I realized I promised that I would give a summary of my vacation and failed to do so. So here is a list of what I did each day.
Day One: My family and I spent the first day driving from Florida to South Carolina. South Carolina was the midpoint between here and Virginia. The only thing worth mentioning about this day is that we had dinner at a barbecue place for the first of four times during the vacation. That's worth mentioning because it is very unusual for my parents to eat a lot of barbecue.
Day Two: We continued driving all the way up to Williamsburg, VA for our first official stop. After checking into the hotel for the evening, we went into the historic area for dinner at one of the taverns. The tavern was really neat because everything about it was authentic to the 18th Century from the music to the candles on the tables. I suppose you could say the only thing not from 18th Century was the air conditioning.
Day Three: On this day we woke up and returned to the historical area. We saw a street act reenacting historical events in Williamsburg. For lunch we ate at a place called Stephano's Pizza & Subs. Anyone who knows me knows why this name is significant.
Day Four: On day four we left Williamsburg to go to Yorktown. Yorktown was of course the site where Gen. Cornwallis and the British surrendered to Gen. Washington and the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War. This was a really beautiful place as it was located right on the York River. Another notable thing: right next to Yorktown is a Naval Weapons Station and from the road leading to Yorktown you could see some warships in port. When we were done in Yorktown we headed to Fredericksburg for the main purpose of the trip.
Day Five: The fifth day for me consisted of picking up my uncle from the airport with my aunt and attending the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. I have to admit, I was really worried about how I would sound on pipes because for one, my stamina wasn't as good as it used to be. Also, the reed I had been practicing on had begun experiencing problems in the previous week making it unplayable. I had to call my pipe instructor in New York and have him send me a couple of reeds. Well you wouldn't believe what happened. The first reed I chose worked BEAUTIFULLY! It was also easier to play than the problem reed from before.
Day Six: This was the wedding day. After sleeping in, my brother and I headed off to the church to change into our kilts and take wedding pictures. My favorite part of the wedding was (not to be biased) when my brother, the keyboardist, and I played Highland Cathedral for the processional. I think whenever I get married I would really like that song played for the processional (of course that wouldn't be totally up to me). The song itself is just so grand and stately. The combination of pipes, drums, and organ makes you just want to melt. Hopefully sometime I'll get a recording of the wedding because I haven't heard a playback of the processional yet. Following the wedding was the reception. After doing my part in the wedding, I was VERY relieved.
Day Seven: This day I woke up for church in the morning and then headed to the barbecue hosted by the bride's parents. At the barbecue my cousin and cousin-in-law (I suppose that's how you would say it) opened wedding gifts.
Day Eight: On this day my family and I went to Washington, D.C. for some tours and to see other sites we previously had not seen. The bad part is the first tour was at 8:45 AM and that meant getting up at 4 AM to be there on time (if you don't know, D.C. is notorious for some of the worst commute traffic in the country). The tours included: The Federal Bureau of Engraving and Printing and the Supreme Court building. All I have to say about the BEP is I have never seen so much money go past me in my life. Although, I thought it was funny how the employees working there put up a sign which read, "How do you think I feel? I see my whole life's salary go by in a few minutes." My thoughts about the Supreme Court: "Wow, I'm actually sitting in the chambers where some of the nation's most important decisions are made." We also saw the Vietnam WAr Memorial, Korean War Memorial, and the World War II Memorial on this day. I was thrilled about the World War II Memorial because I feel the deepest gratitude for World War II veterans and World War II history is what interests me the most.
Day Nine: This day consisted primarily of sitting around at my aunt and uncle's house, relaxing, and listening to Rush Limbuagh on the radio with my uncle's mom (she's a huge Limbaugh fan and Bush fan so we get along very well).
Day Ten: This day was truly one of the most exciting days of the vacation. This was the day my family and I toured the White House and afterwards saw the presidential motorcade with the Iraqi prime minister. Following our tour of the White House we went to a spectacular restuarant that our congressman recommended. It is called Old Ebbit's Grill. It originally started as a tavern in a different location in the 19th Century and then moved to its present location. On any given day you could probably find a congressman or senator dining in the restaurant. The service is also first class. You would think the place is expensive but, it's as cheap as any Ruby Tuesday's or Applebee's. After leaving D.C., we traveled to Maryland to eat with some friends from FSU and then we traveled on to Deleware to spend the night.
Day Eleven: Highlights from this day included traveling briefly into New Jersey to see a Revolutionary War park and touring the U.S.S. Becuna and U.S.S. Olympia in Philadelphia. I must say I was very excited to tour the Becuna because it was used during World War II in the Pacific fleet. I have already seen a World War II destroyer in Boston but I think this topped that. The U.S.S. Olympia was a cruiser-class and was used in the Spanish-American War.
Day Twelve: Of course you can't go to Philly without seeing Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. My thoughts on Independence Hall, "This is where the single most important decision in world history by man was made. This is where democracy was born." Independence Hall is notable because it is the location where the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights were signed. The Liberty Bell was just cool because it's so old and you could see the famous crack.
Day Thirteen: Day thirteen was Gettysburg day. My family and I toured the Gettysburg battlefield and also took a look at the national cemetary. I must say, Gettysburg is a hidden jewel. I could not believe how beautiful the area is. Rolling hills everywhere and tons of corn fields. Not to mention, you could see the Appalachian Mountains in the distance. Later this day, we left Pennsylvania and traveled to the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. If you know anything about the Shenandoah National Park, you need to know this: it is one of the MOST beautiful spots in the Appalachian Mountains. When we arrived there it was nearing sunset which made it even more beautiful. The park includes part of the Appalachian Trail for backpackers and a skyway for drivers. We of course drove on the skyway. At the first overlook I could not believe my eyes. I can't even explain what it looked like. All I could do is sit on a bench and pray to God (one of my life goals is to go to the mountains every year no matter where it be). What was also neat was that there were THISTLES in the mountains. Here are a couple of pictures:
This pretty much sums up my vacation. It was very exciting and historical. All in all, I took over nine hundred pictures. I also made a fifty minute video from the pictures complete with music accompaniment. If you want to see the pictures, go to my Facebook or let me know back at college. You can also see the video which is really neat. I also added three states to my list of states visited: Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey.
