One of the most interesting and exciting trips I have ever taken was a vacation I took with my wife driving from New York City to Virginia. It was a nine day visit to as many significant historical points of interest that we could manage. The time was too short to see everything.
We took that trip in the first week of June 2002. The security at many of those historic sites was very high. After all this was after 9-11-2001. Checking in at LAX meant arriving at the airport two hours before the flight departure. Visiting the Statue of Liberty required a two hour wait and removing my belt and taking off my shoes before boarding the ferry. No one was permitted inside the statue.
Washington D.C. had barriers around all of the significant buildings and many of the monuments including the Washington Monument. In one location there was a barrier down middle of the street in front of the White House. I tried to walk between the barriers and a policeman yelled at me and insisted I walk around to the end of the block to get to the other side. There were no tours of the White House or the Capital.
The two most impressive facilities we visited were The Smithsonian Institute and Monticello. Monticello was the most notable site I have ever visited. Thomas Jefferson’s home was so advanced in its architecture that it could be mistaken for a 20th century house. A guided tour was provided by excellent docents that really provided an insight into the man. His home was the center of a very large plantation that was mostly self sufficient. The property along with the slaves provided much of Jefferson’s personal needs. If I return to Virginia I will visit that home again.
Just three years ago we visited Boston for five days and spent one of those days in Salem. It was great fun walking on the Freedom Trail and at the same time reading 1776 a book written by historian David McCullough while in the hotel room.
John Adams was also written by David McCullough and was the basis for an HBO production of the same name. The book is a little slow but the HBO production is available on DVD and is very engaging. It received 26 Emmy awards. http://www.hbo.com/films/johnadams/
In 2008 we are writing even more history. A Black man could become president or a woman could become vice president.
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