Discovering More History in Williamsburg, Virginia

A great respite from reliving parts of our lives and a cancer-fighting family, as I articulated during September's Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, is a good dose of our US History and the Capitol of Virginia from 1699 to 1780, Williamsburg. The iconic town, steeped in US history, was the perfect antidote for hubby Bill and me. The Best Daughter (Olivia) and grandson Bodie also joined the fun over the past weekend. The weather couldn't have been any better - warm sun, no wind, and a perfect backdrop of Colonial times and all that it has to offer to all of its guests.

I wrote this on our first day here:

I love the Commonwealth of Virginia; the rolling hills, green trees, verdant pastures with stallion horses who swish their tails like nobody's business, and the history of our country in all its glory 250 years ago, all starting in Colonial Williamsburg, VA (when the powers that be got sick and tired of the King over in England, that is).

We are here to experience the whole scene, not just to catch a glimpse of the 18th century. It is very vibrant here and appeals to most people (or at least I hope it does). This is where ideas of independence and revolution formed. And I love how the "actors" reinvent themselves as the founding fathers and their wives, weaving folklore and true (enough) stories of their lives, dreams, and struggles of the community. Somehow, these smart-witted men, like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, or Marquis de Lafayette, figured out how to establish a democratic country, Nation Builders, that has endured for two and a half centuries. Now, that is saying something.

The weather is perfect at this time of year for strolling through the streets, the main one being Duke of Gloucester Street, and discovering interesting things to see and do, no matter which direction (or straight ahead) you want to go. We met up with our Californian friends, Katy and Ron Dalgleish, on Duke of Gloucester Street and stayed for a while to see some street performers dressed in 1770s garb, singing with the crowd and dancing an English jig with willing audience participation to the delight of many. If you've never been, I hope you make a note to visit this wonderful part of Virginia and its surrounding areas.

The Nation Builders were not for the faint of heart. Were they Patriots forging a new nation through the Colonies—or Traitors to the Crown? History, it seems, depends on who's writing it.

It's going to be a fun few days here in Colonial Williamsburg!

bSoleille!

Terri