It's late here in D.C. - about 11.30pm but I know that if I don't keep writing, I'll get too far behind.

Thursday and Friday were spent in and around Colonial Willamsburg, VA.  We went to Jamestown Settlement on the Thursday and it was nice to just drive 10 minutes down the road to something about all the miles we had been putting on the car.

We looked around at the displays, watched a movie on the founding of Jamestown, which helped Andrew fill in on the historical backgound and then went outside to the recreation of the fort/settlement.  I really liked seeing the staff dressed up in period costume, talking about so many fascinating things from that period and encouraging the children to interact with them.  From hauling water, to watering plants, looking at a canoe being burnt out, a musket being loaded and fired, to having a go at sweeping the floor and dressing up in some armour, it was just a great experience!  Caught your breath now?? Phew!

They also had some replica ships in the harbour of the first ships that brought the colonists out from England.  The boys liked climbing all over these and doing some dressing up!  Wanted to climb that rigging (that's a comment for you, Devon) but of course, weren't allowed to...

Later that day, after a rest and a swim in the hotel pool (yes, it was freezing...), we all walked around Colonial Williamsburg.  In the dull light before dark, the town just looked majestic.  Again, people were dressed in period costume and took their roles seriously, providing some interest as we strolled up the streets.  We had a tired Mark at the end of the day and a couple of hungry boys but it was a nice walk in such picturesque surroundings.  I'll put some photos on Facebook tomorrow - too late to organise them now.

Friday, we had to pack and head out to Yorktown.  We just got there in time for the Artillery Show and then went back inside and started at the beginning of the galleries and worked our way back through. This was a smaller venture than Jamestown but still done well.  The lady in the Farmhouse spoke to the boys at length about cooking and preserving things in a colonial kitchen and got them to handle huge pots and wash some dishes. A man explained the role of a surgeon during those times and showed all manner of gruesome looking tools for the the various complaints!

It was interesting to read about Yorktown and see where all the various parties had travelled from to get to this point in the Revolutionary War.  We finished there by mid afternoon and then travelled to D.C. to stay with the Houghtons.  We arrived just before the traffic got banked up on the Beltway and have had a great weekend here.  I'll get back on soon to talk more about our D.C. happenings.Must get to bed now!!