DC Day 8 (Williamsburg & Travel to Manhattan)

In our darling little Williamsburg cottage, we had no internet IN the cottage... and our Colonial Williamsburg (CW) day was L O N G... so I had no time to bring the computer somewhere to get wireless. Now that we finally made it to NYC, we have it for a mere $17 per day. (Why is it that cheap hotels have wifi free and expensive hotels - marriott marquis/time square- charge you a TON???)

Anyhow, CW was H O T and H U M I D. Everything felt like a lot of effort and sticky and HOT. We got up and into town kind of early. We saw the gunsmith and the Magazine (weapon and ammunition storage), silversmiths, black smiths, & millinery before the Revolutionary City "show" started. This was good and interesting but felt really LONG standing in the heat.

After an hour, we left for our carriage ride. They said it would only fit 4 people so we bought just 4 tickets and planned to send just the kids. However, the driver said he could fit all 6 of us so we all piled in for our reserved 15 minute ride.

After, we all had lunch together at Retros then the kids went back to the cottage and D and I powered through more history.

Just the 2 of us saw the brickyard and the cabinet maker and toured the Capitol and a Tavern (Inn) and the Gaol (jail). It was all SO informative and interesting.

Definitely fun!

At 5:00, we met the kids at Shield's tavern for our reservation. (I keep stressing our "reservations" because I am so proud & happy I actually planned in advance and made reservations!!! Normally, I would be one of the people going "Hey! We want to ride a carriage. Where do we do that?" and people say "Oh... you had to do that in advance, it is all sold out... you'll have to do that next time you are here." - which may be exactly NEVER!)

So I am SO excited!!!

Anyhow, we ate our reserved dinner at the Tavern and it was mediocre, expensive, not that worth it.

Afterwards we had 2 (also reserved in advance) evening programs.

"In Defense of our Liberty" had us signed up in the first Continental Army. We had to learn to march and learn how to be soldiers as new recruits. (The kids were SO mad at me when they were marching around in the sweaty, buggy early evening heat - haha!!!)

We also did a Ghost Stories tour which was kind of stupid but had us walking around the town at night which was fun!

Oh... and we all saw our first fireflies - EVER!!!

Jade met a girl and went out with her and some of her friends (Lando went along strictly as a "wingman").

We all got up at 6:45AM to hit the road for Manhattan.

We made good time, made very few stops, drove in 7 states in 8 hours (Virginia, DC, Maryland, Delaware, Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York)

and even got lost!!!

WHY - I ask you - are there TWO 95 freeways?????????????????

We didn't realize we were lost and were driving the wrong way on the wrong 95 for FORTY MINUTES.

By the time we turned around, it added a good 1.5 hours onto our drive UGH!!!

We eventually entered Manhattan very close to rush hour and tried to make our way to our hotel... this process took about an hour (most of the kids had to PEE desperately!).

We got checked in and have adjoining rooms on the 17th floor with a nice view of Times Square.

The kids are getting cleaned up and I am blogging before we hit the town for dinner.

(Oh, and poor Lando is SICK. Please PRAY for a speedy recovery for him... he has been SO looking forward to being here :o(

xo