MY ADVENTURES by Disney "Spirit of America" Sept 2009 trip report (w/pics & video)

[knewton64]

12 noon: Well...after having fun watching a wonderful movie, we pulled up to the ESPN zone for lunch. By that time, I was getting jjuusstt a weeeeee bit on the hungry side, so I was looking forward to our buffet.

**** FOOD ALERT ******

"Bill's" assesment of the food was to give it a so-so rating (not good but hey....not bad) as it did hit the spot. After lunch, we are all off to the downstairs part of the restaurant to play some games. Playing games was the highlight for me as I had fun playing bowling.


Here are some pics from the ESPN zone:

and......

1-4pm:
After our bellys were full, most of us opted (you can go onto the Hotel if you want) to engage in the bike tour of the monuments. From the WWII memorial to the Vietnam memorial....we saw a lot of the memorials via bike but....be aware....follow the (safety) rules while on a bike or these two will take you to task :

(one of our 3 "Bike and Roll" guides)


and...

(ok...just kiddin about the above pic#2 but yes, pic#1 will take you to take if you dont follow their rules)



4:30pm: biking over with our group to see more of the Memorials (I really enjoyed seeing the Lincoln Memorial):

Our ABD group pic in front of the Lincoln Memorial:

-(just double click on the below video & it will play) -


and...

and....

Video of the reflecting pool - just double click on it (with your mouse) & it will play.



Our ABD group picture:

Afterwards, we all headed back to the Mayflower hotel:

IMPRESSIVE!.

4:30-5pm: I just walked in to my room, looked at the bed...pivoted and fell backwards onto the bed. Had the biggest smile on my face! This is soooooo cool! I am just lovin' this trip!.

5-6pm: After a quick cat nap, I got ready for......

6-9pm: Dinner and conversation.... in the hotel restaurant. Dinner was really only about an hour long but the conversations with all of my ABD friends was just ttoottaalllyyyy fun.
AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I HEARD..........

OOPS! Remember one rule of thumb here........

"WHAT HAPPENS ON AN ADVENTURES BY DISNEY TRIP....STAYS ON AN ADVENTURES BY DISNEY TRIP"

9-10pm, Once again.....with Disney music on my I-pod (I brought external speakers), it was just me and a bathtub filled with hot hot water and:

1) 4 containers of hotel shampoo
2) 3 caps of bath wash
3) 2 handfulls of bubblebath

Swirls that all together and ya got one reeeaallllyyy nice bubblebath

10:30pm ish: The last thing I heard on my I-pod b 4 I fell asleep was Cliff Edwards song, "When you Wish upon a Star."
.....and not just "that song" but the same song sung (by him) BEFORE he sung it again for that Disney movie that we all know and love. Very different I say listening to it as it sounds just like a ballroom waltz.



COMING UP:
At last....my very 1st taste of Dr Pepper since I have been out of the state and enjoying the Spy Museum and what up with Ford's theatre??

 

[knewton64]

....hhmmmm....think I am getting better at getting sleep on this trip as I awoke at 4:30am. The city of Washington is just a buzz with politics and I am ready to meet it head on.
I found out later that I was't going to be surprised by this. Details below:

4:30-5:15am: Walked around the hotel for a while to again, help get rid of what I ate the day before.

********** FYI ******************
I weighed myself the evening of 09-25-09 and saw that I gained 2 lbs so pretty good if I don't say so myself.

anywho -

5:15am-6am: Got ready for......

6:30-8:30am: Breakfast in the hotel restaurant. HINT: Get to know the staff at all the restaurants you visit.

Maria (one of the ABD guides) came down very shortly thereafter and once again, her conversions were just priceless.

8:45am-1pm: We were all off the see more of the monuments but as I was getting on the motorcoach, she remarked (in a stern "Disney voice") that I had better go to the back and clean up my mess. HUH?????

*** FYI ******
the motorcoch has a section to sit in that has cupholders

So, feeling a little confused and bewildered, I sssllllooowwwwlllyyy walked my equivalent of what felt like "the green mille" & lo and behold, look what I saw:

I let out a small OM GOSH! ....fast walked up to Maria and gave her the biggest hug!

OK.....gotta let you in on a little something. Maria and I had a little unwritten rule which was about teasing each other. So remind me to tell you one day about when she let fly to our fellow ABDers (over dinner at The Mayflower hotel restaurant earlier in this trip) that I confided in her that I didn't bring any pants for this trip!

Ok....that was the first time...in a long time...that I (with Maria's help) brought the whole room to a complete hush.
It was as if the whole room got quiet - tooooo funny!


* please bring pants.....the Mayflower is too classy of a place to be walking in wearing shorts -IMO *

Here are 2 pics from the Mayflower restaurant where we met everyone for breakfast:

and.....

...and what they served each morning...yyuumm!!

and....

ok.....ok....ok.....so I got "hungry" one morning - he he he he he....

anywho -

After breakfast, we were all off to see the sights of DC ....



Now, one of the places we saw was the Lee house (Arlington National Cemetary). Since I live in Dallas, Texas - this is one place not to miss. Words can't even come close on how to describe how you will feel once you have passed through this place....

(Just double click with your computer mouse on the below video & it will play) -



Now seeing the changing of the guards at the Tombs of the Unknowns just left me with a whole new respect for who we are as a nation. It was here (combined with seeing the JFK gravesite) that this trip began to come full circle for me:

(just double click on the below video & it will play)

So, around 12 noon, we all stopped off at the Columbia Island marina (located in front but across from the Pentagon). Pics from lunch:

and...

and...

1:30pm: ("On your own time"): I opted for the Spy museum once and here are some pics and video from the place:

Exterior shot of the building:

Now, for any of you who get into spy stuff, you will not be disappointed in visiting the place as it was quite interesting to say in the least to read about my spy "posterboy" of all spys - Mr. Robert P. Hanssen:

Now, why do I view him as our nations "Posterboys" for US spies?

Easy. Here is but a small sample on what this "Child of Grace" did TO our country:

Of all the spy gadgets I saw, I liked this one the best:

The above pic is a cigeratte case that also doubles as a gun. Kinda redefines the phrase, "Smoking gun" doesn't it?


2:15pm: Walked back to the document section /exhibit of the National Archives, the Smithsonian Institution (Castle), both sides of the White House & the US Capital. here are some pics:


This is from the documents section (Decl of Indep, US Constitution, etc) of the National Archives. keep in mind from the outside, it look brightly lit up but once you step up those steps & into the area, it gets rather dark & just a wee bit on the cool side.

pic of the White House:

From there it was a cab ride to the Watergate.

WOW!!!

Then, it was onto this place:

5:45pm: Walked to Ebbits Grill (from the White House) and there, I literally got knocked into quite a pretty lady who is also a lobbyist. How You ask?? What did we talk about & how was I able to kindly obtain her e-mail address??




Stay tuned for the continuation of "NATIONAL TREASURES."

 

[nenner1]

Wow...awesome pics! I can't believe you are back already! Time sure flies...


Anyway I am loving the report and all the pictures! All those cheesesteaks...mmm...I am finding myself hungry all of a sudden!

Can't wait to hear and see more!

 

[glassslipper2004]

Hi there! I'm enjoying your report.

Who were your guides - did you have Courtney? We had her on Southwest Splendors - she was great, and had some funny jokes...

 

[knewton64]

Wow...awesome pics! I can't believe you are back already! Time sure flies...


Anyway I am loving the report and all the pictures! All those cheesesteaks...mmm...I am finding myself hungry all of a sudden!

Can't wait to hear and see more!

.....I am trading in my cheesesteaks (ABD Spririt of America trip) for some jalipeno cheddar cheese cookies & some Key lime cookies (Byrd Cookie Company....Key West Florida)- yyuummmm! They go great with Margaritas while on the DCL cruise!.


Hope to bump into you and your family in a few months while onboard the Magic. I have been "saving up my nickels" for this vacation for quite a while and hope DCL takes change....he he he.

(photo of Jefferson Memorial)

 

[knewton64]

ok....so where did we leave off??

Here is an interior shot of Old Ebbitts Grill; the "stuffed animal head" room:

By the way, above the heads of the stuffed animals are quite a collection of tankards.

Anywho -

So....as I was making my way on over to Ebbits Grill (from the White House), I happen to pass by a couple who was taking a picture. But not just any picture for the lady was holding up her 2 fingers (as if in a c formation) in the direction of the Washington Momument. As I was walking by them, i replied to the guy, "I bet you 2 are Disney fans."
The reaction from them was just priceless as they suddenly went off on French to each other before the guy asks me (in broken English), "How You Know?"
I replied, "Trust me (pointing to my Disney shirt I was wearing) I know."

Anywho -

I am off the Ebbits Grill - which is about 1/2 block to the right of the White
House. I arrive at about 5:45pm and that place is jjuusstt PACKED!. I tried my best to make it up to the "check in counter" but it was no use. So, I was gently "forced back" by the crowd all the way back to the revolving door (entrance) and there right in front of me was a very nicely dressed lady.
I must have been "in her space" cuz she looked a little annoyed as well but I made the best of it. Just then, some "child of grace" patron decided to shove the revolving door rather hard and next thing I know, the door hits me on the back of my head and a little of my body and I go careening into this nice lady.

She hears the noise, turns to me just in time to see me come barreling into her!

I felt incredibly embarrased and she & I pick ourselves off the floor. I make a rather sheepish introduction of who I am and what not but she interrupts me by saying that she also likes Disney!.
I ask her if she wants to head off to the "Stuffed Animal room" (hey...I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT ROOM IS CALLED) for some food and drink.
She says yes - so we are off to that room; which is just right of when you first enter the building.
The food and drink was wonderful (had a Rueben sandwhich and about 8....yes I said 8 glasses of ice cold Coke) as we both had fun swapping stories about her work and my work. And I tell ya what, her line of work rivals that of what I listened to while on my "Tippler's Tour" a few days earlier! I was soooo much fun listening to her....hhmmmm - I bet that's why I downed so much Coke - wanting to listen more of that she had to say about health care.

*Suggestion* engage the people of the area & you won't be surprised.
Afterwards, I kindly asked for her e-mail and we are currently now speaking via e-mail. Very nice person BUT..........


** FYI ***
Just make sure you use the "facilities" BEFORE you walk back to the Mayflower hotel .


7:30pm - walked back to the Mayflower Hotel.

8:45pm ish to 9:30pm: took hot bubblebath back in hotel room and...

10pm: Lights out.



HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS DAY:

By far, it was my experience at Ebbits Grill - too funny. And...just seeing the sights and sounds of Wash DC. Very political city and quite fun to work in. That and talking to DC cops while they are on duty is such "a trip." Fun to talk to but WOW! They are ALLLLLLLLLL BUSINESS.



UP NEXT: "PROUDLY WE HAIL" and seeing the Air/Space Museum & the National Museum of Natural History and....trying to exit gracefully from a conversation (and failing) all over the exhibit called "The penny - keep it or get rid of it." Was I given "the hand"?? And how WAS I able to exit from this, shall we say, quite interesting debate...Wash DC style?



Stay Tuned for more exiting advenures....

 

[knewton64]

ok....pretty cool trip and lovin' every minute of it -

weather was a little bit on the humid side but still- highs in the mid 70's wasn't too bad.


So why am I up at 4:30am??????. Oh...I know - It's cuz the Mayflower doesn't have the DISNEY CHANNEL! RRRRRRRRRRRRR -

Anywho - watched tv for a bit then headed off outside the hotel for a bit to work off all that food I ate the day before. So after about an hour brisk walk (didn't get lost - YYEEAA!)

5:45am-6:15am: back at hotel & got ready for the day. Love the bathroom of the Mayflower. Their brand standards are just wonderful! Love the way their rooms look.

Anywho -

After getting ready for the day, it was off to catch some breakfast downstairs. But....not after I "invaded" the Newsweek convention that was being held on the 1st floor.

WHY?

I was in search for some mmuucchh needed Dr Pepper.

NO SUCH LUCK - WWAAAAA!

BUT.....the hotel staff took rreeaallyy good care of me that am as I was "fed" some diet Dr. Pepper.
Again, please get to know your hotel staff. They are there to help you.

6:30am-8:30am: breakfast at the hotel.

from there, we were all off to see Mount Vernon as we all arrived there at about 9am.

9am-12noon: was spent having fun at Mount Vernon. It was so beautiful of a building and the grounds are so peaceful. here are some pics & video:

interior view of the mansion....from a dollhouse's point of view:



exterior video of the mansion:


side view of the mansion from the backyard:

pic#4

pic#5


pic#6



Keep in mind, it was at this moment that I expierenced "Information Overload" but I feel that the below video is that of the person portraying Mount Vernon's head house slave; Charlotte. What she had to say was quite compelling; right before we were served lunch:


(just double click on the below video & it will play)

And after our trip to Mt. vernon, it was back to the city of DC for an optional stop over at Ford's Theatre, the Museums of Natural History and American History.



Longshot of Fords Theatre:

Exterior close up shot of Fords Theatre:

Ok.....about Ford's Theatre.....it was closed! BOOOOO!!! The ABD guides (& I) didn't know this. I brought this up to Maria's attention but nontheless, IMO - be sure and ASK them to check on dates and times that it IS open (for you) BEFORE you go....this way you WON'T run into the issue that I ran into.
MInor irritant but I survived.

So, I chose to head on over and see more of the Smithsonians. Now about the backstory of HOW the Smithsonians got created. Worthwhile to read up on it because IMO, it's quite interesting to see the challenge one family member laid down to another....it wasn't met & viola! The institution was born - but WOW! Can you imagine being that family member.....not being able to carry out his Father's wishes????
And to think, look how the fledgling USA debated back and forth about what to do with all this money.....hhhmmmm......sounds like the more things change....the more they stay the same.
So, what I am trying to say is to please make a stop off and see "The Castle." A very nice place to see. It's centrally located in the Mall; just to back right of the Capitol (if you are facing the capitol building).


Here are some pics from the Smithsonians:


Some pictures from the Musuem of Natural History:

Some pics from the Museum of American History:

hhhmmm....I suddenly have that feeling to start singing, "Somewhere over the Rainbow":

or how about, "Meeska...Mouska.....Mooseka"......

and.....

In for the mood to do some cooking?

and her famous kitchen:

I also saw an exhibit on this guy:

some early pics of him:

and when he was older:

....they were often refered to as, "The long and the short of it:"

They also have an exhibit called "Impeachment."

If you look closely, you can see just how agressive the Plumbers unit was in getting what they were looking for outta that file cabinet.

FYI: To me, you can take in numerous Smithsonian buildings and pick and choose what you want to see. you really don't have to spend all day in just one museum - IMO.



BUT.......what trip to the DC area just wouldn't be complete until I just HAD to stumble into a pretty fierce "debate" with (initially) 2 complete strangers while visiting one of the Smithsonians.

What was said between the 3 of us? And just WHO was the fourth person who JUST HAD to witness this?? And what was the debate about?



STAY TUNED -

T.T.F.N.

 

[knewton64]

Hi there! I'm enjoying your report.

Who were your guides - did you have Courtney? We had her on Southwest Splendors - she was great, and had some funny jokes...

Maria & Milca - wonderful people, very patient and very kind and a very outgoing personality to match..

** You won't and can't go wrong with these two . **



T.T.F.N.

 

[knewton64]

......so here I am, having fun touring the American History museum and I happen to chance upon the penny exhibit: "Keep or Get rid of." As I was drinking in what I was seeing, I couldn't happen to blatenly / obviously overhear a couple wildly having it out over this exhibit. And the husband just
for some reason, didn't have a mental / verbal / behavioral backbone AT ALL.
The wife was FOR the penny but the Husband was AGAINST it. Now keeping it mind that I am respectful of everyone's opinion, I objected to the church mousey way the Husband was presenting his side of the debate.

So....I decided to jump in and assist him. Little did I realize how much spirit his maritial partner had in the rhealm of speech debate...

OOPPSS!!

next thing you know, I found myself right smack dab in the middle of one wild 3 way borderline HEATED debate....all over the penny!
I was holding my own ok, perrying and volleying with each jab with style and grace but I be dang if the "For" side wouldn't give in! So, I decided to step it up a bit and made a remark to the Husband that I often reply to gas station attendants (in the SW USA) to institute a promotional in relation to the purchasing of gas:

"DROP THE .9"

His church mousey repsonse (yes...complete with a rather nasal intonation):

"But prices will go up!"

Now, by this time, all was fun but I wanted out of this no win conversation. So I opted to exit gracefully.

OR DID I??

My response (while looking over him and directly at her):

Well...to borrow a phrase from that old tv program......ya take the good and ya take the bad & well....ya got the facts of life!

Her reaction was just priceless for all I heard outta her for about a minute was a series of buts while pointing a finger at me. She then "gave" me the hand, pivoted and stomped off with her Jamacian braids just a flappin' in the newly created wind.

The husband just shrugged his shoulders, made some unrecognizable remark and slowly slunked (slunked..is that a word? ) off into the sunset along with what I hope now is a backbone.

As I was dusting myself off from quite a verbal tit for tat, I noticed that I had created an audience (another person did jump into the debate earlier but quickly dropped out once he saw just how quickly it turned into a "WWWF" verbal match).

P.S. There is a way to express your feelings about the penny by dropping a penny into either a cylinder called "Keep it" or the other cylinder labeled "Drop it". ** Too bad they didn't have a running talley *** But......I did "help out the debate" by dropping 10 pennies into the cylinder tube marked "drop the penny." Ahhh....to borrow a phrase from Bugs Bunny:

"Ain't I a stinker?"


4:45pm
So from there, I headed off to see the Musuem of Natural history. Yes, I was able to see all that I had wanted to see in this museum and all it took was a little over an hour as it was fun to see various dinosaur what nots.
WOW! those animals are HHUUGGEE AND TALL!!

Here are a few more pics / video from the museum of Natural History:


Rotunda view from the musuem:

** Just double click on the below video & it will play **



Pic#2



Anywho -

After visiting there, I saw a little more of the area. I tell you what, seeing this place really makes you think. Just imagine (by the reflecting pool) what it was like in the 1960's.....all the war protests, hearing speeches, etc.

7:45pm: wandered back to the hotel.

8:30pm: Grabbed me another hot bubblebath (to rest my feet) while listening to my I-pod on external speakers. Had fun this night listening to some patriotic music. Ahhhh....listening to "Golden Dream" just melts my heart .

ok....something wrong here.....for I decided to hit the hay (by the way...what's the orgin of that phrase......inquiring minds wanna know ? - and called it a night at around 9:30pm.


HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE DAY:

Seeing the Fords theatre lobby area and the exterior of the house across the street and the wharf area of Mount Vernon.



COMING UP NEXT:
AHHHH....enjoying the wonderful indoor waterpark (esp the 2 hot tubs) at the Great Wolfe Lodge and learning the orgins of some phrases like "saved by the bell," etc.


Stay tuned for more exciting and wacky adventures as "Living History" will be the next installment.

T.T.F.N.

 

[knewton64]

4:30am was here before I knew it so I went out one more time to enjoy the am quietness of the city via a brisk walk. felt nice to get in a good walk before my day begins. The weather today was just perfect......highs again in the upper 70's but.....that pesky humidy was a factor to contend with.

5:45am: back at the hotel and got ready. The bathroom part of my hotel room was just fantastic as I enjoyed my very last bubblebath while listening to Disney music on my I-pod (with external speakers of course).

6:30-8:30am: breakfast one last time at the Cafe Promenade and afterwards, said my goodbyes to the breakfast hotel staff. I really got a chance to know them & I am going to miss them. But hey...onto more adventures!
That and it was quite "an adventure" getting my suitcase repacked (in time for it to disappear in about and hour & reappear in Williamsburg) but I managed ok.

Anywho -

Talk about "Bill" trying to grab some of what I was eating while @ the Promenade!

8:30-9am: Group /indiv ABD pics taken in front of the White House.

9am: I opted out of seing the National Zoo (yes...great place to go if you have children and yes, I do like kids) and enstead saw more of the Smithsonians. this time, I was off to see the Air & Space museum.

Now this museum was pretty neat as I got to see a lot of huge airplanes and space craft and such. Ya won't be bored seeing this place. I tried to see the Postal museum (they have an exhibit on the people who worked in the mailroom onboard the Titantic) but quickly realized that that was too far of a walk to make it back in time for a 1pm departure to Williamsburg.

So..here are a few of the pics I took while visiting the Air & Space Museum:


MY FAVORITE PLANE OF ALL:

and...

followed closely behind by:

here is an overhead shot of the ceiling:

1pm: From there, we were off to Williamsburg

While we were all relaxing on the motorcoach, we all took in Disney's "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" movie. Pretty neat movie as I haven't seen it before.

4pm: arrived in no time to the Great Wolfe Lodge in Williamsburg. Nice hotel and love the layout of it.

Interior shot of my hotel room:

4-5:30pm: took quick cat nap in my hotel room. Was already to catch 20 zzzzz's in one of the beds until I spied this (on the other side of the 1/2 wall):

VERY COMFY 4 CATNAPS .


and the view from outside my balcony! W-O-W!! (I was on the 4th floor). Just had to have a milkshake and 2 CC cookies while just relaxin' out on that balcony my last night I was @ the Great Wolf.


*** FYI ABOUT THE GREAT WOLF LODGE ***

This is the only hotel on the ABD trip that had laundry facilities that are coin operated.



5:30-6pm: I mozzied on down to the interior swimming pool area of the hotel for one rreealllyy nice pizza / soda party. Had my fill of great pizza before I headed off to check out those saunas

** I WASN'T DISAPPOINTED ***

they were GREAT!

6-9pm: went swimming in the pool & flipped back and forth between that & the 2 hot tubs.


** just double click on the below video & it will play **



9pm: went back upstairs to my room but before I went inside, I had fun watching the local kids play Magic Quest....a game I highly recommend for kids to play. Pretty fun to watch.

9:30pm: quck bubble bath & then called it a night.




UP NEXT:


checking out Williamsburg via "COLONIAL DAYS" & having fun keeping up with a "mean shopper"....

T.B.C.

 

[dizzi]

AWESOME Trip Report.

makes me look forward to the days when we wil be taking these trips.
(we wonttakethem tilthe kidsdont have to vacation with us,so 5 years or so)

But seems like you had a great time.

And a new fresh look at all these places i have seen since a child as i grew up just outside of DC. And Many of these places saw on field trips as a child.

Nice to hear about themfromanothers point of view,

GREAT JOB

 

[knewton64]

AWESOME Trip Report.

makes me look forward to the days when we wil be taking these trips.
(we wonttakethem tilthe kidsdont have to vacation with us,so 5 years or so)

But seems like you had a great time.

And a new fresh look at all these places i have seen since a child as i grew up just outside of DC. And Many of these places saw on field trips as a child.

Nice to hear about themfromanothers point of view,

GREAT JOB

....I had a "fantabolous" time.

I walked into this trip with a certain expectation level and I wasn't disapointed. Yes, I highly suggest that it does pay to do a little bit of research in preperation for this trip but again, I had no issue with anything; be it from bonding with other fellow ABDers on this vacation to the amount of walking to even the Great Wolf Lodge.


I highly recommend this trip to anyone. I took over 800 pictures....this doesn't even include the amount of video I shot.

the memories from this trip are inmeasurable but it is how it impacts you afterwards is what I have noticed now that I am back from my trip.

Like I look at the US flag differently now, etc.



Hope you are enjoying reading my trip report as I am having in writing it. It such a pleasure retelling my experiences for all to see.

 

[knewton64]

WOW! Got a great night's sleep as 5am was here before I knew it. I walked the halls for a while then came back to my room to get ready for the day.

7-9am: Breakfast downstairs in the Loose Moose. had fun slowly waking up & talking with all my fellow ABD friends. Mental note:

WHAHHHH!! Come the next day, it's time to go home! shhhh! don't think about that just yet!

**Gonna miss all of them as it has been a wonderful trip **

Anywho -

around 9am, we all head off to Cononial Williamsburg:
** FYI ** IMO, BOOK/RESERVE A POST DAY ON THIS TRIP SO YOU CAN ENJOY MORE OF THIS PLACE**


**Just double click on the below video & it will play**


.....seeing the place was like stepping back in time.

The whole place was like one huge colonial town and it was really fun to visit each shoppe and see what they were up to. Some of the people, places I saw were the barber, barrel maker, post office, furniture maker,etc.

By far, this was the best place to check out - he has a funny personality (post office):



BUT.......

(our 2 ABD guides)


It was right here that we learned the orgins of such phrases as:
"saved by the bell:"

on this one, many people were buried alive...so people got wise to this and began to place a piece of string around your finger and tie it up to a bell above your coffin. Should you wake up in your coffin, you job was to ring that bell like crazy and hope the gravedigger gets you out before its too late.


"earmarked"

ok....an general explanation of this one is ya wouldn't want to be caught stealin cuz the Governor wud literally "Pierce" your ear lobes...without any medication to numb the area .....and he may take part of the ear lobe off when he rips out the nail! OUCH!!
per se, he wud take an hour per ear! **DOUBLE OUCH**!!



Pic#3

Pic#4


Afterwards, I opted to take the 2nd motorcoach back to the hotel but before that, we all stopped for lunch (11am) at The Kings Arm tavern:

The food was just fantastic! And let me tell ya, we devoured the biscuits (when we first arrived) in nothing flat! They tasted good! Just remember, the sugar-like subtance on the table ISN'T sugar....it's salt.

So, after lunch, a few of us meandered off to look at a few more places before we had to be back on the motorcoach at 2:45pm. So, that left us about an hour and a half. Making the most of our time, we saw a few more places:


pic#1


pic#2


......but Karen (fellow ABD traveler) wanted to get in some last minute shopping and I tell ya what! WHEW!!! She knows how to fast walk as fast walking she did! Even Karl was amazed (earlier in this trip report, they are in the pic from The Tavern; Philadelphia) at just how quick she walks.

Anywho, she's one mean shopper cuz we got in all of our shopping asap and hightailed it back to the motorcoach with 4 minutes to spare. The temperatures were around the high 70's again but WHOAH!!!! THE HUMIDITY!!


We arrived back at the hotel around 4pm. I checked out the indoor water park one more time (for about an hour) before I headed on up to my room to get ready for dinner.

6pm:: We all met up again for dinner. And the meal just couldn't be beat. Same with the table settings:

and the desserts were just like wow, especially the brownies!

Afterwards, around 10pm, I called it a night & headed back upstairs to my room. Sat outside on my balcony, nibbling on two choc chip cookies and a milkshake (bought at the icecream shop; downstairs 1st floor by the water park) just enjoying the 1/2 moon and the night sky. The last thoughts in my head were that of the indoor waterpark and other great memories from this trip before I knodded off to sleep.



HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DAY:

The post office at cononial Williamsburg and the farewell dinner back at the Great Wolf Lodge.

 

[knewton64]

Here are a few more pics from my day at Colonial Williamsburg:


The barber:

The barrel maker:

The cabinet maker:

and...

and...

COMING UP NEXT: "FARE THE WELL" & enjoying the Great Wolf Lodge one more time before I take my last ride on that wonderful ABD motorcoach.

(photo shot inside King's Arm tavern; Williamsburg VA)

 

[tchrrx]

Hit the Hay
Before matresses used to be stuffed with hay or straw, so when one was hitting the hay they were on their way to bed, thus thats where the meaning 'hit the hay' or go to bed comes from.

(I figured that for as much info as you're sharing, I should give something back. )

 

[TotallyAngelic]

WOW - this trip is amazing - I have been glued to the computer all morning Thanks do much for sharing your adventures - looks like I have another trip to add to my ever - growing "must do" list.

 

[knewton64]

Hit the Hay
Before matresses used to be stuffed with hay or straw, so when one was hitting the hay they were on their way to bed, thus thats where the meaning 'hit the hay' or go to bed comes from.

(I figured that for as much info as you're sharing, I should give something back. )

....now that's too cool - didn't know that.

Williamsburg was a totally fun place to see but....just wish we had more time to see more of that 301 acre place. But ya know.....there is always a next time .



TTFN

 

[knewton64]

WOW - this trip is amazing - I have been glued to the computer all morning Thanks do much for sharing your adventures - looks like I have another trip to add to my ever - growing "must do" list.

...ya can add whichever one ya want to your "must do
list and build on it from there. That way, it turns into a trip of a lifetime .

Thanks 4 the compliment.

TTFN

 

[knewton64]

I had the craziest dream last night. I dreamed that British soldiers came into the hotel and made us check out of the Great Wolfe Lodge hotel.....before 12 noon!!



ah - the horror! ACK!



and then "Bill" came running by but he was just all a blur:

....then I woke up

Mental note:
remind me to lay off the chocolate milkshake and 2 chocolate (with m&m's) chip cookies right before bed!


Anywho -

I awoke around 5:45am not with a tear in my eye but with a warm fuzzy feeling in my heart and ready to enjoy one last trip downstairs for some much needed breakfast. It took me a while to get ready but one last bubblebath later, I was downstairs in the hotel's breakfast area around 8am.
Breakfast time was spent having fun conversing one more time with everyone. I had made sure I got my OnE SuItCaSe all ready for it to disappear one last time and for me to see it reappear back at DFW airport later on that afternoon.

10am "ish:": made my way back on up to my room and enjoyed the view from the balcony for one last time.

10:45am: made it back downstairs and had fun talking with the fellow ABDers who were taking the motorcoach back to the airport.


11:30am: left the hotel to head on back to the airport with no tears being shed as I knew it was a fun vacation but hey.....more adventures are in store for me!


1:45pm: flight left for DFW airport with me and 4 other ABDers...how cool was that! They were on their way back to Colorado & Arkansas respectively.

6:30pm: Made it back home but wait! Before I arrived back home......confession time!


....I jjuusstt had to make a stop off at Walmart.....to buy one last cheesesteak.....2 litre bottle of Dr Pepper and a DVD of Disney's "National Treasure, book of secrets."

....and then headed back home to enjoy a wonderful movie with a pocketful of vacation memories to go with it.


UP NEXT:

A LOOK BACK ON MY VACATION & WHERE AM I GOING NEXT?

 

[knewton64]

-


What else is there to say about this trip? This is a trip I would highly recommend to anyone as it will really make to appreciate your freedom as a citizen of these United States.

I encountered no issues along the way as I enjoyed everything about this trip and hope there are many more of you who choose to attend what I definately call a trip of a lifetime. .



T.T.F.N.