Virginia/DC Vacation - Washington DC - Day 1 - Part 1

The first day into Washington was a busy fascinating day.  So much to see and so much to do. Our first day in Washington was September 6th, five days before the 10 year anniversary of September 11th and security seemed to be tight.

But despite the looming clouds and occasional rain shower we continued to enjoy the mall.  As it is at home, construction was a common sight as seen here at the reflecting pool.

But when you were away from the usual vantage points a pretty photo could still be captured.

After spending the day at the memorials and Smithsonian's (part 2 and 3 to follow) we had supper in a little sandwich shop downtown, close to Chinatown.

Texture Tuesdays - Dancing Shoes

This week's theme with Kim Klassen is red.  These shoes are Dorthy's red slippers from the Wizard of Oz.  According to Widipedia,  to create the ruby slippers, the shoes were first dyed red and burgundy sequins were stitched on.  The film's early three-strip Technicolor process required the sequins to be darker, as bright red would have appeared orange on the screen.  With a little help from Photoshop, they're back to red.

Virginia/DC Vacation - Berkeley Plantation

Welcome to the Berkeley Plantation, such a lovely place.  On December 4, 1619 a group of 38 English settlers arrived on the banks of the James River and settled in the new land grant of Berkeley Hundred.  This would have been the view of the waters edge.

The group's charter requited that the day of arrival be observed yearly as a "day of thanksgiving" to God.  On that first day, Captain John Woodleaf held the service of thanksgiving on this spot.

During the Indian Massacre of 1622, nine of the settlers at Berkely Hundred were killed and the rest of the colonists moved to more secure areas.  After several years the three story Georgian mansion was built using bricks fired on the property.

The view from the road

The kitchen

The view standing inside the main home and looking towards the river

The grounds

The Bekeley Plantation has been the ancestral home of two US presidents and the home of firsts, the first official Thanksgiving, the first time the Army bugle call "Taps" was played in 1862 and the first bourbon whiskey was distilled here by an Episcopal priest.

Virginia/DC Vacation - Richmond Continued

After a morning at the cemetery our day continued with sightseeing in Richmond.

View from our hotel room

Ruins of the Tredegar Iron Works set on fire during the fall of Richmond during the Civil War

The bridge destroyed during the fall of Richmond

The little bridge seems to be replaced by new ones

Fun activities taking place at the bridge

This is the view taken from a foot bridge crossing the canal

The walls surrounding the Federal Reserve

St. John's Church where Patrick Henry gave his famous "Give me liberty or give me death" speech

Uneeda biscuits sold by Nabisco were the first individually packaged crackers sold

The lane to ???

Stonewall Jackson on Monument Avenue

Virginia State Capital

Virginia/DC Vacation - Richmond - Hollywood Cemetery

A lot of the charm of Richmond to me was the history.  The present city of Richmond was founded in 1737 and over the years has been the site of several notable events.  A trip to this historic city wouln't be complete without a trip to the Hollywood Cemetery.  Opened in 1849, designed to be like a rural garden and named for the numerous holly trees.

Entrance to the cemetery



One of many of the roads within the cemetery



View of the James River from the cemetery

Resting place of the only Confederate States President, Jefferson Davis

One of the many beautiful monuments

90 ft granite memorial to the more than 18,000 confederate soldiers buried in this cemetery

From the Confederate section

The Black Iron Dog

According to Richmond's Urban Legends, a black cast iron dog used to stand in front of a general store on Broad Street. Every day, a little girl would walk by the store and hug the dog or talk to it sweetly. The little girl died of scarlet fever and was buried at Hollywood Cemetery. Shortly after her death, the cast iron dog was moved to her grave because there was an iron shortage during the Civil War and the owners didn't want the dog to be melted down for weapons. Ever since then, stories have circulated that the dog protects the little girl's grave and that it moves around on her gravesite, that its eyes follow visitors around the park, and that its wild barks can be heard late at night.

Virginia/DC Vacation -The streets of Charlottesville

Living in the country and travelling to and from work in the car, I have little opportunity for street photography.  The weather was great during the few short hours we spent in Charlottesville and there was no shortage of people in the downtown mall.

Virginia/DC Vacation - Harrisonburg

While staying in Harrisonburg we enjoyed the warm hospitality of my daughter's friend, Megan.  Fantastic accommodations in the middle of historic downtown.  Megan lives in a loft, not the type of loft created by architects and designers, but a beautiful loft above the bicycle shop.

My morning coffee was from down the lane at the bakery

And was enjoyed behind the bicycle shop at the bridge over Black's Run

Back inside the loft

The eclectic decorating style that makes her place so charming

A table for two in the morning light

Our last morning started with a trip to the market

Where fresh vegetables were sold

And breakfast was served on the back of a Malibu