Gettysburg

The Pennsylvania Memorial

Christopher and I had the amazing opportunity to visit Gettysburg. We opted for a self-guided tour with a CD for our car (about $20-$25) and drove around the historical park and town.

Gettysburg was an incredibly emotional experience. I can hardly write this post without tearing up. The American Civil War was the bloodiest war in United States history. Fathers fought sons, brothers battled one another, and friendships were torn apart by the crisis. The Battle of Gettysburg was the epitome of this horrible tragedy.

The Virginia Memorial

The weather on the day of our visit cannot be described in any other way but poetic. Our day began with heavy rainfall and fog. We could hear thunder and see mist rolling into the valley as we visited the first few memorials. When we reached Little Round Top, the turning point of the battle, the sun burst through the clouds and showered us with sunlight. It felt as if the sun was reminding us that Americans can never be daunted.

The Maine Memorial

Little Round Top

Devil's Den

Visit Gettysburg. Your heart will burst with terrible sadness, tragic beauty and immense pride in being American.

Monticello

Monticello was definitely one of the highlights of our last road trip. I am a student of eighteenth century history and Thomas Jefferson is emblematic of that period.

The tour inside the house was about an hour and a half long. My favorite parts of the tour were Jefferson's momentos in his hallway and his lovely library. I think Christopher's favorite part was discovering that Jefferson was a huge beer fan. After the peeking inside the home, visitors were given the choice of taking a tour of the gardens, the slave quarters or simply exploring the grounds and Jefferson graveyard on their own. We were a little short on time and opted to wander through the property by ourselves. The grounds were exquisite and an interesting little peek into colonial life.

If you are ever in Charlotesville, Virginia, you must tour Monticello. It is well-worth the visit. I have a feeling Monticello will be another spot that we revisit in the future.

Be warned that you need to book tickets prior to the visit. I simply called the day-of and ordered them about two hours before our visit. Have fun!

Nasville and Britsol

I know I have said this in the last two to three posts, but life has truly been a whirlwind lately. That being said, it is time for me to get to the good stuff: Travel!

When my little brother, a Percy Jackson fan, heard I would be in Nashville, he absolutely begged me to visit the Parthenon. Part of the movie (specifically the scene where the security guards turn into a hydra) was filmed at this location.

"Persephone's Pearl" used in the movie

The Parthenon itself was pretty neat. Inside is you can find history about its construction, a replica of the actual Parthenon and a miniature art museum. The grounds around the Parthenon are lovely and are perfect for a picnic.

Later that day we found ourselves in Bristol, Tennessee. Both of our dads are huge racing fans, so we took a few pictures outside of the speedway.