July 19, 2012 Williamsburg VA

This morning we had the chance to do some catch up errands, look at some of the thousands of photos and try to make progress in the blogging. Then we went for a timeshare update breakfast.  Heard some of the latest news about timeshares...and got our two free tickets to Colonial Williamsburg.

Colonial Williamsburg is a nonprofit organization which has rebuilt and reconstructed the original downtown Williamsburg from back in the days of 1776.  The town is filled with living history character actors dressed in period costumes and lots of great professionally done show based on what was happening right as the Revolutionary War was coming.

Highlights of the day included the chance to tour the Virginia Capital Building where a lot of the decisions about the form of government that Virginia would have, and ultimately much of the whole movement to independence would have begun.

We also saw lots of other amazing building from coffeehouses to taverns, to private homes to stores.

We found some time to relax along the main street.

We had a long discussion with an actual wheelwright who makes wheels full time at Williamsburg, along with nearly 100 other craftsmen.

We timed our visit to have a visit with Martha Washington.  For her, it was shortly after her husband had retired after his second term as president.  She shared stories from throughout her life.  There were much personal sharing, even of being courted by George after her first husband had died.  She presented a very strong character who struggled with honoring her own thoughts and desires while being forced to play a more public, political role in support of her husband.

This time contrasted with a public meeting with George Washington later in the day.  For him, the time was 1775.  The colonies had not yet declared independence, he had not assumed command of the continental army, and he had not been President.  He shared his views on the conflict with the English Parliament and the sense of betrayal from the King.  He commented on the action in Boston to destroy tea and the English response.  We definitely had a sense of being transported back into that time.  After his speech, Mr. Washington took questions from the audience.  He was amazing in his ability to stay in character and rooted in the right time.  One question tried to draw him into speculating about time traveling and commenting on similarities between his time and ours.  George simply said, "I do not understand anything you just asked." The actors who played Martha Washington and George Washington were exquisite.  We were awestruck by their fine work and learned a lot.

In Virginia, much of the conflict was with the Governor, who was appointed by the King.  His palace was at the opposite end of town from the Capitol.  We thought about touring the Palace but, as a storm seemed to be moving in with lightening and thunder, we went back to the condo for dinner. NO real rain, but at least we had a nice dinner.

Then back to Colonial Williamsburg for evening program.  First we had a wonderful hour-long walking tour focused on Williamsburg and the Civil War.  Besides a lot of background about how part of the war was really was fought right in this town, there were also several additional renactors who brought the stories to life:  a shell struck Confederate young solider, a young wife whose husband was off in the Confederate army while she remained in Williamsburg under union occupation, and a Union martial law commander yelling at the the townspeople for aiding rebel troops as they came into town for raids.  The stories were complicated and compelling.

We then ended the evening with a lovely violin and harpsichord concert in the old Episcopal church where Washington and Jefferson attended worship in the 1700's.  It was a candlelit concert and filled the church with beautiful vibrations.

Then back to the condo for finishing up the days work, because tomorrow we are back on the move.