Daddy D and I have arrived home after a quick trip to the east coast. Before our trip began, we had three goals in mind, to visit Thomas Jefferson's home, Monticello, to go to the Mariner's Museum to learn more about the Monitor and the Merrimack, and to see the place where the Wright Brothers successfully invented and flew the first airplane.
After seeing these three historic sites, Daddy D commented that we had experienced three different eras of history. Monticello was built during revolutionary times and in the early days of United States history. The Monitor and Merrimack, were ironclad ships of the Civil War. The Wright Brothers flew made their historic flight at the beginning of the twentieth century.
You might wonder why we chose to visit those specific sites with so many other places to choose. In addition to being of important historical significance, each of those sites are of scientific importance. Thomas Jefferson , in addition to being a prominent statesman, was a scientist. According to the Monticello tour guide, Jefferson was the nation's first meteorologist, with a keen interest in weather. Furthermore, he owned a number of interesting gadgets including a polygraph, a machine that made copies as he wrote letters and other documents. These pictures show a wind vane at 
Jefferson's home. He had a traditional wind vane on the roof with the directional compass attached to the wind vane on the ceiling beneath the vane.
Jefferson's home. He had a traditional wind vane on the roof with the directional compass attached to the wind vane on the ceiling beneath the vane. We loved this history and science oriented vacation, but we like trips to state and national parks as well. One summer we were fortunate to stay at all of the state parks with lodges in the state of Indiana. On these trips, we hiked, and I photographed wildflowers.
What is your favorite kind of vacation? Do you enjoy visiting monuments? Do you prefer an action-packed vacation of whitewater rafting or skiing? Would you rather lay out at the beach and soak in some rays while listening to the gentle swish-swishing of the waves? Or would you rather head to New York, London, or Sydney for days of shopping and nights of theater and fine dining?
7 comments:
I would like to go do it all.
Interesting that you mentioned the three different eras. We seem to be hurtling through history.
There used to be an exhibit at the Smithsonian that featured a covered wagon and a lunar rover within reach of each other. Both of which could have been built in one person's lifetime.
Glad you are back home!
Our travels seem to revolve around music, but we always fill our days with the odd and interesting in the area we are visiting.
Looks like a great trip for you and Daddy D!
It depends on the time of year...when it's hot here, I love to go somewhere cool...when it's cold here, I love to go somewhere warm. I'm not much with an agenda packed full of activity.
That was a neat trip. The round trip distance was 2400 miles. The ride was really fun through West Virginia. It was up and down and around montains.
Thanks for being my pimp, MJD! And very glad you are home!
Hmmmm...Frema and I have taken a few different kinds of vacations and always had a good time, but I think we both like to be near water of some sort most of the time. We really hope to go to Florida next year for our first trip with the baby.
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