For Tuesday's adventures we decided we would go to Colonial Williamsburg so my husband didn't get a tee-time. Since we thought it didn't open until 10, we had a leisure breakfast over our bowls of cereal and oatmeal.
We pulled into a fairly empty parking lot (we chose to go on our vacation the last half of September when the temps would be a little cooler because of fall and the crowds would be smaller as children would be back in school) and found a parking space close to the entrance. As we pulled in the space, it came to me.....I didn't get the tickets. I knew no one else had because I had been given the tickets on Sunday after the sales promotion, and I had put them on the counter.
So we pulled out of our really good, close parking space and headed back to the condo. Fortunately it wasn't too far (about a 15 minute drive), but by the time we got back, got our badges to wear that indicated we had paid for admission to the buildings (you can just walk in from side streets), found out all the special events for the day, waited for the shuttle, the PUBLIC AUDIENCE with THOMAS JEFFERSON in the PALACE GARDEN had already started.
The actor was so good, you forgot he wasn't really Thomas Jefferson. He was so in character that even when the train went by, blowing its whistle, he made a joke about it and the future. He spoke and left time for a couple of questions from the audience and answered them still in character as Thomas Jefferson.
We left the Palace gardens at the end of the performance and walked down the road to the Wheelwright and talked to a young man making a wheelbarrow. Everything they make is actually used at Williamsburg. He said he had made every wheel we would see that day.
We had to wait a few minutes for the next tour at the Wythe House. Our guide, in costume, took on the personality of a servant when we entered the house. It was like watching a play. We could ask questions, but were to phrase them in the present tense to further her performance. (Didn't remember this happening the last time we went to CW -- about 22 years ago) It was fun though.
It was after lunch time (again) so we headed down the Duke of Gloucester Street to put our name on the waiting list for the Chowning's Tavern. Our lunch was very good and I especially liked my piece of Chocolate Pecan Pie. Worth the wait.
After eating, we wandered down the street going into different shops. Everywhere you looked, there were actors who would speak to you "in character" and even carry on a discussion with you about topics current to the time. We managed to get a tour of the Colonial Capitol and made it out in time for two reenactments in the street in front of the Raleigh Tavern. "THE GALE FROM THE NORTH....news arrives of the battles of Lexington and Concord" The actors are all among the spectators drawing you into the drama.
and "A COURT OF TAR & FEATHERS...The men who answered Virginia's call for the defense of American liberty were brave, proud, and spirited. Any who would challenge their rights and liberties had better beware!" Even though the court (volunteers from the spectators found the man guilty) the commanding officer decided to let the man go without being tarred and feathered.
Our time was running out -- time flies in CW if you watch the different reenactments, which we really enjoyed since we didn't remember them from our earlier visits, but we managed to get back to the Governor's Palace for a guided tour. Once again our costumed guide entered the building and into the role of servant. We were the only ones in her tour so she gave us a lot of time and answered a lot of questions we had (in character).
By the time we came out it was getting close to the closing time for most of the buildings. Our "free" tickets that we had received from King's Creek were actually multi-day passes and we considered coming back Thursday morning while my husband played golf, but by the time Thursday came, we changed our minds and decided to go to an Antique Mall.
That night for dinner, we decided we would stop by Boone's BBQ at King's Creek, get food and take it back to the condo to eat and then play cards. It was really good food and another great day.
Read from the beginning HERE.
Read the next installment HERE.
We pulled into a fairly empty parking lot (we chose to go on our vacation the last half of September when the temps would be a little cooler because of fall and the crowds would be smaller as children would be back in school) and found a parking space close to the entrance. As we pulled in the space, it came to me.....I didn't get the tickets. I knew no one else had because I had been given the tickets on Sunday after the sales promotion, and I had put them on the counter.
So we pulled out of our really good, close parking space and headed back to the condo. Fortunately it wasn't too far (about a 15 minute drive), but by the time we got back, got our badges to wear that indicated we had paid for admission to the buildings (you can just walk in from side streets), found out all the special events for the day, waited for the shuttle, the PUBLIC AUDIENCE with THOMAS JEFFERSON in the PALACE GARDEN had already started.
The actor was so good, you forgot he wasn't really Thomas Jefferson. He was so in character that even when the train went by, blowing its whistle, he made a joke about it and the future. He spoke and left time for a couple of questions from the audience and answered them still in character as Thomas Jefferson.
We had to wait a few minutes for the next tour at the Wythe House. Our guide, in costume, took on the personality of a servant when we entered the house. It was like watching a play. We could ask questions, but were to phrase them in the present tense to further her performance. (Didn't remember this happening the last time we went to CW -- about 22 years ago) It was fun though.
It was after lunch time (again) so we headed down the Duke of Gloucester Street to put our name on the waiting list for the Chowning's Tavern. Our lunch was very good and I especially liked my piece of Chocolate Pecan Pie. Worth the wait.
After eating, we wandered down the street going into different shops. Everywhere you looked, there were actors who would speak to you "in character" and even carry on a discussion with you about topics current to the time. We managed to get a tour of the Colonial Capitol and made it out in time for two reenactments in the street in front of the Raleigh Tavern. "THE GALE FROM THE NORTH....news arrives of the battles of Lexington and Concord" The actors are all among the spectators drawing you into the drama.
and "A COURT OF TAR & FEATHERS...The men who answered Virginia's call for the defense of American liberty were brave, proud, and spirited. Any who would challenge their rights and liberties had better beware!" Even though the court (volunteers from the spectators found the man guilty) the commanding officer decided to let the man go without being tarred and feathered.
Our time was running out -- time flies in CW if you watch the different reenactments, which we really enjoyed since we didn't remember them from our earlier visits, but we managed to get back to the Governor's Palace for a guided tour. Once again our costumed guide entered the building and into the role of servant. We were the only ones in her tour so she gave us a lot of time and answered a lot of questions we had (in character).
By the time we came out it was getting close to the closing time for most of the buildings. Our "free" tickets that we had received from King's Creek were actually multi-day passes and we considered coming back Thursday morning while my husband played golf, but by the time Thursday came, we changed our minds and decided to go to an Antique Mall.
That night for dinner, we decided we would stop by Boone's BBQ at King's Creek, get food and take it back to the condo to eat and then play cards. It was really good food and another great day.
Read from the beginning HERE.
Read the next installment HERE.
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