Visit to the Capitol

The sun was shining when we got going today. We went first to the airport to extend the car hire for one more day, then drove to a Metro Station where we left the car and rode the Metro into the centre of town.

The building is impressive and we first did our own tour of the House Of Representatives, where sadly no photos were allowed. But in the main hall we were allowed to take photos.

"Freedom" this is the plaster model for the statue on top of the Capitol

We then lined up for a tour of the rotunda which started with a 12 minute film. Our guide had some problems with the equipment, as the boys had to wear an earphone amplifier which was meant to give them only her voice in their ears. There were so many people being guided around that this was most necessary. 

Our guide

Sadly the ceiling of the rotunda inside was also being refurbished, like the outside!

We were all suitably impressed by the whole building. Alan couldn't resist one last trip to the shop before we went outside into the sunshine.

We two bears are a bit lost at the foot of the stairs to this huge building, but it proves we were there!

A stop for coffee and a walk through Chinatown, then it was back on the Metro.

George couldn't leave America without having eaten a hamburger so we stopped at a "Wendy's" to have one before catching the sunset over the parking lot of our hotel.

We've been told to sit quietly in the corner, now while Alan gets on with his packing. George has done his and it may take Alan quite awhile before he is finished!!! We're all right as we have our places firmly reserved, not sure about the rest of the stuff though, goodness knows how it is all going to go in!!!

The sun shone in Jamestown

The sun shone today and laughed at us for our despair yesterday. Inside this large museum complex  we found a memorial to the 350th Anniversary of the Jamestown settlement.

The boys took us first to the Powhatan Indian Village where we found bear skins in the lodges or yehakins as the Indians called their reed huts. We were a little afraid to be scalped ourselves, so today we did not chat up any dusky maidens. We did explore the yehakins though, and had a bit of fun playing hide and seek with the boys.

Alan gathered us in and told us to behave as we were now going aboard some ships. Moored in the little harbour were three replica ships that brought the first settlers to Virginia. This time it was Alan's turn to chat up a young maiden, and they had a nice chat about sailing then and now. Well, he does know a thing or two about it.

We spent quite some time on these two vessels and only left when groups of school children came aboard. 

In the fort, Alan chatted to the cook who was making pasta, about recipes and such. We also saw some very happy chickens running about, the blacksmith was working hard at his business and in the largest building, which was the church, we found some tablets with prayers on the wall.

Honour satisfied we left Jamestown to come back to Washington and after a three hour journey, again using the iPad to navigate by, we arrived at our last hotel. 

Dinner in Williamsburg

The boys, well Alan really, were in need of a glass of red wine to compensate for the torrential downpour which stopped play today. They were recommended to go to "Rocco's Smokehouse", which was down the road a block or two, as being one of the few places that sell alcohol with meals. 

They left us in the hotel as they always do, when they go out for a meal and walked the two blocks to the said restaurant in the rain. Getting over the four lane highway in the dark and rain was the next problem. It would appear that very few Americans go out at night on foot in this area, for there were no pedestrian crossings at all. They solved the problem by pretending to be cars and crossing at the lights, when they turned in their favour.

The cook stood at the door to welcome them, but Alan refused to kiss him as it said, but did give him a cuddle. Nothing could go wrong with the evening now, but Alan cursed that he had not brought his camera. George saved the day with his phone.

Alan got his glass of Merlot and when it came to George's beer the waiter brought him three glasses of the local brew to try.

Choosing what to eat in this "meat heavy" restaurant was not easy either, but the whole experience did compensate them for a very rainy day.

George's meal

Alan's meal

There is nothing finer than a good glass of wine when you have been "pissed" off by the events of the day.

The boys returned happy and content, even though the rain had not stopped. We think they will sleep well tonight, but we are going to need ear plugs, for we feel they will snore the night away as if they are  chopping down a rain forest.

Williamsburg

This morning when we got up, it was overcast and very warm and humid. Like being in the tropics. Outside the front of the hotel are some "Wau Waus" which sadly did not bring us much luck today.

We went back in time to 18th century Williamsburg and visited those places we left out yesterday.

In Germany there are people who run around in Middle Age Costumes, so having Americans running around in 18th century costumes, since they cannot go that far back in their history, is about the same. We found another pretty maid to chat up and she found us so sweet she even gave us a cuddle.

This woman showed us around the House of Burgesses, which was the seat of Government in Virginia in those revolutionary days.

We then left historic Williamsburg by bus to find a coffee house in the modern side of town. While in the bus it started raining cats and dogs! After our coffee we returned to the car to then drive to Jamestown, but when we got there a torrential down pour had us running for cover in the Cafe.

The boys, rather demoralised, returned to the hotel as there was little real point in going on just to get soaked to the skin. Tomorrow promises to be sunny again, so we will visit then, before making our way back to Washington.