Capital of the Confederacy

Beside me at this beautiful view is the Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument

See?! There it is.

For the first time ever, I felt like I was in the south in Richmond. And this isn't even the "deep south". Huntsville, AL, doesn't feel like this. Neither does anywhere I've been in Tennessee nor Texas. Definitely not DC or Florida. Richmond was the capital of the Confederacy, and it is readily apparent. The people were outwardly nice, and I bet there isn't an exceptional amount of suppressed racist attitudes, but jeez, they absolutely do not hide their history. It's disconcerting. I expected that out of South Carolina, not Virginia.

I'm sure that if I ever live in Richmond, all the Confederate memorials would become an afterthought, but it is all very glaring to a Yankee like myself. That is my first and biggest impression of the city. Yeah sure, honor and heritage... the same way Germans honor a "Nazi heritage". Anybody proudly displaying a Confederate flag should be rebuked in the same way displaying a swastika should be. You can claim it's a symbol of states' rights all you want, but it most closely represents the specific state's right to own African Americans. If you really want to be proud of your heritage, why not wave your state flag?

The James River, some nearby sections' difficulty rated at 4 for rafting

The world-famous El Conquistador painting -
 basically Mona Lisa

My high school friend Butch and his wife Courtney showed me an exemplary time through my three nights in Richmond. Butch even took some time off work just to beat me at tennis, and I am indebted for that: 6-3, 6-3. He always had a slight edge on me since high school, and still does, but it was a fun, competitive match; I bet I'd still whoop him in ping pong though. Butch also lead me on a couple trails down around the river, speckled with tidbits of Richmond history. Even as residents, he and Court agree that it is at least a little strange how many Confederacy memorials stand.

On my own, I visited two museums: the Virginia Historical Society museum and the Tredegar National Civil War museum. I prefer the first, especially given the free cost of entry. Inside, you learn about quite literally every significant bit of Virginian history. If that's what you're into, there's your place. Virginia's role in the Civil War is certainly on display, but don't get me wrong - nothing was racist or portrayed unfairly or anything like that.

Virginian history overload

Half of the Hoffbauer murals

And the other half

Tredegar is a historic set of buildings, for iron working prior to the Civil War, then transformed to produce primarily canons during the civil war. It output by far the most canons for the Confederate army, over half. And today it is a national landmark with one building focused on overall Civil War history and one focused on Richmond's role in it. Many canons of all sorts are on display, and a water wheel near the entrance still works. Very educational, but the problem with the museum is that the scant number of artifacts are drowned out by all the text. Prepare to read essentially an entertaining history textbook if you visit.

Ain't nobody got time fo' reading all dat!

Preserved machinery for canon production

I can see myself living in Richmond. Downtown wasn't particularly impressive - too many scary spiders. But there are a good number of hip shops and clubs. The areas around the city are the fun parts. Like the mound-turned-park on which they stored all the Confederate ammunition. I definitely prefer Louisville and DC, but I predict it will ultimately come down to which good city offers the best job (whenever I get around to my job hunt), and Richmond certainly fits the bill.

Virginia State Capitol

Colonial Jamestown and Williamsburg

I left Richmond for Jamestown. You know, the Jamestown that is one of two places first settled by English colonists, along with Plymouth Rock. That Jamestown. Well I got there and saw that it was $14 just to drive into the historic area. Realizing I was burnt out on museums, I flipped around and walked the outskirts a little bit. Oh well. Probably just an idea implanted in my head, but the area kinda felt like it could have been settled four hundred years ago. Then I took the Colonial Parkway to Williamsburg.

I can imagine European boats settling here, I guess.

Williamsburg is a fun area. I regretted choosing to eat near Jamestown rather than here, but I was really hungry, so I forgive myself. It has the really old section, and then it has the College of William and Mary - second oldest college in the U.S., behind Harvard of course. The most interesting facet was all the re-enactors walking around casually in their colonial clothes, not putting on any particular show. I'm pretty sure they aren't anything more than actors, but they were just doing their thing, like sitting on benches and eating dinner with their re-enactor friends. Very convincing. Similar to stumbling into an Amish town, except you need to remember they are actors... I think.

Historic Williamsburg building, part of the College of W&M

Multiple Root Beer Reviews

A lot to review here. Butch showed me a nifty soda pop shop. There was a whole fridge of root beers from which to choose. We picked out four, plus some other chunky funky flavors. Later in the evening we found the one root beer actually brewed within Richmond, which happened to be alcoholic.

Drunken Uncle

Drunken Uncle (Richmond, alcoholic): Similar to a stout beer, with a generic root beer flavor. Great if you want a beer that tastes like root beer! But as for its root beer merits, it earns a 1. Still better than Dr. Brown's.

Appalachian, Bundaberg, Olde Brooklyn, and Gale's

Appalachian (Harrisburg, PA): Similar to Mug with a bit more honey flavor. A little sad this is what we found brewed closest to Richmond besides the alcoholic one. "Has great legs" according to Courtney. 4 stars.

Bundaberg (Bundaberg, Australia!): We unanimously loved this one. Tasted to me like pineapple, but not so to everybody. Very sweet, slightly acidic. Fat little bottle. Gets a 9. Didn't expect such a sweet one to top my list. Move over Stewart's, we have a new benchmark.

Olde Brooklyn (Brooklyn, NY): Funny story, only grabbed this one because I saw "Williamsburg" on the bottle, which I automatically thought meant Virginia, not the neighborhood in Brooklyn, despite all the very obvious printed indications to the contrary. The more I drank this one, the more it grew on me. Simple and creamy with a tiny bite. 7 stars.

Gale's (Boston, MA): Purchased on the recommendation from the shop's root beer expert. Very big letdown. Muted and dull, like a Lite (Root) Beer. Tinted with cinnamon. Everybody's least favorite (excluding Drunken Uncle from the rankings). 3 stars.

Butch loved the dinosaur sitting in a stall.

In Closing

As you go to Indy for cottage cheese and pork tenderloins, you go to Richmond for deviled eggs.

Music on repeat:

It might already be time for the musicals portion of my trip. Rose Tint My World popped into my head for who knows what reason.

Album: The Rocky Horror Picture Show ST

Song: Lord Huron - Fool for Love

Next up: the rest of Virginia
Foreseeable: Roanoke Island, and the middle of North Carolina

These upcoming cities will probably be quick visits.

Arthur Ashe, legendary resident famous for beating children with his books and racquet