National Treasures – 15th – 18th May

15th May

We left Roanoke, both feeling better than the day before. My (Pia) stomach was a lot better (it isn’t nice to be sick, but is even worse when you are away from home and its creature comforts), but Mark’s cold had become worse and was in his chest and making its way into his head. Courtesy of that neither of us had had a great night’s sleep.

But we made our way back up to finish the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was just as spectacular and we were so glad to have done it. We crossed the I64 and into Shenandoah National Park. Absolutely spectacular. The pass for the park was $15 but that is valid for 7 days. By this time Mark’s head was feeling quite rotten and he had used two ten packs of tissues already. But we did manage to go for a walk in the woods. On the way up the trail we met up with a lovely couple from Washington DC. We walked and chatted and then at the peak, sat and chatted about Australia and the US and the differences and commonalities.

We exchanged email addresses and they now have our blog address. Some more friends to add to the list. You can never have too many friends…

After the walk we made our way out of Shenandoah and started on our way toward Richmond, Virginia. We were heading towards Mark’s second cousin, Hugh Harris.
Hugh’s mother is Mark’s Great Aunt Mary (they met in 1984 when Mark was travelling around the world with his parents and again in1993 when Mark was on leave from the US Marine Corps). Mary is 98 and very active and completely independent. There will be more about her later, when we go to visit her.

We hadn’t met Hugh and his wife, Sharon before but as soon as we arrived we were made to feel so very at home and part of the family. At this point we were able to do a very badly needed load of laundry. We were down to our last clean clothes (and even those were on their last day’s wear).

We went out to a great BBQ place, Famous Dave’s, where we were given some of their BBQ sauce, as first time customers (Nigel I think you will enjoy this sauce, we have two bottles). Mark coughed and sneezed the night away.

16th May

We were invited to attend church with Hugh and his wife Sharon. Hugh is a Methodist Pastor and the church we went to is Willis Church, where Hugh has been pastor for the past 5 years, but is soon leaving for another, as yet unknown position. Willis has been a fully functional church for 207 years, yes you read that right. It has been around since before the Civil War and also has some Civil War graves in its cemetery. Across the road from the church there was a much larger cemetery with hundreds of Civil War graves.

All throughout the drive to the church and beyond we saw remnants and reminders of how the war affected these areas. It is amazing to see how everyone tries to make this an important part of their heritage. There is a big Civil War battlefield nearby.

After the church service we were treated to an amazing lunch at the church. I have never seen so much food. Everyone was so incredibly friendly and welcoming and wanted to know about where we were from, where we had been and where we were going.

We made our way back to Hugh and Sharon’s and all spent a couple of our just resting and reading. Sitting on the back porch, in beautiful surroundings with magnificent greenery surrounding you. No breeze, the perfect temperature. What better way to spend a couple of hours than reading. Later that evening we went out to Ruby Tuesday’s and had a lovely meal and then we settled in for the evening.

17th May

With sadness in our hearts, we bid a (hopefully temporary) goodbye to Hugh and Sharon, and began the drive to the nearby town of Williamsburg.

Williamsburg is a town of tremendous historical significance as this area was the earliest settled by England in America, in nearby James Towne, in 1607. Later, after James Towne had given rise to the larger Williamsburg, it played important roles in the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. Today, it is peaceful and serene. The streets and buildings largely date back hundreds of years and those that don’t are made in the same style. It is like a time capsule. There is greenery everywhere. It is very verdant here. There are Oak, Pine, Maple and other European and North American trees. It is very beautiful and very quiet. Houses are mainly big, 2-storey affairs and backyards are big, and back onto woodland. Deer, squirrels, rabbits and various birds wander around unafraid.

Williamsburg is also the (temporary) home of Hugh’s brother Jim, and his wife, Debbie. Jim is also a Methodist Pastor, and his church is here. Jim and Debbie were tremendously welcoming and we have been getting along famously.

It was raining today, but we took a ride and a walk around the famously historical downtown Williamsburg anyway and enjoyed a superb lunch at a tavern called the King’s Arms, which dated back to before the Revolutionary War (hence the British-sounding name).

We also spent an hour or so touring a big store called Yankee Candle. All I’ll say is that my mother and sister (you, Debbie) should see this place. Maybe they have a website, but it couldn’t do them any justice.

In the evening we enjoyed a quiet night in and a delicious home-cooked meal.

18th May

This morning we went out for breakfast to a local pancake place and it was delicious.
Then we visited a local attraction called President’s Park. This place is a park with a large, sculpted bust of each and every president from George Washington to George W. Bush. They are lined up along a walking path with a plaque for each that gives a lot of interesting trivia and essential information on each president. It was really well worth the visit.

After that we went to the National Park where James Towne once stood. This was the previously mentioned site of the first English settlement in America, founded in 1607. It was also the scene of the story of Captain John Smith and the Indian Princess Pocahontas.

It was a really great visit. There is an archaeological museum that was really excellent and some relics (including a cemetery) from the original settlement, scattered around the grounds. We saw some archaeologists digging a trench on site and one of them, a fellow who must have been 90 years old, wearing a Marine Corps ballcap, called Ralph, took about 10 minutes out and told us a lot of really interesting things about the site from an archaeological point of view.
We also visited the Glasshouse there, where they still blow glass in the traditional methods, as the German glassblowers from the original colony did. It was great to watch them work and the results were beautiful.

Tonight Pia is making tuna mornay and we plan to have the night in.

Pocahontas statue, Jamestown, VA

John Smith statue, Jamestown, VA

Mark, Pia and Abe Lincoln

Pia, Debbie and Jim, Williamsburg, VA

Mark, Sharon, Hugh and Pia, Richmond, VA

Shenandoah National Park, Drive By Photography

Shenandoah Wildlife

Mark and Pia on a short trail in Shenandoah, thank you to Laura and Linley for the photo