Summer Vacation Part 3

Off for a visit to Williamsburg, Virginia ...

Waiting for the ferry from Surry to Williamsburg, we daydreamed out loud about what it would be like to live along the James River here. We agreed it's quite beautiful, even on a day as windy as this one was, and, we agreed it would be quite cold come winter!

Seagulls everywhere! They follow the ferrys back and forth across the river.

First look at Jamestown ...

... Jamestown from a different angle.

We don't see robins in Florida, so this little fellow was a sight for sore eyes. And, he had a worm for his lunch!

Love the period clothes!

A plant nursery ...

Magnolias in bloom ... another thing we don't have in Florida.

A grave marker dated 1784.

Shopping!

Williamsburg is where I discovered crewel work when I was 20-something. Don't you just love the colors of these yarns?

Lots of roadside stands ...

A traditional child's "toy" ...

Hats galore, their ribbons blowing in the breeze!

I simply loved the gardens best! They are beautiful to behold!

The architecture of Williamsburg is unique to anywhere else I've ever been ...

The church ... this was a very important part of life to the early settlers of Virginia and to the founders of Williamsburg.

And, of course, no trip to Williamsburg would be complete without a visit to the Governor's Palace!

We walked for nearly three hours, so when I saw this guy, I knew it was nap time!

Summer Vacation Part 2

St. Augustine to Hopewell, Virginia and beyond!


Friday morning, after breakfast in St. Augustine, we hit the road (I-95) and headed north to Virginia.



This was our first stop after leaving St. Augustine! :o) We made it through Georgia and South Carolina in a record 4 hours and 40 minutes! By then we needed a bathroom break ...


and a bite to eat! My darling husband lends some perspective to the "hot dog!"

The railroad tracks that run alongside City Point in Hopewell, Virginia, a crucial location during the Civil War. Welcome to my birthplace!

Hopewell grew up as a mill town during the early twentieth century with chemical plants and paper mills along the James River. Today, in the 21st century, not much has changed ...

Highway 10 runs from Hopewell towards what's known as the Tidewater area (Newport News, Hampton Roads, Norfolk) and we took it to get to Surry to catch the ferry to Williamsburg. Along the way, I captured a few shots of places that look untouched by time. They're pretty much as I remember when I was a kid growing up around here ...

Highway 10 headed east.

A field of flowers along Highway 10. I love the way Queen Ann's Lace grows wild along the roadsides in Virginia!

Summer Vacation, Part 1

From Fort Lauderdale to St. Augustine via I-95, a mere 4 hours and 16 minutes, just like MapQuest said. We stopped north of West Palm Beach at a lovely rest area that provided sheltered picnic tables and had a bite of lunch. We enjoyed watching the birds tending their nests in the eaves of the picnic shelters while we were there.

Upon arriving in St. Augustine, we checked into our Bed & Breakfast, a first-time experience for both of us. Our hostess at the Spanish Street Inn, Linda, greeted us warmly and made sure we were happy with our room before leaving us to our own devices. We were housed on the second floor with easy access to the front porch and everything was decorated in an authentic and comfortable style. The house, built in the 1920s, was remodeled and refurbished and we felt quite "at home" there. The breakfast she provided the next morning was wonderful, with a bowl of fresh fruit and eggs and bacon just like home! The other guests, many of whom had been there for several days, commented on how much they had enjoyed their visit, so we know we're on to something good at the Spanish Street Inn!

Above, charming signage. Below, the house known as The Spanish
Street Inn, located at 44 Spanish Street in beautiful St. Augustine.

The "historic" section of St. Augustine is beautiful and charming, and unlike any other place I've ever visited. We spent a couple of hours walking the narrow streets, many of which are closed to traffic, and we stopped in a a little shop for a coffee and pretzel and a little "people watching." I took a few photos before my camera battery died, so we vowed to get up early the next morning and do some "serious photography" when the streets were likely to be more deserted and the light would certainly be better. We did! And, the light was truly fantastic!

We chose St. Augustine as our one-night stand between Fort Lauderdale and our final destination in Hopewell, Virginia, and we were so infatuated with the place, we've promised to return for a long weekend and more exploration!

Our big meal in St. Augustine was dinner at Harry's Bar & Grille, a New Orleans style resturant along the Intracoastal. Horse & carriages lined up across the road from Harry's and my darling husband promised a carriage ride the next time we come! We waited at the bar with a glass of wine for about 15 minutes before we were seated! Our waitress was very attentive and the food was delicious and beautifully presented. You can be sure we'll be stopping by Harry's again the next time we visit!

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