I don't use the term "wee hours" lightly. We awoke at 3:30 am, had ourselves in the lobby of RLCA by 4:30 am, and were southbound and down aboard a charter bus by 5:15 am. By the time we pulled over for our first rest stop, sometime around 8 am, the sun had finally decided to rise and we had already finished our first movie: The Lion King (I had forgotten how infectious some of that music is). From there, we popped in Toy Story 3 (still brings a tear to my eye when they're in the incinerator), and continued our southward trek.
Arriving in Williamsburg around 10:30 am, we went straight to our first stop: The Jamestown Settlement. The Settlement is a living history museum, replete with a Powhatan Village, recreations of the ships that carried over the original colonists, and a period-correct re-construction of the Jamestown fort. While the facility is, by itself, pretty incredible, what really brought the experience to life was 'B' (Bill), our tour guide. In his own unique way, 'B' introduced us to Powhatan life before the colonists arrived, explained life aboard the sailing ships as the settlers struggled across the Atlantic (bleh), and detailed many of the struggles and successes as the settlers worked to build a new world. He also dispelled many of the misconceptions that have permeated our view of history (for example, the job of a blacksmith and much of Pocahontas' story). The man had a knowledge of and passion for history unmatched by anyone I have ever met in my entire life.
After a couple of hours at the Settlement, we bid 'fare thee well' to 'B', loaded the kids back aboard the buses and headed over to the actual site of the original Jamestown colony over on Jamestown Island. The site, which is mere moments away from the museum, is an active archaeological dig which only recently (1996) discovered the exact location of the original triangle-shaped fort. Standing on the exact same ground where our great country was truly birthed, the exact same ground where John Smith and Pocahontas walked, the same ground where hundreds of colonists lost their lives to disease and starvation, was quite sobering to many of the chaperones. Unfortunately, the moment, I believe, was lost on many of the students in the absence of a tour guide (especially on the heels of such a dynamic experience with 'B').
Jamestown was followed by a quick stop at our hotel then it was off to dinner. Options for dinner included Applebee's, Chili's, and McDonald's (and maybe something called Red Hot & Blue...still a little fuzzy on if that was actually allowed). Apparently Chili's isn't cool with 8th graders (who knew?), so the overwhelming choice across the group was Applebee's. Two years ago, this same choice proved to be a bad one for all involved. However, for our outing, Applebee's proved the wiser decision. The staff had >30 people fed and on the bus in an hour and half and we never felt particularly rushed.
With our bellies full, and many of the kids jacked up on soda and/or desert (yeah, tell me about it), we re-boarded the buses and headed into historic Williamsburg for the Lanthorn Tour. This is a night tour which takes you into several shops on Duke of Gloucester St (DOG St, as the locals affectionately call it), escorted by a guide who carries a lantern (or allows your sugared up kids to carry it). Our group made stops at the Milliner (colonial Walmart), Apothecary (pharmacist), and the Wigmaker (maker of wigs, shocking, I know). I have to say, while the colonial setting was fairly picturesque by candlelight (sorry, photography was not allowed), stumbling around in the dark, dodging horse droppings, and seeing shops that aren't staffed, left a little something to be desired.
The Lanthorn Tour now behind us, we made for the hotel to break for the night. Depending on who you were rooming with, sleep came in varying degrees. Personally, I got in around 7 hours of sleep. Abby and her bunk mates apparently made due with about 5 hours (Honestly, that's more than I expected they'd get and more than some of the other rooms got).
The following morning, having thoroughly pillaged the hotel's breakfast buffet, we vacated the premises and headed back to DOG St, this time for a proper tour. Our guide for the morning, a very nice woman (whose name completely escapes me now) toured us through the Capital, the 'gaol' (jail), the Silversmith, the Anderson Kitchen and Blacksmith, the public hospital, and Bruton Parish Church. All of these stops were now well staffed and each offered their own specific glimpse into the colonial lifestyle.
We then had some free time for lunch and shopping. For my group, lunch ran a bit long and we only ended up getting to stop in the candy shop (why I went to Williamsburg and only ended up buying Gummi Bears and Jelly Bellies, I'll never know).
After lunch, it was time for the always popular Williamsburg scavenger hunt. For a host of reasons, my group of 4 girls paired with another group and tag teamed the challenge. In the end, had the scoring been based on accuracy, I'm sure we would have cleaned up. However, such was not the case. Crossing the finish line dead last probably didn't help either (its the flautist's fault...he distracted us).
From there, we boarded the bus and made for home.
All in all, it was a pretty amazing trip. We met some really neat people (hey, 'B'), saw some really amazing places, made some new friends (hey, Dennis), saw only the slightest bit of rain, and didn't lose any kids. What more could one ask for?
