THE NO GOOD HORRIBLE VERY BAD VACATION

Well, it wasn't all bad.

What it was, was HOT. And miserable. And crowded.

While the fife and drum processional to honor the dead on Memorial Day was quite moving, the rest of Historic Williamsburg has taken on a Disney-esque, what-can-we-sell-them-and-for-how-much aura. Nearly every building we walked into had a cash register. Grr.

And DC. Holy madness. The Metro. The lines. The sold-out tickets. The missed highway exits. The traffic. The blistering HEAT....

You get the idea.

There were a couple of highlights:

The Natural Bridge in Virginia. There were two weddings going on while we were there. And I can see why. What an inspiring place to start a new life.

Shirley Plantation, the oldest plantation in Virginia, located right on the James River. I would not have known about this if not for Pat Weaver, who so graciously passed along her travel tips.

And the National Firearms Museum in Fairfax. I was so ho-hum about this stop and really only made it a priority for youngest son's obsession with guns. And you know what, it was really amazing. Who knew guns could be displayed so creatively? Basically the museum takes you on a trek through a history of America, using firearms. It was SO well done. I was riveted. And the museum is FREE. And parking is FREE too. Nice.