Colonial Williamsburg

The best things to do is to tour the cemetery of the Bruton Parish Church, run around in the large yard next to it while looking at the governor's mansion, and tour the mansion's gardens. Go to the capitol and walk along the field with oyster shells, which were used to reflect the moonlight and light up a person's way. Visit the wig shop and blacksmith's shop, and best of all, enjoy a colonial tavern meal in one of its taverns.

Quick Tips:

Before you get into the park, there's a rest stop in which a guide should give you brochures and the information you need.

Best Way To Get Around:

The best way to get around is to walk. Buses and cars have a certain spot they can park at, but no vehicles are allowed into the park. The only transportation allowed is ye olde wagon pulled by yaks, I believe.

"Do vegetarians eat animal crackers?"~Author Unknown

The Seasons was near the old hospital with a large parking lot. My eighth-grade history teacher introduced me to this restaurant, suggesting this is where he went every time he came. The restaurant was amazing, especially with the covered-roof awning on one side and the red and gold decor of one room with French doors looking out at the street in this romantic room. This room was goregous. Red satin walls near gold mirrors that reflected on the wall. The sunlight streaming in from the street as you see people stroll by. This is what I thought was the best spot in the restaurant, althought the awning was tempting. The cuisine varies, with steak, linguine with spicy peanut sauce, and fresh swordfish. Their smoked barbequed ribs are the best. You can even get a cappuccino from the bar to top off any meal.

"The jury, passing on the prisoner's life, May in the sworn twelve have a thief or two Guiltier than him they try."~William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure

The Gaol is pronouced "jail". I say it's pronounced as goal, but this is the wrong pronunciation from what the tour guide said. The walls are partially original, and shackles are in the little cells. You can look into a small, dark cell with leg irons. These cells were filled with Blackbeard's pirates in the 18th century. Runaway slaves, Indians, the mentally ill, and deptors were also put inside these cells. The other part of the goal is now decorated for the other part, which is the home of the goal keeper and his family. If you walk out and to your left, you'll see a large, meadowy yard where the hangings took place. The men and women living in Colonial Williamsburg would often bring their children and watch someone get hanged! To me, that's no picnic.

"I'm a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it." ~Thomas Jefferson

The Georgian-style house has an outbuilding in the back of its spacious courtyard where you can ask Thomas Jefferson about the Declaration of Independence, and he doesn't know what the heck you're talking about because the time of the park is a year before he wrote it. This house has large chimneys and central halls. This was where George Washington's headquarters before the Battle of Yorktown. George Wythe was the nation's first law professor who taught Thomas Jefferson. There were two things about this house that I found interesting. One is that the back and front of the house look exactly the same. The other is in his parlor with a teapot that glows green at night and floats around the room.

"There is no distance on this earth as far away as yesterday."~Robert Nathan, So Love Returns

The Bruton Parish Church was formed in 1674. A large tower was what we could see as we walked past the street to go to the George Wythe House. In the front of the church were people walking in and out of the small doors. A cemetery was in back of this church, which I wished I would have walked into. Legend says that there is a tomb with a secret vault inside. The church is from when church and state were one in the same.

"If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday."~Pearl Buck

In the back of a house, through a back gate, there is a small barn-like building. A blacksmith shop can be found there. They still use old-fashioned devices, such as a hot brick oven that needs to be pumped to become hotter. Horses and oxen (oxen rides can be found on the Palace Green) had to be shod, and every farm and home needed something from the blacksmith's forge: axes, hoes, andirons, wagon tires, candle stands, and so on. I was actually surprised to learn that they still make iron objects, such as horseshoes, and even enter into contests.