Monday, December 31, 2012

When I was your age...

Snow. It ain't easy hiking in the stuff, as I learned this morning/afternoon. What was intended to be a five-hour loop along a segment of the Appalachian Trail that passes through the G. Richard Thompson Wildlife Management Area in Delaplane, Virginia became a four-hour out-and-back effort when it proved to be too slow-going through the snow. Of course, there were other factors involved in the change of plans - I got there later than expected, having taken the scenic but slow route along Highway 50 instead of sticking to Interstate 66; I wasted a lot of time trying to find the right parking lot for the trailhead (the one I needed wasn't signposted on the road); the snow made it harder to follow an unmarked trail; and the skies in the distance looked ominous. 

So do I have any regrets? None at all. Highway 50 may have gotten me there behind schedule, but the drive through the small towns and snow-covered vineyards and pastures that make up Virginia's horse country was worth it. And the walk through the woods, while occasionally a challenge when it came to effort and navigation, was magical at times. However, if I'm going to continue these woodland walks, I'd better get a good idea beforehand what I'm going to be up against when it comes to the elements.


The trail started at Lake Thompson, a 10-acre (4 hectares) artificial lake that is popular with anglers




The trail at first ran parallel with a wire fence, separating the wildlife management area from the farms, houses and vineyards.


The trails weren't always easy to make out, but others had gone before me earlier in the day, so in many places I literally followed in their tracks (and then literally followed in my own footsteps on the trip back).


This dilapidated shack served as a landmark for a key junction



As the dark clouds off in the distance headed my way, I decided that it would be better to turn around and go back whence I came, rather than risk still being out on the mountainside as the light dimmed. The skies were clear in the opposite direction, however, and remained so for the rest of the afternoon.


The temperature out there today was around 35°F (1.7°C), though I barely felt it, both from being properly attired and working up a sweat. The small creeks and streams making their way down the mountainside haven't frozen over yet.


With the exception of some turkey vultures I saw while driving along Highway 50, wildlife sightings were scare. Evidence of wildlife was abundant, however. In addition to seeing deer and bird tracks in the snow, I came across these interesting specimens. I spotted them next to a patch of grass that hadn't been covered by the snow due to its proximity in the middle of a small, flowing stream. 



On the return leg I passed by the farms and the lake






Sunday, December 30, 2012

Not your local library

It started snowing this morning soon after I got out of bed around 9 o'clock, and continued doing so until sometime after noon. The ground was soon coated with the white stuff, but it quickly melted away once the snow stopped falling. Still, it was enough to put my daughter in a happy, bouncing mood as we walked down the road to the Metro station. Our destination this afternoon: the Library of Congress...


...but first it was lunchtime, at a Mexican restaurant close to the Capitol South Metro stop. 

The Library of Congress has three buildings, but we focused on the most attractive one, the ornate Thomas Jefferson Building, completed in 1897.


Dressed for the weather


My daughter shows by example how the U.S. Capitol Building lies across First Street from the Thomas Jefferson Building


You know who this is, and you are not surprised to find his bust on the outside of the library


Looking up at the ceiling of the Great Hall, a space filled to the brim with marble walls, inscriptions, mosaics and murals. The Library of Congress is another of Washington, D.C.'s architectural gems, but photography was restricted in many parts of the building. 


One of the items off-limits to photographers is the library's copy of the Gutenberg Bible. On the opposite side of the Great Hall sits the Giant Bible of Mainz.



From the Great Hall, we went upstairs. The Minerva painting above is located outside the visitors gallery to the Main Reading Room.



The Main Reading Room is beautiful, but photography is also forbidden. Visitors are only allowed to view it from the gallery (tours are available), but anyone over the age of 18 can use it after registering with the library.


There are exhibitions to be seen in the library - the ones we saw upstairs covered the Spanish conquest of Mexico, the American Civil War and the library's collection of Hebrew/Yiddish materials. Photo-taking was forbidden, of course, including of Thomas Jefferson's fantastic library (pictured above). Jefferson donated his vast collection to the library after the British burned down the original national library (housed in the Capitol) in 1814.


After seeing what was upstairs, we walked back down to the Great Hall...


...and then made our way to the basement, where there were further exhibits and reading rooms (the Young Readers Room was closed today, unfortunately). Here, Amber watches a 1932 cartoon, Betty Boop for President.


Back outside, my daughter shows off her "Passport to Knowledge"


A final look back at the Thomas Jefferson Building in the late afternoon sunlight, before heading back to the Metro station for the return trip home.






Friday, December 28, 2012

Christmas in the colonies 圣诞快乐

Here's hoping everyone is enjoying the holidays. The three of us spent our Yuletide in the historic town of Williamsburg, Virginia, soaking up the colonial atmosphere in the pouring rain, but at least avoiding the heavy snow that has been plaguing the Midwest and upper Northeast. After opening our presents on Christmas morning and following lunch at home, we drove the 2½ hours to Williamsburg, arriving on Tuesday evening and staying until this afternoon (Thursday). What follows is a brief photographic record of our journey back in time.


Arriving in Williamsburg in time for dinner, we went to the only place open Christmas evening - the buffet at the Peking Restaurant. The place was packed - my wife was impressed with the money-making acumen of her ethnic brethren. Rather than wait a half-hour for a seat, we ordered take-out and ate back in our hotel room.

The following day, Wednesday, we drove to the nearby visitors center, parked our car, picked up our tickets and took the shuttle into the Colonial Williamsburg historic district. For those of you who don't know, Williamsburg was the capital of Virginia from 1699 to 1780. The 301-acre (122 hectares) Historic Area preserves a number of original buildings, as well as some painstakingly crafted reproductions and restorations. In addition, the area serves as a living-history museum, where costumed reenactors provide detailed insights into life in the American colonies around the time of the American Revolution. Unfortunately for us, yesterday (Wednesday) was rainy from the morning until late in the afternoon, but at least the poor weather did keep the crowds away.


Here, an interpreter is explaining to Amber a game that was used by parents to teach their children about arithmetic (it was also a popular betting game in the taverns). My daughter took a liking to this activity, and played it at several places around the Historic Area.


The Governor's Palace, which we approached from the side. It's a reconstruction of the official residence of the Royal Governors of the Colony of Virginia.


The Governor's Palace was one of several buildings that required joining a tour, as opposed to wandering about on your own. If the above photo seems dark, it's because the building is without electricity, relying on candlelight just as in colonial times (the poor weather outside didn't help, either). Many of the tours had a theme, in this case what people would've been doing around Christmastime just before the start of the Revolution.


The Palace's kitchen was open for inspection, and a sample dinner was laid out for our visual pleasure, along with explanations on how the meals were prepared. 


The Governor's Palace from the front


The Wythe House, home of George Wythe, a law professor and Declaration of Independence signer, and a major influence on Thomas Jefferson. This is his study.


A couple of reenactors demonstrate how baskets were weaved, while a cat enjoys the warmth of the fireplace.


Following lunch in Merchants Square, a modern shopping plaza adjacent to the Historic Area, we walked over the museum complex, consisting of the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum. The museums were fronted by the reconstructed Public Hospital of 1773, which had displays on how the mentally ill were "treated" back then.


The museum exhibits contained everything from clothing and firearms to musical instruments and portraits. Amber especially liked the coin collection.


Not everything on display was related to the colonial period. One room featured the works of Steve Harley, a largely unknown landscape artist (he doesn't even have a Wikipedia entry) who traveled through the Pacific Northwest in the late 1920's. South End of Hood River Valley dates from 1927.


Amber and Pamela stand outside the Public Hospital. The rain had made the ground everywhere quite sodden, and our feet were pretty wet by the end of the day.


As we walked over to the Powell House at the far eastern edge of the Historic Area, the rain really started coming down, along with thunder and lightning. The dark but warm (thanks to the fireplaces) Powell House was a welcome retreat from the elements. This woman showed my daughter how to attach cloves to the outside of oranges, which served both as decorations and gifts at a time when oranges were expensive imports.


The main reason we battled the elements to get to the Powell House was to complete a quest that had been given to Amber. She had to visit five specified locations on a map she was provided, upon which she received the pin you can see in the photo above. She was quite proud of herself for having done so.


It's always darkest before the dawn. When we stepped out of the Powell House (above), the rain had stopped, and blue skies could be seen in the distance. The weather remained that way for the rest of the day (and evening). 


The last place of note we visited on Boxing Day was the Capitol, which housed the Virginian colonial legislature. This building is a reconstruction.


Looking down on Duke of Gloucester Street from the Capitol. The small number of visitors would be in stark contrast to the crowds that were there today (Thursday).


The last thing we saw in Williamsburg yesterday was a procession down Duke of Gloucester Street by this Fife and Drum Corps.




From Colonial Williamsburg, we returned to the 21st century by driving over to Busch Gardens, admission to which was included on our special "Christmas Bounce" tickets. Though most of the rides were shut down at this time of year, the park was lit up at night. Amber enjoyed seeing a Sesame Street song-and-dance show and riding on a train, but for her, the highlight was sitting on Santa's lap and thanking him for the toy dog he gave her the day before. My thanks go out to the old gentleman playing Kris Kringle for being believable enough in the eyes of a young girl who thought she was in the presence of the real Father Christmas.


The next day (today/Thursday) was sunny, though ironically colder than it was the day before (yesterday/Wednesday). As our tickets were good for three days, we paid another visit to Colonial Williamsburg. Here, Amber poses in front of some coopers, makers of "barrels and other staved vessels".


At the Cabinetmaker's, my daughter tried her hand at playing a harpsichord. 


Horse-pulled carriages were out in force today, taking advantage of the break in the weather


At Charlton's Coffeehouse, we got to try coffee and chocolate. Colonial-style chocolate was served in liquid form, which Amber quickly learned to appreciate.


The contrast in weather is clearly (pun intended) evident in this picture taken on Duke of Gloucester Street, looking east toward the Capitol.


Lunch was had at the King's Arms Tavern. I dined on a plate of Southern-style fried chicken and ham, washed down with a local ale.


I picked up a few tips on what to do the next time my daughter misbehaves


The Courthouse. The crowd outside was lining up to go inside to see a reenactment of an 18th-century trial.


Looking at the original Bruton Parish Church (1674) from the Colonial Garden. For years, my wife has pestered me to take her to a church service in the U.S. Yesterday when we went inside this church, we had the opportunity to sit in on a ten-minute prayer service. So naturally Pamela demurred, and we left instead to go and have lunch.

And that was how we spent Christmas. Amber is off from school until next week, while I have a couple of days of "self-study" 自习 at FSI before classes resume after New Year's. The three of us enjoyed our visit to Williamsburg, especially Amber, who was fascinated by so many different things there. Sure, it's a commercialized (Colonial Williamsburg is run by a private corporation) and sanitized presentation of life in the American colonies in the latter half of the 18th century, and more attention could have been (and should be) focused on the hardships of the lives led by the slaves. But in my case, I know far more about life in old Japan than I do that in my own country, so I enjoyed the experiences of these past couple of days just as much as my daughter.

Happy Holidays!