Williamsburg, Virginia - Day 2

There are blackout curtains in our room. Aunt Grace told us they were awesome, but we didn’t realize how awesome they really were until we looked at the clock and read 9:30 am the next morning. I don’t remember the last time we slept through the night and that late into the morning. It felt wonderful and there was no guilt in doing so.

The skies were gray and the rains were heavy off and on throughout the morning, but it was one of the days forecasted to be more pleasant so Natalie and Dan suggested it would be a good day to visit Jamestown. That sounded like a great plan for us.

The first area we went to was called the Jamestown Settlement, a living-history museum with re-creations of a 1610 fort, ships, and a Powhatan Indian village. The Powhatan Indian village grounds that were re-created gave us an idea of what life may have been like when the first settlers arrived in this country. Chief Powhatan’s daughter, Pocahontas, was one of our favorite topics of discussion. Our family is so knowledgeable and we loved all the detailed information shared. In the Indian village, there were huts to walk through, arrowheads being crafted, furs to touch, and stories to be heard.

After the Indian grounds, we walked down to see the re-created ships that were used to transport passengers over from England. It’s a fully immersive experience as you can walk through most of the areas of each ship. We learned that trips by sea could take over four and a half months, and accommodations were extremely tight. Boredom was one of the things mentioned that these people had to endure on their journey. Fortunately, they took advantage of the trade winds that took them down close to the equator, which allowed them to stop at nearby islands to restock supplies and take a break from the confining quarters of the ship. We surmise, people during this time must have been shorter as there was no way I could have fit in any of the ship bunks.

The fort area of the Settlement was made up of an Anglican church, a court of the guard, a storehouse, a cape merchants office, a governors house, livestock area, stables, and other buildings. A chicken had just laid some eggs and we learned that if eggs are not washed they can be left at room temperature for up to two months without going bad. When eggs are washed, it removes a protective film that keeps the air out. We, in the United States, wash our eggs which then requires them to be refrigerated so as not to go bad. Europe doesn’t wash eggs after their laid. Now we understand why, in France, the grocery stores sell their eggs from the shelves and not the refrigerated section. Dan mentioned he’d seen a show that instructed one could rub a washed egg in mineral oil and that would allow an egg to be able to be kept at room temperature as well, so fascinating.

After Jamestown Settlement, we drove to the Glass House where they make and blow glass in the same manner as was done in days of the early settlement. It was interesting to learn that glass is naturally green and minerals have to be added to make it clear or create another color.

After the Glass House, it was another short drive to Historic Jamestown that is home to the ruins of the first permanent English settlement in North America. There, we walked around the actual grounds of the original settlement. We learned more of Pocahontas, her trip to England, and her death. We saw the foundations of buildings and roads that had once occupied the grounds. We had lunch at The Carrot Tree on site. Huge sandwiches loaded with fresh veggies and generous portions of meat and cheese.

Back at the condo we rested and chatted. Our conversations are so enjoyable. We are grateful to be privileged to spend time with this loving family of ours. Dan and Nathalie cooked a wonderful meal for dinner, stuffed peppers filled with chicken, wild rice and quinoa, seasoned to perfection. Nathalie didn’t cook the meal with any salt, none, zero, zip, and we didn’t miss it! They’re so talented, the meal was delicious, and we’re excited to learn more from them. We capped the night off hanging out together, spending time playing with Athena and Niko, and watching the Mr. Rogers documentary. It was a GREAT day!!!

Williamsburg, Virginia - Day 1

Right before we leave on vacation I get nervous. Are we going to make it to the airport on time? Will our flight get canceled? Will the car rental go as planned? Thankfully, everything worked out OK. We drove to Seattle, dropped our car off at the Marriot, caught the shuttle to the airport, checked into Spirit Airlines, and made it to our gate with 30 minutes to spare. Whew!

Flying with Spirit Airlines was a first for us. They changed our flight, a couple months before departure, canceling the direct option. We ended up choosing a Vegas layover which didn’t make the overall flight too much longer, but we didn’t know how many more times the flight would change. We heard of flights being canceled altogether after we booked with them, so we’re grateful that didn’t occur. While fares are low you also need to take into account the cost of your needs. Want to sit next to your traveling companion - pay an extra $20. Want more legroom - pay an extra $20. Want to check a bag (under 40 lbs.) - pay an extra $30. Want a drink -$3. The seats don’t recline which didn’t matter to us on the way to Vegas but were sorely missed on the way to Baltimore. The seats are lightly cushioned with no fabric extending over the back, tray tables are the size of a 9” iPad, there is no seat pocket, you’ll find strings to hold papers in place.

After taking an 8 pm flight to Vegas, we caught a redeye flight to Baltimore. The stewardess noticed my longer legs and offered to move us to the exit row with more legroom for the next leg of the trip. It was very kind of her. We’re not sure it actually worked in our favor as the armrest in the exit rows don’t move up and out of the way. Probably due to the tray tables encased within them. We may have been more comfortable where we were as we could have lifted up the armrests and stretched out with the row to ourselves. Seats were definitely uncomfortable for a longer flight.

The crew was very helpful and kind. The plane was very clean. The flight was smooth. Baggage pick up was prompt. Would we fly Spirit again? Yes, but only on a shorter flight. We picked up our car rental and enjoyed an upgrade from compact to standard as all the compacts were gone.

Next stop, the Wafle Shop, in Alexandria, for breakfast and then to Costco for some supplies. The Costco in Fairfax, Virginia is much busier than what we are used to in Wenatchee. At 10:30 am, on a Saturday morning, the parking lot was full and every check-stand had at least 4 people waiting.

It was great to arrive at Uncle Jim and Aunt Grace’s home after the journey. It was like we had never left, that feeling of being home. We took a quick nap before making the drive to Williamsburg. The weather today is warm, slightly humid, and the trees are so beautiful covered in leaves.

We met up with Alecia’s cousin Dan, his wife Nathalie, their kids Athena and Niko, and cousin Aaron in Williamsburg where Uncle Jim and Aunt Grace have a timeshare condo with The Colonies at Williamsburg. The condos are beautiful and quite spacious. We’re using two units on the same floor with a private, secured, hallway between the units so both places can leave their front doors opened. Each bedroom has its own bathroom, another really nice feature.

After unpacking we all went to dinner at Second Street American Bistro. Nathalie heard from a friend it was good and we were all in agreement that the food was delicious! Eight adults and two kids and we were all happy with our meals. Alecia and I split an order of lettuce wraps. It was just right for a light meal for the two of us. Different than anything we’ve had before and great flavor.

Back at the condo, Aaron discovered a barn spider on the balcony that wasn’t there earlier. We couldn’t believe the size! Its body was as big as a nickel. Aaron tried spraying it with sanitizer spray that Nathalie had brought with her, but that didn’t seem to do anything. We texted Alecia and Aunt Grace, who was out grocery shopping, to buy some spider spray. Aaron doused the spider and it zoomed down its web to the table. Aaron sprayed more, it zoomed to the ground. Aaron sprayed more, it climbed quickly back up to its web, and yes, Aaron sprayed one last time before it was dead. What an adventure!!!

It’s past midnight and we’re exhausted, excited to clean up and get into bed for some much need shut-eye. Our heads hit the pillow and we were out like that!