Sunday, a chance to unwind and reflect over the journey so far…. I wish! there’s far too much to see around here for me to slack off!
After many recommendations of places to visit whilst in the area we settled on visiting a museum in Jamestown, this being the site of the first British colony in North America. There was so much to see we could have spent days in the one museum! The exhibits take you through the story of the early attempts to settle in Jamestown, there is a reconstruction of the original fort in which the colonists faced extremes and adversities of all kinds from hostile natives to starvation.
The one thing that really strikes me is the American passion for history, I witnessed here the same dedication that I have seen at Colonial Williamsburg, professional staff and volunteers teaching the visitors with conviction and passion. I find it strange that there is so much commitment to such a brief history in comparison to our history back home, the period in which the original fort was built and occupied was pretty close to the time the Worshipful company of Wheelwrights was granted its charter. Our attitude to the vast wealth that is british history in comparison is laughable at best, and I am almost embarrassed by this.
All in all it was a wonderful day and evening, being topped off by a meal out with Paul (Journeyman Wheelwright) and his lovely wife Lynn and daughter Maggie who also would make fantastic tour guides, pointing out some interesting sights and explaining local history en route.
