Williamsburg Weekend

While our homestate was celebrating Mardi Gras this weekend, we in DC celebrated President's Day weekend. On the whole, Mardi Gras is definitely the more exciting holiday - sugar, beads, crazy parades and happy music have got nothing on a federal holiday. But, one bonus of living in DC is getting those federal holidays off of work!! And sometimes getting out of the city for a retreat :)


This weekend, we travelled south to Williamsburg, Virginia to visit Jamestown and colonial Williamsburg and just get away together. The weather was gorgeous on Saturday when we left, so we drove directly to the settlement of Jamestown and saw where some of the first pilgrims landed on American soil.


My mom reminded me of something very cool - She and my dad made a trip last summer to Europe and visited Plymouth, England where the pilgrims set sail from. In just one year, she got to see their start and I got to see their destination!


There were replicas and ruins of the buildings from the first settlement at Jamestown, including this church, with tribute plaques and statues to the famous couple - John Rolfe and Pocahontas.


After Jamestown, we drove over to Williamsburg and settled in to the most beautiful lodge where Johnathan had made us reservations for the weekend. It is located in the colonial area of Williamsburg, so we were able to walk everywhere - to sitesee and eat...and eat and eat and eat!


Williamsburg was the capital of Virginia in the 17th century (before it moved to Richmond, and the United States won its independence), so we saw it's original capital building (top picture in blog) and toured it's Governor's mansion and gardens (above).


We interacted with the "locals" in the village


and enjoyed a slower pace of life for a change :)


We visited the courthouse and tested out the town stocks :)


Looking back at the pictures, this seemed to be a theme on Sunday afternoon...


since we also visited the local jail!


We were then treated to a speech by none other than Presidents Washington, Madison and Jefferson themselves!


And a reenactor's parade in celebration of President's Day.

Note the dreary weather and bundled up crowds - it was fa-reezing on Sunday and sleeted on and off on us all day as we toured. So, we were happy to end the evening at a warm, cozy tavern for a traditional colonial meal.


We enjoyed traditional food and the full tavern experience with this Irish whistle "balladeer."

It was a lovely, firelit evening that turned into...


a gorgeous snow covered morning!

We woke up on Monday to a frosted colonial village and more snow than they even got here in DC this weekend.


It was a perfect ending to a perfect weekend getaway and exactly what we needed: space to breathe, to slow down and reconnect. A chance to walk, spend time together, sample great food and just be.

Happy President's Day and Mardi Gras to us! :) And to you.