Day 1 --- From Home to Glen Allen, VA
The car is packed and we are on our way!
We drove from our house in GA through South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. There was a good bit of rain at the NC line so traffic slowed a bit. We grabbed a quick bite to eat on the road and really enjoyed time to have a focused conversation, just the two of us. Mr. Joe and Mrs. Margie called to let us know that they made it back to the house with the boys (they spent the previous week at Nana and Babu's house) and that Meme had arrived for her week in GA with her grandsons!
First tourist stop of the trip --- The John Marshall House in Richmond, VA. Our tour guide was fantastic (a retired middle school history teacher) and the home is in incredible condition.
John Marshall's desk...
Wedding china belonging to John and his wife Mary...
Quill feather pen and ink well...quite a bit of mileage on that inkwell - can you imagine the folks to whom letters were written by John Marshall using ink housed in this ink well?
John's travel bag that went back and forth with him from Richmond to Washington...
We then headed over to our hotel in Glen Allen, VA just a few minutes from downtown Richmond.
Wyndham Hotel at Virginia Crossing main lobby and registration desk...
Beautiful views overlooking the golf course and countryside...
Guest rooms...
Dining rooms and hotel bar...
We spotted a sweet friend hopping through the grass...
Dinner at a local barbeque joint - Q Barbeque in Glen Allen...
We both had the pulled pork - it was very good!
We wandered over to the local post office to mail the first postcard of the trip home to the boys. This is a tradition that RA started a few years ago. Every trip we go on (even trips where the boys are with us) RA finds vintage postcards and stamps. We recount our day and put it in the mail back to our house and then keep them in a scrapbook once they arrive in the mail. I love traditions and this is one of my all time favorites.
Back to the hotel for a glass of wine underneath the pergola overlooking the property...
SMILES!
Really thankful for this man and all that he does for our family and for our marriage...
Virginia sunset...
Day 2 --- From Glen Allen, VA to Philadelphia, PA
Sunday morning breakfast. We were going to grab something quick on our way out of town, but once we got to our room in the hotel the night before we realized that the air conditioning was out. After speaking with the front desk they kindly moved us to another room (with a functioning AC - it's summer in the south - mama can't handle the heat and humidity) and gave us vouchers for breakfast in the main dining room. Fancy.
RA found a canon and had to have a picture for RF...
After wandering the property for a little while RA packed the car and we jumped onto I-95 for our trip further north. Our route today took us through VA, Washington, DC, Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. We paid our first tolls today - $16.
Spoiler Alert --- there's more to come in tolls - by the end of the trip we shelled out more than $60. Ugh.
I snapped a few photos as we drove through Washington D.C. --- The Washington Monument and The Jefferson Memorial...
The Capitol...
The FRANKLIN Hotel...RF was named after a number of men who had the name Franklin, including Benjamin Franklin so it was fitting that we stayed here. Also, it was one block from Independence Hall. Mama likes convenient.
Front of The Franklin Hotel!
We arrived a little earlier than check-in so we found a spot to park (there was an event going on downtown, so traffic was a nightmare - it took us 45 minutes to drive three blocks...) and wandered the city for a little while.
The First Bank of the United States...
The Second Bank of the United States...
Lunch Time!
OMG - RA ordered the Buffalo Chicken Biscuit - YUM! I ordered the Spinach, Tomato, and Cheese Quiche - it was incredible!
After lunch we checked into the hotel (and moved our car to their parking garage - another 20 minute process) and wandered a little more.
INDEPENDENCE HALL! We toured it the next day - tickets are free, but you have to wait in line to get them and they were out of tickets by the time we arrived Sunday afternoon.
Benjamin Franklin's grave...
Such a beautiful building. I got chills a few times walking past it knowing its significance in world history...pretty powerful.
We had a 3:00pm tour time to visit the newly opened (April of 2017, I think) Museum of the American Revolution. RA and I are members at a number of historic sites across the country, so when we heard that this one was going to be open prior to our trip we knew we had to make the time to visit.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident..."
Washington's ceremonial sash...
Portrait of Washington wearing the sash...
Original pieces of the George III statue that was in New York and was torn down after independence was declared...
Luggage bag that carried Washington's war tent. The museum has the actual tent as well. We were able to view it, but photography and videography were not allowed. It is in pristine condition and an absolutely amazing sight on which to set your eyes.
The First Post Office in the United States...We mailed the boys a postcard (on Monday - closed on Sundays) and had it marked with the official postmark of this post office - only one in the country.
Elfreth's Alley - oldest continual residential street in the US - dates back to 1702...
A selfie in the alley...
DINNER TIME!
An incredible homemade Italian sausage pizza...
The Gelato list...how can I pass this up?
I can't...chocolate peanut butter gelato...
Yup - ate it all...
Day Three and Four included more fun in Philadelphia and our drive through NY to Connecticut.
