Vacation

[ccz145a]

Why are there no Americans in Miami!!

In the immortal words of Yogi Berra: "Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded"

Hope you had a good time anyway, though.

[Bitzer!]

lol @ Yogi think I made a Boo Boo going there!  I need to find somewhere "more" American to go next year!!

[DnStClr]

Yes you must stay away from Miami. Next time go to Gulf Shores, Alabama if you want an excellent seaside vacation in the states. It's on the Gulf of Mexico side of Florida (West side) and has good restaraunts and plenty of places to shop for both you and Mrs.   

[okuma]

if you want an excellent seaside vacation in the states. It's on the Gulf of Mexico side of Florida (West side) and has good restaraunts and plenty of places to shop for both you and Mrs.   

I am sure you will love the south padre island here in south texas.  beautifull sight at the gulf of mexico. < and women>     then once here you can make a trip to matamoros, mexico which is less than 5 miles away.....  here you can find everything really cheap ---- I mean everything! <10,000 pesos = 1 dollar >

[JJSZABO]

I use to live in Boca Raton (about 30 miles north of Miami) in the early 80's, and we use to say, "when the last american leaves miami, please bring the flag" 

[Lt.Del]

No Americans in Miami--well, I believe all of the USA will be like Miami in another generation.  When the Mexicans can simply walk accross the border, if we even have a border--we certainly don't use it as such, and come in to this better country where they "give" everything to immigrants--education, healthcare, business loans, etc...while middle class America works their buns off to get these things, heck, if I were from another country, I sure would come on in and use the USA welcome mat.

Anyway, if one is into colonial history (it seems all of my vacations have something to do with touring historical sights) Richmond is the place.  With Charlottesville and Thomas Jefferson's (founder of UVA, writer of Declaration of independence) home Monticello (look at your nickels backside) or other presidents James Madison's (father of the Constitution) home is Montpelier in Orange County, the home of Wm. Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Benjamin Harrison all within an hour's drive of Richmond.  Woodrow Wilson and Geo Washington's homes are within two hours.  George Mason (writer of Va declaration of rights--became Bill of Rights for the USA--1st ten amendments to the constitution) was Washington's neighbor.  Patrick Henry's (Give me liberty or give me death) Scotchtown plantation still thirty minutes away. All these plantation houses are still in their glory.

Colonial Williamsburg and Jamestown, as well as Yorktown (surrender of Cornwallis and end of Revolutionary War) are within 1.5 hrs drive.  50% of all civil war battlefields are within 1.5 hrs drive of Richmond, including Fredericksburg, Petersburg, Appomattox, Cold Harbor, Wilderness, Chancelorsville, etc.. Henry Clay's neighborhood has changed a bit, but the church is still being used today.

Edgar Allan Poe grew up here and the house is still in Richmond, John Marshall's (Chief Justice of Supreme court) still has his house on , well, Marshall Street in Richmond. Jefferson Davis's White house of the confederacy is two blocks from Marshall's house.  Robert E. Lee's Richmond house is frequented here in Richmond.  The nation's oldest continuously used Governor's Mansion is still being used by the current governor of Va. --the likes like Jefferson, Madison, Patrick Henry,  all lived there during their gubanotorial terms.
 
That's enough of a history and geography lesson for one day. 

[JJSZABO]

Well put Sgt!!

My family has spent a many a vacation in VA - I LOVE Williamsburg area.  I would live there if they got more snow (I am a snow person).

GREAT history lesson.  Don't forget Appamatox Courthouse, where Lee surrendered to Grant to end the Eastern theater of the Civil War.

[cruppert77]

MORE, MORE, MORE, MORE. nice

[Lt.Del]

MORE, MORE, MORE, MORE. nice

Well, I am not from Boston (good thing there is no "R" in Boston).  But, that is my favorite next bestest place.
From Walden Pond (Thanks Henry David Thoreau), to Ralph Waldo Emerson, to Nathaniel Hawthorne (Salem) to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the Alcott sisters--man the list goes on.

That is the town where Paul Revere had his silversmith business then gave warning from the old North church tower, via "one lantern if by land, two lanterns if by sea" of the Red coats coming. The shot heard 'round the world was from there.  Just a short drive to Lexington and Concord--the first major battle at that little bridge.  Fenway Park, the oldest baseball stadium, opened up the same month the Titanic went bloop,bloop, bloop--April 1912.

The Boston Tea Party, the minutemen, the USS Constitution--the longest surviving active battleship on the planet. 
Just a short drive south to Salem where the Salem Witch trials took place.  In fact, judge Sewall was a cousin of Nate Hawthorne.  Take the ghost tour--that is cool--I saw a ghost (really) near the old graveyard.  And a black cat. (that's another story)

And don't forget Plymouth--they have a rock there where a boat of pilgrims came to and stepped on.  (remember, Plymouth Pilgrims landed in 1620, Jamestown Va was est. 1607  )

Don't forget Quincy Mass.  Where John Adams and J.Quincy Adams hung out.

Just a little futher south is Cape Cod--beautiful area to buy land ---if you are a billionaire. Yeah, right next to Hyannis Port where the Kennedys hang out. Martha's Vineyard is nice--don't ferry your car, a bike is all you need.  And, Nantucket, where the largest whaling fleet is from--even the boat that Melville turned into Moby Dick, yes, it was based on a real boat--the Whaleship Essex.

On my next trip up there, Going to Gloucester Mass.  Remember the "Perfect Storm"?  Gotta see that famous statue of the fisherman and the wall with all the lost fisherman lives listed on it.

I could go on and on.

[JJSZABO]

Please do..... More, more, more - This is fun

Oh... Norman Rockwell anyone?

[Lt.Del]

I forgot to mention that the tip of Cape Cod, Provincetown, was the first place the Mayflower landed.  They decided to go to the mainland, hence, Plymouth was founded.

Also just south of Provincetown is where Marconi had his wireless radio signal station--when the first broadcast went over the Atlantic to England.  That was awesome!  Some of the wooden poles are still visible inside the sand, up on the cliff, just above the ocean. 

[zieg85]

Been meaning to get to Gettysburg to tour all they have to see.  The founding father of my surname came over on the Mayflower, have the family tree and all, just need to see it for myself.  According to it all there are 3 boys left to carry on the name, my 2 boys and my brothers 1. 

[Lt.Del]

I've been to Gettysburg a few times, once, during the 130th reenactment 1993, right after they filmed Turner's movie, Gods and Generals.  They had the reenactment right on the set they made for the movie.

father of my surname came over on the Mayflower

My 9th great grandfather, John Proctor, came to Jamestown in 1609-1610 on board the Seaventure.  Also on the Seaventure (which was the ships first and only voyage) were Christopher Newport, John Rolfe (future husband of Pocohontas), Governor Thomas Gates, and George Somers, the admiral. Thomas Gates was to replace John Smith as leader in Jamestown.  They shipwrecked on the way over during a huricane and beached the sinking ship at Bermuda, which was known as the island of the Devil back then.  They spent nine months there.  John Rolfe and his first wife had a baby there. 
Because of George Somers leadership, they initially called the island Somers Islands.  They presently have Somers Church, Somers Bay,etc.. The shipwreck started the initial habitation of the island and it has been inhabitted ever since 1609, they found it for the Kind on England.  Nine months later, they finished their voyage to Jamestown, except for two Englishmen who would stay to claim the island for the King.

Ever hear of Shakespeare's The Tempest?  It was based on the Seaventure shipwreck.

Anyway, John Proctor settled on the James River about 40 miles up river from Jamestown initially. This was accross the James River from John Rolfe's plantation--Rolfe who initiated the growth of Tabacco in the New World.  This is just below Richmond.  Proctor's Creek is still named after him--it goes right up under I-95 near the Philip Morris Headquarters.

The indian Massacre of 1622 forced the Proctor  family back to Jamestown. Rolfe's first wife died in Bermuda, then, he married Pocohontas in Jamestown.

It is funny, my mother (who is Proctor's 8th gr.granddaughter) was born in California.  My parents met in Japan (mom on vacation, dad in service) They then moved to Va. I now live in the same county as Proctor lived in---talking coming full circle.

Oh, ever hear of Bacon's Rebellion?  John Proctor's son, George Proctor, my 8th gr grandfather, fought with Bacon during an attempted coup of Governor Berkely. But that's another story.

see the complete story...http://www.delbridge.net/seaventure


The coat of arms of Bermuda features a representation of the wreck of the Sea Venture...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_Venture

[zieg85]

Ziegler's Grove:Battle of Gettysburg....  Emanual Ziegler donated this land to help found Gettysburg.  He was one of the last surviving soldiers who died at age 92 in 1854 came over on the Mayflower.

You mentioned Edgar Allen Poe... Adopted into my mom's side, Edgar Allen originally...

Thanks for the bit of history.

[Lt.Del]

Adopted into my mom's side, Edgar Allen originally

As one can probably tell, I love history and I love literature.   However, Edgar Allan Poe is biologically a "Poe" and was adopted by the  wealthy Richmond Virginia merchant John Allan. Allan therefore was the origin of Edgar's middle name, when Edgar was orphaned at two years of age. In fact, Edgar's biological grandfather was General David Poe of Revolutionary War fame, and friend to Lafayette.

Edgar's true brother and sister were adopted by others. His new mother, Mrs. Allan could not have children.  When Edgar was five, Mr. Allan would show him off, because Edgar could recite from memory many English poems.

He then went to UVA (where today his dorm room is a museum piece--appearing as it did when Edgar was there in Charlottesville).  Edgar then went to West Point before getting kicked out.

Poe married his cousin when he was 26, she was 13.  Man, how times have changed.

was one of the last surviving soldiers who died at age 92 in 1854 came over on the Mayflower.

Last survivors of Gettysburg?  The battle was in 1863, you say he died in 1854 at 92?  The Mayflower was in 1620.