Independence in CW

Independence Day in CW-Colonial Williamsburg for long.

My family has always had a tradition on July 4^th back home in Northern Virginia, where we would have a nice BBQ with ribs, burgers, steaks, corn on the cob, etc.  Basically just delicious.  After that we would then go to a baseball game-I think it’s minor league-and then watch the firework show afterwards.  This show has always been phenomenal, and I always love hearing the car alarms go off from the noise the fireworks make.

Truthfully we haven’t done the BBQ and baseball game for a couple years now, so I didn’t think I was missing anything by not being home-well my family actually decided to “do what we used to do” and called me on the Fourth to wish me a Happy Fourth, and they mentioned how excited they were to be going.  Safe to say I was a little bitter-they could have let me know earlier in the week, and I could have gone up there.

However, I had a great Fourth this year despite not joining my family.  Over the summer, a lot of tourists trip down to this beautiful area, stopping here, Jamestown, Busch Gardens, Water Country USA; but over the fourth, there weren’t that many.  My only guess is that people wanted to be home with their families and not visiting some other place.  So on the Fourth the streets were not too crowded, and it was just a beautiful day.

At night, the streets became jam-packed with people; families, tourists, students- everyone was lining DOG Street (Duke of Gloucester).  The mile stretch of the street itself (from the Christopher Wren building down to the Capital building) was entirely stuffed full of people all waiting for something…something big.

Then all of a sudden the fireworks started.  These fireworks were surely better than any backyard launching, and definitely bested the fireworks my family was watching.  I leaned against the Bruton Parish Church and was simply captivated-I couldn’t tell you how long they lasted, but I know that it felt too short a time.

All in all it was truly an experience, being in a place steeped with so much history-undoubtedly the best 4^th yet.  My only regret from being here, and not getting to go home, was not seeing my dogs.

Live Strong,

JB