October 11-13, 2012 -- The Colonial Williamsburg Saga

There are two videos for this blog entry.

They say time heals all wounds. Well, about a week after our vacation to Colonial Williamsburg, I have calmed down mostly, but I still HATE Colonial Williamsburg. I'd never been before, but it seemed like something one should do. Kent had visited with his family twenty years ago and enjoyed it, and hoped I would too. Sadly that did not happen.

I'm still trying to sort out why. I love historic buildings and decorative arts. I think its partially due to the fakeness of it all. Yes, there are a few historic buildings, but mostly its just the basements or fragments. The rest is all a re-creation. Basically it's Colonial Disney, with the overpriced tickets, horrible overpriced food (except for the baked goods at the Raleigh Tavern Bake Shop), and rude employees wearing costumes and who don't want to be there. The trick is that at Disney the costumes mask their faces so you can't see them rolling their eyes at you. Granted my slight food poisoning (or at least I think that was what it was) at the King's Arm Tavern, with our unbelievably surly waiter, did not make the first day there a good start. Mostly I think it was disappointment over what should be a serious and important part of our country's history being turned into such a crass commercial venture.

I did enjoy our visit to the two museums there, especially the folk art with its carousel with a cat. We listened to a beautiful pipe organ and harpsichord concert at one of the original churches still standing (until my stomach seized up -- sadly I didn't think to film it as I was feeling quite ill at that time). We did notice a difference between week day and weekend performers. The weekend ones were a bit more knowledgeable and actually seemed to want to be there.



My advice, if you wish to visit, is to just do the free stuff. You can park at the Visitor's Center for free and then walk over the bridge to the "historic area" (there's also fairly cheap garage parking close to the Merchant's Square area) and just wander through, stop and get some gingerbread cookies and apple cider at the Raleigh Tavern Bake Shop (yes, the staff aren't friendly, but the food isn't too over-priced there and it's good), then get the hell out! Don't go to the taverns, instead stop at one of the restaurants in Merchant's Square or near the College. The staff won't be wearing dorky costumes, but that means the prices will be lower, the food will be edible, and the servers won't slam the plates down in front of you (yes, that is what the server did to us at the King's Arm Tavern). Go to the museums, and then escape from the land of unpleasant people.