A short road trip planned to coincide with Ria’s spring
break.
Day 1
First Stop Shenandoah Caverns
Unassuming from the outside but large and labyrinthine on
the inside, these caverns are located in the state of Virginia. They bear a
close resemblance to our earlier visit of Ruby falls in Chattanooga. Natural
formations in the cave bear uncanny resemblance to the weird and wacky, ranging
from elephants to the biggest bits of bacon you can ever imagine. Drops of
water often trickle down from the cave ceiling and are nicknamed cave kisses. Sachin got a lot of lovely
pictures, each formation is uniquely lit to add to the visual experience of the
tour.
Outside the cavers are a couple of other attractions too.
The “American Celebration on Parade”, has massive parade floats
on display.
The “Yellow Barn” has a display of a collection of antique
farm equipment and carriages.
After the cavern visit we headed to Cave Ridge Vineyard, a
drive off the highway into a narrow road and picturesque setting. Here there
was of course the wine tasting, followed by the most delicious baguette with
cheese and wine. A quaint little spot which made for a memorable stop.
Day 2
Colonial Williamsburg
Called a living history museum, Colonial Williamsburg has
been recreated from the 1700’s during the times when America was still a
British colony and the movement for independence was brewing. Many original
structures have been restored and many others rebuilt on original foundations.
What a pleasure it was to stroll along these streets where there were
functioning silversmiths, cobblers, weavers along with taverns, courts and the
capital building. Each structure has guides explaining how things worked in the
18th century giving us a wonderful historical perspective. Truly the
highlight of the holiday for me. I cannot recommend a visit here enough!
Day 3
Aquarium at Virginia Beach
My favorite was the Komodo Dragon!
Virginia Beach
A popular summer destination, we landed here on a bright,
sunny but windy day. Temperatures were fairly good and visitors were clad in
their beast beach wear and while it was too cold to head into the water it was
still fun to be out and about after mostly staying indoors for the winter.
Ocean City, MD
Shops, tourist attractions and hotels jostle for place in
this popular tourist destination. While Summers find the beach overflowing with
people, the off season was eerily deserted with just a handful of tourists on
the boardwalk and almost all of the restaurants closed. We bravely headed over
toward the beach and the little one took great persuasion to agree to leave as
she was enjoying herself, playing in the sand, collecting shells and building castles.
Day 4
Bye-Bye To Ocean City and end of the Holiday
The Ocean City boardwalk stretches over 2.5 miles and a fun
way to see it all is on the family cycle (surrey) where Sachin and I peddled
while Ria sat back and enjoyed the ride.
