Spring Break in Colonial Williamsburg and DC

This spring break we left our home here in the northern-most Spanish Territories (or was this the southern-most Russian Territory?) and headed for the Colonies.  Then we leapt forward to present-day-America's seat of government and spent four days in Washington D.C.  It was all VERY cold (so much for the cherry blossoms) but still really good.  And tiring.

2.5 days in Colonial Williamsburg

We bunked in the historic district, in the upstairs of the historic David Morton House.  Luckily for us, it has been modernized somewhat with indoor plumbing, electricity, and heat (we really needed the heat). It was a great location, even if the layout was a little awkward.  Eleanor especially loved our canopy bed.  While visiting the 1780's we stormed the Governor's palace (to demand back our gun powder); heard the hot-off-the-presses Declaration of Independence read in Capital Square; bade farewell to George Washington as he led the troops to (what was to be) the deciding battle at Yorktown; interacted with a number of tradespeople at work, including spinners, a basket maker, a printer, a book binder and a smith; had a pub dinner and period music one snowy night in the tavern; and had just all-around remarkable interactions with a number of interesting characters.

Oh, and it turns out we just had to go back to the 1780's to finally find a shop selling wooden hoop toys, so we bought it and shipped it home.  (I'm not sure why I never found it online during my previous searches, 'cause it's clearly there.)

4 days in Washington D.C.

Our jump forward in time brought us the many benefits of the Smithson donation (= incredible, free museums) and a chance to see the St. Clair grandparents.  (They happened to have a trip scheduled for DC during the same time we were planning our trip!)  

While in the District we visited 6 museums (what?!?) ... Air and Space (for Amelia Earhart and Wright brothers' gear), Natural History (for dinosaurs, fossils and gems like the Hope Diamond), Archives (for the notables -- Declaration of Independence and Constitution -- but also for Charles Ingalls' homestead claim paperwork), National Gallery (a DaVinci and Van Gogh for Eleanor), American History (for Dorothy's ruby red slippers and Lincoln's hat), American Art (some Hoppers for Stephanie and a Grandma Moses for Eleanor).  Eleanor's tolerance for museums is a genuine grace (until those times when it uncomfortably surpasses my own).  We also toured the Bureau of Engraving (where Eleanor bought a bag of shredded money), and hit some of the more iconic monuments and memorials (Lincoln, MLK, Roosevelt, Vietnam).  Whew!  We came home tired.

The Eleanors

standing on the very spot

On Wisconsin!

Six weeks into our world tour and here we are in... Wisconsin!  That may sound silly, but really, it was a great way to re-enter our side of the globe.  Stopping in the Mid-West shaves off 5 hours and 2 time zones.  Not to mention, it delays that moment when we excitedly walk into our own home only to discover all the ways it has been neglected while we were off having fun.  And visiting family means we had someone to help keep us functioning during the worst of our jet-lag!  So, on Wisconsin!

Eleanor caught a fish!

Six days in Bavaria

After a fitful night's sleep in a couchette car shared with a nice couple from Korea, we arrived in Munich a bit more jet lagged than anticipated.  Settling in to the apartment was relatively easy, so we headed right into town for a brat and a gawk at the Glockenspiel, then we wandered until we realized what we really needed was an afternoon off to lay about napping, reading and doing laundry.

On a sleeper train, you go to bed looking at beautiful French farmland that is then indistinguishable from the beautiful German farmland you see when you wake. The countrysides are so similar, yet the cities are so different.  From the food to the architecture, Paris is layered and delicate and lacey (even with Hausmann's great sense of structure) while Munich is stout and angled and squared.  Paris is pastries, Munich is meat.  I love them both.

DAY 2 - biking Munich

We joined a biking tour of the city, ate at the English Garden, bought Eleanor a traditional dress, visited the city's biggest toystore, and had a brief visit with a friend of mine, Laura, who moved to Munich eight years ago.

DAY 3 - Neuschwanstein Castle

Joined a bus + bike + hike tour that drove us to the small Bavarian village of Ludwig's famous castle, pedaled us along country roads for great views and a swim in an Alpine lake, and flatfooted us up the backside of the castle's beautiful perch. Then, we toured the castle, which is in theory what we came for but really the rest of the day made the memories.  And we slept hard this night.

DAY 4 - fossils

We rented a car and took to the German highways and small roads. The goal was to hunt fossils in the famous limestone beds that produced archeopteryx. Specifically we stopped at the publicly accessible quarries outside of Titting and Eichstatt. Beautiful countryside which I left largely unphotographed because I was busy enjoying driving like a German.

DAY 5 - Mittenwald

With a "Bayern" day pass we hopped a regional train south to a village known for murals and violins. The day was a nice pace, there and back again without too much agenda.

DAY 6 - Our final day abroad

Today was just the right pace, with a relaxed early morning followed by a lovely visit with Laura, her girls and Carson. Now I have a better picture of her life here. The group of us strolled the Isar, lunched in a biergarten, and then parted paths. We ended the day at the Hofbrau Haus with a band and a bier.  Tomorrow we head west.  Really west.