Howdyyyyy!! We just got back from a week long trip yesterday. Visiting my Grandma and Roger in WV was...well...as good as it could go, I guess. LOL. Gosh it's just so BORING there. All they do is sit around the house, watch TV, plan their next meal, and their lives revolve around their new dog Max (which is a very dirty dog and jumps all over you and then they act like YOU'RE the one doing wrong for not liking THEIR dog in your lap with its nose in your crotch...UGH. It's not a BAD dog, I'm just not a dog person and can't stand them jumping on me and licking me), and you just feel DIRTY sitting in there. The house isn't very clean and they let the dog eat off of everything so it's kinda gross... plus it's always so dark and you feel boxed in there - even downtown, the whole area is kinda depressing. They're in a smaller town near Wheeling, and it's like a Depression-era town that never revived itself - all you can feel is bored and depressed; since there's nothing to do, two days felt like a WEEK. But other than that it was nice to see them, HEE. To any relatives that read this, please don't let that get back to Grandma, I love her and we had a good time for the better part, but a stay with her always warrants its complaints, you must understand. At least there were no infestations of fleas or Japanese lady-beetles this time.
We left there after two nights and drove through the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains in WV, MD, and PA. Stopped at Antietam, which was amazing and a bit sad (I got a little rocky piece of the Burnside Bridge that had crumbled off from the bottom of the side in the dirt) and stayed in Gettysburg for most of two days and one night. I really, really loved it there and already wanna go back... it was just SO cool. I loved Antietam too, but Gettysburg is a place I've been wanting to go since I was 7 years old. Saw so many places you'd recognize from the movie (if you've seen it)... the fields where General Pickett came out from, the split rail fence that General Longstreet stayed near during the battle, Devil's Den, Big and Little Round Tops (the woods where Colonel Chamberlain fought in), the church General Buford walked outside of, The Angle and clump of trees, the stone fence where General Armistead fell and Pickett's Charge reached its end..... it was just so incredibly awesome to see all those places in person after all these years. I used to really be into the movie (and the battle in general) way back when - it's cool to be so interested in it again and find out that I actually remember almost all of these guys.
The place was so peaceful and serene - it was creepy to think so many guys were killed in such a beautiful place. The people are so nice there too. There was this awesome little tavern we ate at twice that was in an underground cellar below this old building (which is also a restaurant) - the entire thing is called the Historic Dobbin House. It was built by an Irishman before the Civil War started. I loved the tavern...the food was awesome and you got the feeling you were in a cave with the stone walls and candles lit and everything - all the candles, old-looking chairs and tables, Celtic music, and the way the waitresses dressed almost gave it a piratey feel, too. Our waitress from the first time remembered us and told our new waitress the second time what drinks we'd want before she even got to our table. We met another guy running an armory shop that was really nice - he was dressed in Civil War boots and a CSA hat and had guns on his sides and everything - he was really sweet and talked to us for a long time and I bought a couple things from him. In another shop I found some cheap pirate jewelry and one of them was a choker with a miniature copy of the Aztec coin from POTC on it. I didn't like the ugly choker it was on, but the pendants are small, so I bought two of them and clipped the coins off, and since they already had holes in them I turned them into a nice pair of earrings. I got some other little souvenirs too, like a replica .58 caliber bullet, a little brass Enfield musket, and a few CSA flags, and a coffee mug with a painting of General Lee on it. And of course some little gifts... I also got the book "Killer Angels" and read a few chapters of it on the plane ride back - I really am enjoying it so far. I'm surprised I never read it sooner.
I forgot to mention, I got two tiny wildflowers from both Antietam and Gettysburg. The one from Antietam is a little blue thing that I found growing in the Sunken Road (Bloody Lane). And the one from Gettysburg are some little white flowers with purple edges - not daisies, I'm not sure what they are - I think they're the same kind General Pickett was twirling in his fingers in the movie when General Longstreet was drawing a battle plan out in the dirt - I found them in the same area. I always liked that part... Anyway, I pressed both of them and they're still drying out. I just wanted to keep something that grew from the fields where so many of my Southern ancestors fell.
After we left Gettysburg, we went to DC for three nights, that was really cool (although driving in the city with all the stupid one-way streets and trying to find a parking spot was a nightmare). Tree lives there now and she showed us around a lot on the first day and we got to see her new apartment as well (I love her new place and LOVE the cats - okay, I want Sushi. HEE such a cutiepie). Went to a few parts of the Smithsonian [Air & Space, Native American, Natural History...(I FINALLY GOT TO SEE THE DINOSAUR SKELETONS THAT ARE IN ALL THE SCIENCE BOOKS)], saw some of the memorials around the National Mall (WWII Memorial, Vietnam Wall, Korean War Memorial, Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, Washington Monument from afar, etc), went to the National Archives and saw the Constitution, Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence and all that, and did a few other things. I can't believe we were only gone for a week... and if you don't include the two days that we did NOTHING at Grandma's house (okay, we did go to Cabela's for a couple hours), we sure packed a lot into five days. And the best part of it? Most of it was completely FREE. So except for food and gas and the hotels, we didn't really pay for anything, that I remember (except for a load of souvenirs of course). All the stuff in Washington, even the Smithsonian, were completely free - I just could NOT believe it. I know, I know - our taxes pay for it. But dang, if that museum were down here, we'd probably have to pay $30-$40 A DAY. But yeah, the battlefields were free...and everything. So that was good.
One thing we did pay for was an hour-long bus tour around Arlington Cemetery. That was sure sobering... what can I say that hasn't been said before, seeing all the graves of fallen soldiers really does something to you. Seeing the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was especially moving, and we got there just in time for the Changing of the Guard. I got a video of it, I hope it turned out well. But besides that, the highlight of Arlington, for me, was the Arlington House, where Robert E. Lee and his family lived before the war started. I had no idea he had lived at Arlington, so when the narrator guy said we were coming up on the Arlington House/Robert E. Lee Memorial, I was shocked. We got to go in and everything (we walked where Lee walked!), but almost all of the furnishings had been cleared out. If I heard right, the Lee family can no longer afford the taxes on the building and I think they're shutting it down. I'm very sad about it... you'd think somebody would step forward and try to save something like that.
Well that's about it really. Got home last night and was totally exhausted, but I finally got to sleep in my own bed - YAY! I took many, MANY pictures, and it might be a while (because I still have to edit and post the pictures from Texas...oops), but in due time I'll add them to D&D!
posted by: Heather (reply)
post date: 05.08.07 (10:27 pm)
Sounds like a really great trip Mal, save for the slobbering doggy...LOL. That really is sad about the Lee House at Arlington...and you would think some well-to-do Southern Historical buff would want to save it, or at least organize a charity to keep it up and going as it always had been. I did not know that either that he had lived there. Glad you had such a good time though and glad you are back home as well. Can't wait to see all the pics from these trips! :D
Wow ... you did a lot in 5 days. Maybe those 2 days at Grandma's was a time to rest up for the sheer amount of awesomeness to come. I want to go to that tavern. It's really awesome that those museums have free admission. I hope it stays that way. If it was in Florida or Texas, for sure you'd have to pay to get in. The good things about Museums in Canada, is that you pay like $5 to $10 to get in, which is small compared to what the private places would charge. Also the $5 to $10 subsidize school trips and stuff, so you don't feel bad about it.
Next trip Toronto, maybe?
posted by: PiccadillyCommando (reply)
post date: 05.09.07 (12:09 pm)
WOW! You packed in alot! You're description of Washingon Mall brings back lots of memories as I visited there (amongst other places) with The DBI on our honeymoon!
Glad you had such a great time, glad you saw your relatives even if the dog was a nuisiance and glad you got to see Tree again! Hey, I'm feelin' Glad all over!
I know it, I can't believe that the Sons of Confederate Veterans or something doesn't step forward to save it. I doubt they'd destroy the house, it's just empty. I HOPE they don't destroy it, anyway.
And thanks chickie, it may be a little while before I get the pics up but I will in time LOL. Happy Birthday Heather!
I know, I still can't believe how much we were able to do in so little time. It all fit together perfectly, too.
You would looooooooove the tavern. I'd totally work there, it's just so COOL. What kind of museums have you got up there, anyway? If I ever visit, we MUST hit the trading posts.
I think next trip for us will be TN ;o) but once I start working again I'm gonna try to save up so I can visit you and Anne and Heather - hopefully Josee but that'll take a bit more time to save for! Some day, though :D
I know it!! And I didn't know you'd gone to Washington, I thought you'd just gone to the Southwest!! Where all did you go? I think another trip to the USA for you and The DBI is in order sometime soon ;o) Hey I'm feelin' glad that you're feelin' glad!! :D C U L8R 4 DR1NX!!11!!1!1!!
Howdyyyyy!! We just got back from a week long trip yesterday. Visiting my Grandma and Roger in WV was...well...as good as it could go, I guess. LOL. Gosh it's just so BORING there. All they do is sit around the house, watch TV, plan their next meal, and their lives revolve around their new dog Max (which is a very dirty dog and jumps all over you and then they act like YOU'RE the one doing wrong for not liking THEIR dog in your lap with its nose in your crotch...UGH. It's not a BAD dog, I'm just not a dog person and can't stand them jumping on me and licking me), and you just feel DIRTY sitting in there. The house isn't very clean and they let the dog eat off of everything so it's kinda gross... plus it's always so dark and you feel boxed in there - even downtown, the whole area is kinda depressing. They're in a smaller town near Wheeling, and it's like a Depression-era town that never revived itself - all you can feel is bored and depressed; since there's nothing to do, two days felt like a WEEK. But other than that it was nice to see them, HEE. To any relatives that read this, please don't let that get back to Grandma, I love her and we had a good time for the better part, but a stay with her always warrants its complaints, you must understand. At least there were no infestations of fleas or Japanese lady-beetles this time.