Cúrate.   Cúrate means, “cure yourself” in Spanish and these tapas can help you do just that.  Since it was restaurant week in Asheville we decided to avail ourselves of the prix fix `five-course dinner and ordered a bottle of Tempranillo to help wash it all down.   The conversation was delightful, the food both beautiful and delicious.

It was a sunny cool cloud free day.  We spent the day at the Biltmore Estate, which was referred to in the book I read recently about the Vanderbilt’s as “America’s Last Castle”. It is the largest private home ever built in the country.

A collaboration between George Washington Vanderbilt II, his architect Richard Morris Hunt, and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted it was completed in 1895.    When Olmsted designed the landscape at Biltmore he knew that his vision would not be fully realized for 100 years.    We are, thankfully, the recipients of his vision.  The entrance road continually curves so that at each juncture you are always presented with an ever-changing scene.   It was also designed so that you never catch a glimpse of the house until the last turn. 

And what a house it is – among the 250 rooms there are 35 bedrooms for family and guests, 43 bathrooms, 65 fireplaces, and three kitchens.  Banquet Hall where 64 guests dined under its 70-foot high ceiling.   ​

There are, of course, tapestries, paintings, etchings, and sculptures galore.   Among those my favorite was and engraving by Albrecht Durer called The Triumphal Arch that was originally commissioned by Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian 1st.

After touring the other rooms on the first floor we climbed up the cantilevered Grand Staircase to the second floor living hall that has portraits of the Architect (Richard Morris Hunt) and the Landscape Architect (Frederick Law Olmstead) by John Singer Sargent.   There was also a lovely painting by Anders Zorn whose home we visited during a trip to Sweden several years ago.  ​

The family bedrooms were, of course, overly ornate. On the third floor the guests rooms are named for the architectural scheme or artist represented.   In the bachelors wing there is a billiard room, smoking room, and gunroom complete with mounted trophies.   The basement includes a swimming pool, bowling alley, gym, the kitchens, laundry rooms and even two rooms for arranging flowers.   It is all quite overwhelming.

After touring the house we sat down to lunch in the café that is housed in the former Stables.  We had almost completed our food when the fire alarms went off and we were directed to the exits.  Realizing that it would be some time before we were allowed back inside we instead walked through the formal garden areas.  Even without anything blooming it was a pleasant walk.  Our ultimate destination was the Conservatory.  The bleakness of the gardens gave way to profusion of greenery and blossoms.  After returning to the restaurant to pay our bill we slowly travelled along the several mile long exit road.

When Harry was in graduate school at MIT and living in an apartment in Cambridge his neighbors and friends were Ed and Rosemary Kostansek.  We had kept in touch over the years as they moved to New Jersey but had not seen them in some time.   Ten years ago they retired to Asheville.   We contacted them and arranged to meet at their home and go out to Dinner at the Smoky Park Supper Club in the River Arts District of Asheville along the French Broad River.  The restaurant building itself is constructed from 19 shipping containers and is said to be the largest restaurant in the country built from shipping containers.  The space is interesting and the food is delicious.   

We spent the day driving from Williamsburg, VA to Asheville, NC where we were welcomed to the home of Margaret McAlister (our dear friend Betsy McAlister Groves’ sister) and Reed Olszack.  Margaret cooked us a delightful dinner and we finished off a bottle of wine while catching up.

Harry recognized that I was really interested in the subject matter at this museum and was nice enough to tell me to take my time.  He said that he could entertain himself (if he has an internet connection that is never an issue).  As it turned out that we both found the exhibits informative and fun.

This was the second new museum dedicated to the American Revolutionary War we have visited on this trip!  Just in time for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2025.

​The traditional printed/illustrated exhibits were interesting, appealing to readers...

​Then, there were many other exhibit types as shown below:

The Battle of Great Bridge was a victory by the Virginia Militia that lead to the departure of the British from the south during the early days of the war.

​The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776.  Immediately printers went into action to spread the word throughout the colonies.

There was a very attractive exhibit depicting how three different classes of people lived in the Colonies.

In the new technology department, holograph-like displays presented full sized images of those that participated in the war.    In reality, these were video images projected on semi-transparent surfaces giving the illusion of a figure floating in space.

Sometimes interactive displays are not as useful as the creators would have hoped.   Below are examples of an interactive display of all of the battles of the war. The problem is that visitors to a museum such as this one are not about to go through them one by one.  There just isn't the attention span or time to do this.

But, then there are some exhibits that are just very attractive, including ones that have particular self-interest, including Marsha and the Battle of Lexington (& Concord).

One spectacular exhibit was a full sights, sounds and motion of the battles.  This is about as close to Disney as you can be, and it was fun.

​See it for yourself:

​We especially like the life-sized video panels with re-enactors depicting the historical individuals telling their stories in their own words. 

​Visualize yourself standing in front of General Daniel Morgan talk about his strategies at the Battle of Cowpens in South Carolina in January of 1781.   Then hear the differing version from Lt. Col Banastre Tarleton.  Although not the just mentioned participants, here is an example of these vertical video panels in action:

One entire aspect of the two museums we have visited at Jamestown and Yorktown are the outside exhibits.  In the all seasons but the Winter, they are probably the main attraction for families with kids.  In the Winter, the Museum is more interesting and comfortable.

​On the way to lunch after visiting this museum we engaged in an exercise to rank the museums we have visited in the last seven days.   It wasn’t easy but the two with “American Revolution” in their titles won out - the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown.

Why?

• They are both less than two years old (both opened in 2017).  
• They both had more than adequate private and corporate funding.
• They both incorporated the latest in technology into their exhibits. 
• They both have multiple audio/visual presentations.
• They both have a good mix and variety of exhibits.

Lunch was at the Country Grill and Smokehouse on the outskirts of Yorktown.   This strip mall restaurant was listed as #l (near us) on Trip advisor.   All the meats were smoked on site and all the sides and sauces were made from scratch.  Delish!   We are having our leftovers for dinner as we watch the Patriots/Chiefs battle it out for the AFC championship.

Great game!   Why is it always a nail biter? All is good in Patriot’s Nation.  

The introductory film outlined the three differing stories of the native Powhatan tribes, the settlers and the slaves imported to these shores (left photo).   Don't confuse this with the  Masterpiece Theater offering Jamestown, about three different English women of different social classes (right photo).

Despite the common misconception in the Northeast that the Town of Plymouth Massachusetts, founded in 1620, was the first settlement in Colonies, the fact is that the first ships arrived in Jamestown in 1607. ​

One very effective display technique we are seeing more frequently are life size video screens showing people. By orienting the screens with the longest side vertical, the displays draw you into listening to the person's story.

Curiously enough, we made a mistake in the order in which we viewed the exhibits.  It was only when we finished the exhibit about the women of Jamestown that we realized that the main exhibit was on the first floor, not the second floor that we had been directed to go...  So, we went downstairs for the massive main permanent exhibit.

​Harry is partial to pottery (careful all you about to be weds).

​Somehow the Indigenous people and African enslaved people are more impressive than the English -- although I suspect that is just in my mind...

​After the museum we drove on the Colonial Parkway from Jamestown to Yorktown.  Built between the 1930’s and 50’s back when driving could be recreational it still has that vibe.  The speed limit is 45 miles per hour, trucks are not allowed, there are no tolls, you are shielded from views of commercial development, the overpasses are graceful brick arches, and around every curve are water views. ​

​
At the actual battlefield site Marsha, who had just finished reading a book about the battle, was thrilled to be able walk along the remains of the second parallel fortifications.

​And, thanks to Google, here is how it looks in the Spring/Summer...

Tomorrow we visit the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. ​

This is not the best way to wake up...

Especially if your car is 3 weeks old and has 685 miles on the odometer.  Fortunately, the damage was several scrapes along the passenger side of the car -- we have been in touch with our and the offender's insurance companies will make a claim on their insurance and get the damage fixed when we get home.

The on-line reviews of this site noted that the original home on this site burned in the 1930’s and the only buildings from Monroe’s time here are the guesthouse for Presidential visitors and some outbuildings.  The home now on the site is from another time.   With our expectations suitably adjusted we still wanted to see the site and add to our meager knowledge of the 5th President: Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe.  ​

Here are the highlights of what we learned about Monroe today.   He was born in 1758 in Northern Virginia and at age 16 upon his parent’s deaths he became a slave owner.  He owned over 300 people in his lifetime.   He fought in the Revolutionary War and was wounded at the Battle of Trenton.  He was 24 years old when he moved to Highland with his 16-year-old bride.  During his political career he was: Governor of Virginia, Ambassador to France (he was present at Napoleon’s coronation) Great Britain and Spain.  He served as Secretary of State and of War.  He became President in 1817 and served two terms.  The Munroe’s returned to Highland between those 25 years of political appointments.  He died five years after Adams and Jefferson on the same date, July 4th.

​After the formal tour we wandered around the grounds and looked at the exhibits in the outbuildings.   ​

​There was excellent signage around the property: short, single topic, easy to read.

He was, of course, intrigued by the technology.   Subsequently, he strongly suggested that I should also try it out to understand its capabilities.   Once outfitted with the earphones and glasses you are told to follow the visual and audio directions to different locations to see and hear presentations.   In this case the images were basically hand drawn representations of people who lived at Highland.   There was Munroe himself and his overseer talking about profits.  Slaves concerned about being sold and separated from their families.   The images could have been of film of re-enactors.   So we began to think about the possibility of using virtual reality to tell the story of what happened on Lexington Green...

​

After lunch and a two-hour drive we are now in Williamsburg.  I am excited about the prospect of going to the Yorktown Victory Museum tomorrow having just finished Nathaniel Philbrick’s book on Yorktown and Harry is interested in returning to Jamestown to see the relatively new Jamestown Settlement Museum. ​

The weather was not as glorious today as yesterday – mid 30’s and cloudy and toward the end of the day it rained.   Travelling to historic sites at this time of year means that you are frequently the only two people watching an introductory film.  This has happened twice in the last two days.   And today we were the only two souls who showed up for the 12-noon tour at Montpelier.   Our tour guide was as pleased as we were.   In these situations you are able to ask lots of questions and get thorough answers.  ​

The last time we were at Montpelier they were nearing the end of a major interior restoration and there was very view pieces of furniture in the house and nothing on the walls.   This time around we got to see the finished product.  ​

We were particularly interested in seeing their new multimedia exhibition “The Mere Distinction of Colour” that tells the stories of the enslaved at Montpelier and also examines how the legacy of slavery still impacts race, identity and human rights.   The two audio-visual presentations were thought provoking and a terrific use of technology.   ​

This evening we braved the increasingly nasty weather to have dinner in downtown Charlottesville (c-ville).   We found a restaurant on the downtown pedestrian mall with good southern food and live entertainment.   After dinner we walked a bit to check out the scene and tried to imagine how lovely it would be in nicer weather.  And, as you can see, Harry loves photographing store windows at night.

The last time we were at Monticello the boys were little so it is probably at least 25 years.  Today, it was 48 degrees and sunny on that glorious mountaintop today.   Warm enough to jettison our winter jackets and walk around in our sweatshirts.   We even had our mid-morning coffee break sitting in the Sun, at a picnic table chatting with a charming Monticello employee who was originally from Denmark. Like our friend Christel McCarthy, this lovely lady had been a stewardess for Pan American Airways and as a result had traveled extensively.  ​She had many great stories of her travels.

Since photography is not allowed inside the house at Monticello, I found these pictures on the web

Following the house tour we took the guided outdoor tour that focuses on the experiences of the enslaved people of the plantation.    The guide called it a “journey through difficult information”.   The system of slavery at Monticello (and elsewhere) basically denied the humanity of the enslaved.   The man who wrote the words “all men are created equal” owned hundreds of slaves during his lifetime.   The story is further complicated by the fact that one of those slaves, Sally Hemings, was the mother of 6 of his children (4 lived to adulthood). ​

After the tours we strolled around the grounds looking at a variety of other exhibits of life at Monticello.   Although lacking the beauty of the gardens that you experience in Spring and Summer the views including the “nickel view” of Monticello are spectacular even when the ground is covered with snow.

Eastern States Penitentiary: Today, Yesterday and Overhead

The prisoners were kept in individual cells each with its own high walled exercise yard.   There was no interaction with the guards or with each other.   This system was supposed to instill spiritual reflection and penance.   The prison closed in 1969 and was opened for tours beginning in 1988.   The buildings have been stabilized and a few areas restored and there are many interpretive signs and an excellent audio tour.  ​

The synagogue at Eastern States Penitentiary, designed and built by the inmates in the space of three cells, has been restored to its mid 20th century appearance.  Although the materials the prisoners had was scrap wood, they managed to create the essence of synagogue decor of the era.  The text in the exhibit panels talks about the incongruity between the crimes the prisoners had committed and their faith: in opposition to each other, but both very real.

Prisoners fought in the wars that occurred during the 130 years ESP was open.  The plaque honoring the inmates that died in World War I identifies those who died with their numbers. ​

A visit to ESP is a somber experience.  You will be forced to travel through several centuries of experiments in how to manage, punish, rehabilitate, and even help prisoners.  In the United States we have not made anywhere near the progress on this issue as we have made in over two centuries progress in almost all other aspects of life.  It was encouraging that the last major exhibit addressed this issue, leading with one proven mechanism for change:  there is a major piece of the closing exhibit encouraging  and helping people who have witnessed this prison to register to vote.

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Those of us who struggle mightily to present history in an engaging manner with very limited financial resources will appreciate my very real jealousy of the sheer magnitude of what one can do with adequate funding.   The variety of techniques employed to present the information and artifacts ran the full gamut of possibilities.   There were large interactive touch screen displays, life-sized dioramas (including horses), and all manner of audio, visual and sensory components masterfully used to engage the visitor.   It worked on us. 

Wonderful life-size dioramas

Slaves and Native Americans were part of the American Revolution