D.C. to NYC

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Caroline Wise and Jutta Engelhardt at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C.

Our last day in Washington D.C. starts with us paying a visit to Arlington National Cemetery and the gravesite of John F. Kennedy.

Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C.

We first visited this resting spot for soldiers from nearly all of America’s conflicts back in 2000, during our expeditionary journey across the United States that saw us racing from Arizona to Maine before heading south to take in places like Washington D.C., Kentucky, the Natchez Trace Parkway, and Louisiana. We didn’t have a proper visit to these grounds then; sadly, we are failing in that task today, too.

Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

Washington National Cathedral might have been slightly out of our way leaving D.C., but who turns up their nose at some classic neo-gothic architecture when it’s so close?

Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

Started in 1907, the cathedral, like most others, would take a long time before being considered finished. In this instance, it took 83 years until 1990, when construction was finally completed.

Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

This cathedral is part of the Episcopal faith, which got its start when the United States was breaking free from Britain and the Church of England which required allegiance to the monarch.

Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

We, though, are not here for religion or God; we are here for our senses and to see how old-world European cathedrals compare to what sprung up over here.

Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

Strangely enough, Caroline and I have visited more Spanish missions in California than any other house of worship across America.

Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

I don’t know what I was expecting when I planned our visit, but this is quite a beautiful cathedral. I suppose I’d likely seen it in the news being used for funerals or for inaugural prayers, but a foggy memory isn’t certain.

Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

Things missed while visiting: listening to the organ or a music recital, a tour of the bell tower, and attending services.

Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

The light is magnificent in many parts of the cathedral.

Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

I might be wrong, but this seems like a stained glass window one would only see in America.

Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

Close-up detail of the rose window, dedicated in 1977 in the presence of President Jimmy Carter and Queen Elizabeth II.

George Washington statue in the Washington National Cathedral in Washington D.C.

This is the namesake of the cathedral, George Washington, in an alcove under stained glass windows towering above.

After leaving the D.C. area, our destination today is New York City, four hours away.

Caroline Wise and Jutta Engelhardt in New York City

It was late in the afternoon as we arrived at the Courtyard Marriott in Jersey City, New Jersey on the Hudson River. Mere moments after dropping off our bags in the room, we were jumping on the subway at the Pavonia/Newport station en route to Times Square.

New York City

The sun was just peeking over the horizon as we started our walk up Broadway to 42nd Street.

New York City

While it’s a well-known phenomenon, the vibrant energy coursing through this city is palpable. Excitement pulls us in.

Caroline Wise and John Wise in New York City

Gotta remember to take the occasional selfie of Caroline and me so we are reminded that these adventures weren’t just Caroline and Jutta traveling with their personal documentarian.

New York City

Can we ever have too many photos of things that amaze us?

Caroline Wise and Jutta Engelhardt in New York City

The streets were crowded and, sure enough, lived up to the buzz that this corner of America generates. We weren’t allowed too much time to gawk, though, as we had reservations for a famous local attraction over on 5th Avenue between 33rd and 34th Streets.

New York City

View from the Empire State Building.

New York City

A perfect, cloud-free, fogless, clear night to look out upon New York City.

Caroline Wise in New York City

We must have lingered more than an hour up here. We did take the elevator to the 102nd-floor observatory but enjoyed the 86th-floor more, with the wind and sounds of the city below.

Caroline Wise and Jutta Engelhardt in New York City

Not a lot accomplished yet here in New York City but we have a full day planned for tomorrow.

The White House & More

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

The White House in Washington DC

The photo above was taken last evening and is filling in for the photo I would wish to have here. The reason I have no morning photo of the White House from this day is that we were not allowed to carry “ANYTHING” with us for our tour of the White House. No cameras, no phones, no combs or brushes, no cosmetics; basically, you come with the letter from your Congressman and your I.D., anything else, and you will be refused entry into the White House.

Our tour was self-guided and allowed us to linger to our heart’s content. While on first blush, this sounds better than being ushered through like so many cattle, the narrative is absent, and so the history that one might learn of is relegated to reading a book about the details once you’ve departed this historic home. However, the Secret Service staff on hand watching over the rooms were absolutely friendly and would answer almost any question. The only problem here is that you must overcome your awe and compose a question. Until you have been through the White House yourself, you cannot imagine how amazing it truly is that the average person and even a visitor from another country have access to the executive mansion, the home of our president.

Update: Here I am, 13 years later, adding photos to this post, and after checking the rules about visiting the White House these days found out that phones are allowed, which means that if we can visit again, I’ll be taking photos.

Subway in Washington D.C.

After our tour of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, we hopped on a subway to DuPont Circle near Embassy Row. Feels like we are in Europe; great job, Washington D.C., for keeping things stylish and not New Yorkish.

The Textile Museum in Washington D.C.

We are a short way north from the core of the historic center of government, about to visit the Textile Museum.

The Textile Museum in Washington D.C.

This is one of Caroline’s special wishes in her quest to learn more and more about the world of textiles and the fiber artists who’ve brought us to this juncture in the craft.

The Textile Museum in Washington D.C.

Update: good thing we visited here when we did, as it turns out that visiting textile exhibits might not be all that popular anymore. The 27,000-square-foot building must have been a pricey one to maintain as, in 2016, it was sold to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and the collection was moved to a new building at George Washington University.

In yesterday’s post, I mentioned passing the Ben Franklin statue in front of the Old Post Office; we were on a 1.5-mile-long walk over to the Capitol starting from Hotel Harrington, where we are staying. Today, the D.C. Metro, as the subway is known, brought us back from DuPont station to the Federal Triangle stop, from which we are going to continue our walk to the next stop.

National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.

We have arrived at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

The top hat worn by Abraham Lincoln the evening he was assassinated. National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.

The top hat worn by President Abraham Lincoln the night he was assassinated at Ford Theater in 1865.

National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.

The plaster cast of Lincoln’s right hand was taken two days after the Republican party nominated him as their candidate for President; it was pointed out that his hand was still swollen from shaking so many hands prior to the nomination.

National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.

A campaign hat worn by Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman.

National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.

Poor note-taking combined with not taking a photograph of the descriptive placard or forgetfulness,  but none of that matters now as I want to share the image of a World War II soldier’s rather large boot with no supporting information about why these made the cut to be included in the American History Museum.

National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.

A World War II German Field Marshall’s baton.

Funny that there are no photos of Caroline or Jutta in front of the Berlin Wall from when it still stood in Germany; they had to come to America to have their photos taken in front of this iconic part of the Cold War.

The U.S. flag that flew over Fort McHenry that inspired our national anthem at the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.

On a previous visit, this relic of American history was still being restored in a side room, but now here we are in a special darkened enclave where the famous Star-Spangled Banner that flew over Fort McHenry and inspired Francis Scott Key to write the lyric that would become our national anthem is now on permanent display.

After a couple of hours in the American History Museum, our next stop was the Museum of Natural History, but they were closing early, which afforded little opportunity to see very much. Caroline and I will be returning to D.C. in September and have this museum at the top of our list of sights to see.

Maybe the most famous object in this museum is the Hope Diamond.

Other than being a curiosity, I suppose this piece of barite from Dreislar mine, two hours north of Frankfurt, only captured my attention because of its German origins.

The biggest chunk of gold I’ve ever seen.

I don’t know about others, but it’s around this time that I wish I lived in a museum.

Come to think about it, do I really want to be responsible for keeping a museum’s worth of stuff clean?

The Smithsonian Castle.

Our visit to Washington D.C. would not have been complete if we hadn’t walked around the Tidal Basin and visited the Jefferson Memorial.

Closing in.

While Jefferson was a flawed man, he also helped pen the Declaration of Independence when he was only 33 years old, setting the stage for a founding document that survived for hundreds of years and blazed a trail that many who would follow, unable to equal his intellect, would never be able to attain or at least so it appears seeing their utter lack of ability to govern with vision or advance our country.

There’s no denying that we are all tired so it was time to just hang out at the Tidal Basin, rest our feet, and take a break.

Watching goslings with their goosey parents nearby is about the speed we can best handle as we approach exhaustion.

No matter our level of sore feet or any other ailment, we were not about to take the fastest way back to our hotel. So, we circled the Tidal Basin in order to pay a visit to the Roosevelt Memorial, which memorializes the life of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and, by extension, his Scottish Terrier Fala.

It would almost be easier to write about Eleanor Roosevelt’s husband than this strong woman. To put into context the tireless work on behalf of minorities, women, and the president, too, would require a blog post about nothing but her. There’s a reason that so many books and movies have been made about her life.

This is the District of Columbia War Memorial that notes the lives of fallen soldiers from World War I.

World War II Memorial in Washington D.C.

Seeing we were in the area, why not check out what Washington’s newest monument looks like when its lighting is lending evening ambiance to the area?

World War II Memorial in Washington D.C.

After our first visit in the year 2000 and this trip with Jutta, I thought that this monument was going to appear to be shoe-horned in and that it was nothing more than President Bill Clinton wanting to leave his mark on D.C. back in the early ’90s. Well, this corner of the U.S. Capital just shines with this addition, helping me look forward to whatever else might spring up here during the rest of my lifetime.

Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.

From the World War II Memorial, looking towards the Lincoln Memorial, it’s still a beautiful sight.

The White House in Washington DC

Once more, we pass the White House, only able to dream of what the Obamas’ nights in this historic building are like.

The U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

A last look up Pennsylvania Avenue to see the U.S. Capitol at night before dragging ourselves to our hotel; we are spent and out of energy.

The Nation’s Capital

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Caroline Wise and Jutta Engelhardt at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

From Pennsylvania Avenue, over Constitution Avenue, passing Benjamin Franklin in front of the Old Post Office, we cut between the Smithsonian Museum of American History and the Museum of Natural History, turned left onto the National Mall, and walked straight ahead towards the U.S. Capitol Building.

The U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

We swung left around the Capitol and, like at many other places, we were astonished to be offered these crowd-free views. We’ll come back to the Capitol later, but right now, we have a date elsewhere.

U.S. Supreme Court in Washington D.C.

Here, we are approaching the steps of the Supreme Court in awe. I don’t know how anyone could stand in the presence of these institutions and not be bowled over by not just the magnificence of their buildings but also the role they’ve played in shaping the United States. Once inside, we were first in line for the 9:30 orientation presentation by a clerk of the Supreme Court – we were stoked.

U.S. Supreme Court in Washington D.C.

I would like to think that being here might have extra significance for Caroline, knowing that her father, Hanns Engelhardt, a judge retired from the Federal Court of Justice in Germany, would probably enjoy visiting this extraordinary building with her and so in some way, she’s acting as his surrogate.

U.S. Supreme Court in Washington D.C.

For 220 years, two months, two weeks, and a day, this institution has operated as the arbiter and interpreter of the law, and since 1935, it has sat here in this purpose-built, immaculate courtroom.

Inside the chamber of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington D.C.

A mea culpa: technically, there is no photography allowed inside the chamber of the Supreme Court, but it’s not in session, and I’m at the threshold, so I believe this was kind of okay. The fact is that I just had to have this photo to remind myself as I reach old age that I actually stood at these places and saw them with my own eyes.

U.S. Supreme Court in Washington D.C.

This is not easy to photograph as we are not afforded all the time we might wish to have, nor are we allowed to explore all the other treasures that likely exist just behind the walls and doors we cannot visit. In addition, our day is full of other wonderful locations that must be taken in.

Random flower in Washington D.C.

Barely a five-minute walk away, we’re arriving at our next destination.

The Library of Congress in Washington D.C.

Who plans this stuff? Seriously, the Supreme Court tour at 9:30, and then at 10:30 we are scheduled to tour the Library of Congress. We are nothing if not ambitious.

The Library of Congress in Washington D.C.

With my mother-in-law in tow, this trip is about bang for the buck, and it was long ago decided that it is better to spend a little time seeing a lot than to use our time immersed in granularity.

Update: I wrote the above 13 years ago, and as I’ve grown older, I’m now in love with granularity. I’ve been updating this series of posts from 2009, and as I pointed out elsewhere, I’m adding photos that bandwidth restrictions wouldn’t allow after we returned from this trip back east. In returning to those old musings, I’m being drawn into wanting to spend time exploring these places we rushed through in more granularity. I’m penciling in a 2023 return.

The Library of Congress in Washington D.C.

The tour was fantastic, giving us enough history about the building, its uses, and the opportunity to see the major highlights, including an original Gutenberg Bible.

The Library of Congress in Washington D.C.

I’ve not seen the interior of every building in America, but if someone told me that this is the most beautiful, I’d likely believe them.

Jutta Engelhardt and Caroline Wise at The Library of Congress in Washington D.C.

After nearly two hours in the Library of Congress, it was time to take the underground tunnel over to the U.S. Capitol building.

Inside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

Upon reaching a security desk and showing a letter from my Congressman regarding our scheduled tour of the Capitol, I explained that we were looking for the Senate dining room. Thanks to my exuberance and mentioning how my great uncle Ken Burke was with the Secret Service as Chief Inspector at the White House starting with the Roosevelt administration through Johnson’s time in the Oval Office, the three of us were given badges to seek out the security desk on the Senate side of the Capitol – we were allowed to travel unescorted.

Inside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

We could not believe our luck when the lady offered us badges to use the Senate elevator to the Capitol Subway to catch a ride to the Rayburn Building – again, unescorted.

Inside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

At the Senate reception desk, we learned that we could eat on the Congressional side as it was my Congress John Shadegg who’d arranged our tour. We were ecstatic by now. Our tour of the Capitol was led by Sara, an aide to our Congressman.

Caroline Wise and Jutta Engelhardt inside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

We may as well have been delivered to the moon as we stood there in the Crypt at the geographic center of Washington DC

Inside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

Prior to the building of the Supreme Court we had visited earlier, this room was the Chamber of the Supreme Court.

Inside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

The dome of the Capitol is not misshapen, but photographing it with a lens not suited for this purpose and then trying to stitch together all the images I shot produced this slight distortion.

Inside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

Close-up of the painting at the top of the Capitol Dome.

Caroline Wise, John Wise, and Jutta Engelhardt inside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

How is this even possible that average people should be able to visit such an important place of government? It can only happen in a system that is “mostly” open to broad participation by leadership that works by at least some level of transparency. This place in the rotunda might as well be hallowed ground where people such as Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and Rosa Parks have lain in state; what an honor.

Inside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

I can only hope that I will hold onto this grand respect until the end of my days.

Inside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

Old Senate Chamber, where the business of the senate was conducted before the wing dedicated to their business was built.

Inside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

The ceiling of the National Statuary Hall.

The U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C.

Finally, our guide, Sara, brought us into the House gallery, where we caught the tail end of a vote and were able to see Nancy Pelosi and a number of other representatives we recognized. Sara, you made our day and have helped leave us with indelible memories. Also, a special thanks to Congressman John Shadegg’s office for helping with our plans.

U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington D.C.

The day still had a lot more in store for us. Our reservation to enter the National Archives was still more than an hour away at 4:45 when we finished with the Capitol, so we visited the National Botanical Garden for the briefest visit ever.

Jutta Engelhardt at the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington D.C.

Apologies should be offered to my mother-in-law as this is certainly a grueling itinerary that is pushing her hard, but what a sport she is; I can only hope that the intensity of the experience is carrying her through.

The National Archives in Washington D.C.

From the Botanical Garden, we walked across the Mall to a side entrance of the Archives.

The National Archives in Washington D.C.

Within minutes, we were standing in front of the original Declaration of Independence!

The National Archives in Washington D.C.

Followed by the Constitution, in addition to the Bill of Rights and the Magna Carta.

The Washington Monument in Washington D.C.

After many a mile walked on now very tired feet we still had the energy to make our way to China Town for dinner. Since it was still relatively early afterward, we were not about to waste perfectly good daylight and decided we’d take a leisurely walk down towards the Washington Monument and then pass the White House for a sunset view. By now, our feet were in serious pain. We’d been walking the better part of 14 hours, covering countless miles, and were ready to call it quits for the day.

Williamsburg – Mt. Vernon – D.C.

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Caroline Wise and Jutta Engelhardt - prisoners in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Up early in Colonial Williamsburg to capture some of the solitude the morning offers, and I found these two crusty hags in the stockade. I can only imagine the depths of their lurid crimes. The old town just isn’t what it used to be.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Nothing is open at this time of day, and due to my relentless need to rush from one place to another, we are only allowed the briefest of impressions. We don’t always move this way, but when we do, we sometimes end up wishing for some flexibility that wasn’t built into the plans. Such is the nature of wanting to share firsthand impressions of places with Jutta and trying to prioritize some things while effectively diminishing others.

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Even before anyone else is stirring, we have to turn our focus on heading up the York River. From there, we’ll skip over to the Rappahannock River and finally trace up the famous Potomac.

Washington's Home in Mount Vernon, Virginia

We have arrived at Mt. Vernon to visit the home of the 1st President of the United States, George Washington.

Washington's Home in Mount Vernon, Virginia

Not only was he our first President, but he scored by being one of the early landowners in America on the Potomac River to be able to choose where to put his home.

Washington's Home in Mount Vernon, Virginia

The grounds are extensive, and it was soon abundantly clear that there’s no way I allocated enough time to do justice to what’s here to discover.

Washington's Home in Mount Vernon, Virginia

A hilltop overlooking the Potomac River may not be beachfront on Kauai, but if you had to live in the Eastern U.S. close enough to work so the horse and buggy might get you somewhere in a reasonable amount of time, well then, George Washington picked a mighty fine location that while only 16 miles from D.C., feels well removed.

Washington's Home in Mount Vernon, Virginia

I should point out that the original post from this day and those surrounding it were originally rather brief, and while the story will remain thin, I’ve added a good number of photos that weren’t included in the original posts. The exclusion of so many photos was due to the limits of bandwidth back then. However, when updating the posts, I often can’t really add any more context because I’m now so far removed from the events of those days.

Washington's Home in Mount Vernon, Virginia

The final resting place of George Washington, his wife Martha, is interred to his right. Time to head to our next stop on this whirlwind adventure.

Washington D.C.

Our hotel is but a few minutes walk around the corner from the White House. After check-in and parking the car for the next three days, as we will stick to getting around by foot and subway, we are off and soon walking by the home of Mr. Barack Obama on our way to the National Mall.

Jutta Engelhardt and Caroline Wise in Washington D.C.

Next up, we pass the Washington Monument, hoping to reach the Lincoln Memorial before sunset.

Washington D.C.

Just before reaching the reflecting pool, we come upon the new World War II Memorial. The last time Caroline and I were here, construction wouldn’t begin for at least another year. The finished Memorial is beautiful and fits between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial as though it was always meant to be here.

Washington D.C.

Looking back from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool with the U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument in view at sunset makes for a stunning image of our well-planned capital city.

Jutta Engelhardt and Caroline Wise in Washington D.C.

Sunset was just starting to finish its business as we stood below the towering Mr. Lincoln in awe of all the history surrounding us.

Washington D.C.

As the lights on the monuments come up, so does the desire to see everything in the evening, but we have a busy couple of days that demand we all get some sleep.

Washington D.C.

And so, past the White House, we go on the way back to our hotel.

Jamestown – Williamsburg

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The bed Stonewall Jackson died in at Fairfield Plantation in Virginia

We departed Fredericksburg, Virginia, early in the morning and took a random small road in the general direction of where we wanted to end up. Not too far from town, we stumbled upon a sign pointing us to the Stonewall Jackson Shrine. Intrigued, we followed the directions to what nowadays is called the Stonewall Jackson Death Site, which is part of the Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park near Guinea, Virginia. Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson was a Civil War general on the Confederate side and contracted pneumonia after being accidentally shot by his own men during the Battle of Chancellorsville. The bed above is where the General died on May 10, 1863.

Coverlet from Stonewall Jackson Death Site in Guinea, Virginia

Update from Caroline: While the “death bed” has more historical significance, this other bed with a coverlet caught my attention. I really fell in love with the  “alien head pattern.” Little did I know that a few short years after this encounter, my first set of handwoven towels would feature the “cat tracks and snail trails” overshot weaving pattern. Here am I getting started, and these are the towels freshly cut off the loom.

In Bowling Green, Virginia, we left State Route 2 and transitioned onto U.S. 301, which runs all the way to Sarasota, Florida, but we are not going quite that far.

There’s a faster way to where we are going over on Interstate 95 that runs from Maine to Miami, but then we wouldn’t see things like this mossy Beetle.

Our 110 drive south is taking us past this historic building in Hanover, Virginia.

Did I learn about this in school? I have no memory of it, but right here in Hanover, Patrick Henry, who might be more famous for his quote, “Give me liberty, or give me death!” helped kick things into action regarding the colonies entering the American Revolution with a case regarding taxation and tobacco referred to as the Parsons’ Cause.

Continuing down small backwood roads, we meandered through the countryside before meeting up with the James River Plantation road that would take us to Jamestown. Back in 1607, this original English settlement was the seed laying the foundation for the Colonies and, ultimately, the United States.

It was almost 20 years after this first landing when the Pilgrims arrived and established the second successful English colony at Plymouth. Our visit on this day was gray with a light drizzle and occasionally heavier rains, but it lent an air of what it might have been like here, next to the river on the not-so-pleasant days.

The church here was reconstructed out of the rubble from the ruin of the original tower that was built back in 1639.

The wetlands surrounding Jamestown, Virginia

On days like this, the early colonists must have wondered why they were trying to live on this swampy land surrounded by Native Americans who were not appreciative of the intruders.

Our next stop was in Colonial Williamsburg. Middle Plantation, established in 1632, was the area that in 1698 would become known as Williamsburg, and later the capital of the Virginia colony after determining that Jamestown was not a suitable location.

In 1693, the College of William & Mary was established here, the institution where Presidents Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and John Tyler would be educated along with Chief Justice John Marshall, Speaker of the House Henry Clay, and 16 signers of the Declaration of Independence. From 1699 to 1780, Williamsburg served as Virginia’s colonial capital, but during the Revolutionary War, the capital was moved to Richmond as it was considered easier to defend.

We had no idea how intriguing this enclave and re-enactment of an early American city would turn out to be as the internet proved to be a poor salesman of what Colonial Williamsburg was actually like. I seriously expected a rendition similar to the ham-fisted Knott’s Berry Farm version of the Old West, only this would be the East Coast Silly Place version. Nope, I was wrong. Dinner here at the King’s Arms Tavern seriously drove home the efforts being made to not turn this into a mockery of history.

Following our dinner, we had reservations for a candle-lit tour of a small corner of the historic district, dipping into a few of the buildings specially lit just for this visit.

I would have thought that work by candlelight was nigh well impossible at the blacksmith’s shop back in the day, but on the short days of winter, they’d still have to get things done.

Likewise, at the printing shop.

The warm light of the candles lent an authenticity to the sense of history that electric lighting would have stolen.

The Capitol building in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

We sat down at 9:00 pm for a harpsichord concert at the old Capitol building. Today, it’s a recreation of the original 1705 that was destroyed by fire in 1747. It was rebuilt but did not survive much past the American Revolution. This place is where the House of Burgesses would meet, including members George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and George Mason – tonight, it was our turn for a visit.

Virginia is for Tourists

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Jutta Engelhardt, Caroline Wise, and John Wise on the Virginia State Line

Late last night, Caroline arrived in Baltimore, Maryland, where we picked her up and took a short 54-mile (87km) drive to Frederick, Maryland, for the night. We intentionally overshot Washington D.C., not only to skip the traffic, but as this adventure progresses we have big plans in the nation’s capital city.

Jutta Engelhardt and Caroline Wise at Shenandoah National Park in Virginia

Today, we drove southwest to Front Royal, Virginia, to join the Skyline Drive National Scenic Byway in the Shenandoah National Park – romantic stories say that Shenandoah is Native American for Daughter of the Stars.

Skyline Drive Scenic Byway in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia

The curving, winding road over the mountain ridge took us up above the clouds and back down below.

Shenandoah National Park in Virginia

Speaking of being above the clouds.

Shenandoah National Park in Virginia

The Skyline Drive at the northern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway and paralleling the Appalachian trail did not disappoint; it surely stands out as one of the dozen most scenic roads in America.

Skyline Drive Scenic Byway in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia

With 75 overlooks and a 35 mph speed limit, the guidebooks that suggest allocating a mere 3 hours for this route do not allow an adequate amount of time to truly appreciate the drive, in my opinion. Maybe someday, this will be a bike-only tour in the warmer months.

Shenandoah National Park in Virginia

Along the way, we spied a fawn lying in the grass, gazed over beautiful vistas, and enjoyed the wildflowers.

Shenandoah National Park in Virginia

To the people who’ve already been down this road, things will only look familiar, but to those of us fortunate enough to wander far from home and, to a degree, off the beaten path, this feels like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for finding enchantment.

Shenandoah National Park in Virginia

Sometimes, that enchantment is found in little things…

Shenandoah National Park in Virginia

…and should be obvious to anyone not jaded enough to have stopped looking.

James Monroe's Highland in Charlottesville, Virgina

As we arrived in Charlottesville, we signed up for a tour that would take us by bus to the grounds of President Jefferson’s home later in the afternoon. Tip: sign up for tours before you ever leave home. To pass the time until then, we took the advice of the ticket agent to visit President James Monroe’s home, referred to as Highland.

James Monroe's Highland in Charlottesville, Virgina

Sadly for us, there was a band playing a mix of jazz and contemporary music for a wine tasting on the grounds that day. Tip: check the events calendar on the Highland website before committing to a visit.

James Monroe's Highland in Charlottesville, Virgina

The loud music, along with a tour guide who spoke far too fast and tried to include too much information for a tour that was trying to push us through the house in 15 or 20 minutes, made for a frustrating experience. We left before the tour was over and were kindly given refunds by the gift shop staff – a big thanks to those ladies for their understanding.

Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia

We’ve arrived at Monticello – the home of our third President and principal author of the Declaration of Independence, Mr. Thomas Jefferson.

Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia

Monticello was perfect, and as with other locations we find so enchanting, it turned out we had not allocated enough time to adequately visit this mountain-top home. We make note that this is one of those places we must plan on returning to someday.

Thomas Jefferson's grave at Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia

How this man just happened to die on the 50th-anniversary celebration of the day he helped usher in beggars’ belief. Yep, he passed away on July 4th, 1826.

Jutta Engelhardt, Caroline Wise, and John Wise at Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia

With Caroline now along for the journey, it’s as though we’ve begun vacation number two. Our first day into American history has been perfect with a lot more yet ahead of us.

Assateague Island National Seashore

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Jutta Engelhart at Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland

Tonight is the big night; mother and daughter will be reunited. First up, Jutta and I went for a trip south through the Maryland countryside to the Assateague Island National Seashore.

Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland

Out here next to the Atlantic Ocean, we spent the better part of the day watching ponies.

Jutta Engelhart at Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland

In keeping with the tradition of her high-spirited daughter, Jutta doffed her shoes and headed right for the surf for her very first encounter with this side of the Atlantic ocean.

Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland

We came for ponies, but we know how to enjoy the deer, too.

Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland

Being here also has another special meaning for Jutta as her horse-loving granddaughter Katarina, back home in Germany, will likely appreciate the souvenirs we’ll be collecting out here. Speaking of Katarina, it was just her 9th birthday six days ago.

Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland

Caroline and I first visited this island just a couple of years ago, in 2007.

A mare and foal on Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland

Around noon, we were delighted to watch this new foal cling to her mother…

Jutta Engelhart at Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland

…until curiosity got the best of the youngster, and it came over and gave a sniff to my very surprised mother-in-law.

Somewhere along the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland

We are on our way north along the Atlantic coast.

Jutta Engelhardt somewhere along the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland

The shoes didn’t come off this afternoon, which was okay as Jutta had already dipped her feet into the chilly Atlantic.

Jutta Engelhardt at the Caroline County welcome sign in Maryland

Well, before reaching Caroline at the Baltimore airport and after having passed through a small corner of Delaware, we just had to have this photo of my mother-in-law standing in from the welcome sign of Caroline County, Maryland.