Day 1: Friday, August 29, 1997
My dad, sisters, and I flew to Norfolk, Virginia.
I had gotten a great deal on flight tickets.
I bought a senior ticket for my dad and got my ticket free. What a deal!
Dad had never flown in an airplane before; he was excited and wanted to sit next to the window.
My sister was waiting for us when we arrived at Norfolk Airport.
Day 2: Saturday, August 30, 1997
Dad spent the day with his son-in-law while we girls went out to have fun.
Our first stop was the Norfolk Botanical Gardens, located right next to the Norfolk airport.
We took the trolley tour of the Botanical Gardens, where we saw many beautiful gardens, butterfly gardens, and statues.
We walked through the village of Colonial Williamsburg.
After a full day of sightseeing, we went for a swim.
There was a nice big swimming pool in the apartment complex where my sister lived, so we spent many hours swimming and playing water volleyball when we were not sightseeing.
My sister cooks throughout the week, and on weekends, her husband, Robert, takes over, especially on the grill.
That weekend, my dad and Robert went deep-sea fishing and brought back their catch for dinner.
The weather was great for sitting outside, but when the bugs started biting, we all went back inside.
At night, before bedtime, we would sit around talking and laughing. It was like a teenage sleepover.
When bedtime came, my dad would sleep in the extra bedroom, one of my siblings would sleep on the sofa, and one of my siblings and I would sleep on an air mattress.
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| Cape Henry Lighthouse |
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| Cape Henry Lighthouse |
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| Cape Henry Lighthouse |
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| Cape Henry Lighthouse |
Day 3: Sunday, August 31, 1997
We visited the Old Cape Henry lighthouse, which was located on a military installation.
It took an act of Congress to get to the lighthouse.
First, we had to go through a security gate, and the guard asked all of us to get out of the car. The car was searched entirely, and of course, nothing was found.
It was a short drive to the lighthouse.
We each pay two dollars to climb the steep, narrow, winding steps of the octagonal lighthouse.
We walked all the way to the top of the stairs, which ended at a narrow opening we had to climb through to reach the very top.
The view was fantastic, and the climb was worthwhile.
Standing at the top of the lighthouse, we could see the light shining over the water, guiding the sailors home.
The small lighthouse was not what I expected. I was expecting it to look like what I had seen in the movies!
We had to go back the way we came.
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| Spirit of Norfolk Harbor Cruises-Lunch/Dinner Cruises |
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| Spirit of Norfolk Harbor Cruises-Lunch/Dinner Cruises |
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| Spirit of Norfolk Harbor Cruises-Lunch/Dinner Cruises |
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| Spirit of Norfolk Harbor Cruises-Lunch/Dinner Cruises |
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| Spirit of Norfolk Harbor Cruises-Lunch/Dinner Cruises |
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| The U.S. Navy Fleet |
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| The U.S. Navy Fleet |
Day 4: Monday, September 1, 1997
My sisters and I took a dinner cruise on the Spirit of Norfolk.
Spirit of Norfolk Harbor Cruises-Lunch/Dinner Cruises is a narrated tour of Norfolk/Portsmouth Harbors, passing sights like the Monitor/Merrimack Battle site, Naval Base, and Old Fort Norfolk.
We ordered the boat, were guided into the dining room, and seated.
A waiter took our drink order, and we were then told to help ourselves to the buffet.
Once everyone was seated and enjoying their meal, the entertainment began.
There was live music, and a band member was encouraging the audience to join in the singing and dancing.
They came to our table, and I got up and joined in as the group danced around the room.
After our meal, we all walked outside to enjoy the view.
We could see the city of Norfolk in the distance as we floated away from shore.
In the distance, we could see the coastal area of Virginia and our US Naval Fleet.
We visited the National Maritime Center, which is a science and technology center that explores the naval, economic, and nautical power of the sea.
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| Virginia Beach Marine Science Museum |
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| Virginia Beach Marine Science Museum |
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| Virginia Beach Marine Science Museum |
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| Virginia Beach Marine Science Museum |
Day 5: Tuesday, September 2, 1997
We visited a couple of old historic homes in Norfolk:
We visited the Hermitage Museum and Gardens, a twentieth-century home built by William and Florence Sloane, wealthy New Yorkers who came to Hampton Roads to operate a textile mill.
It had 42 rooms and bordered the Lafayette River on three sides.
We visited The Dewitt Cottage, located at 1113 Atlantic Avenue, Virginia Beach, VA, which houses the Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum. It displays art and artifacts documenting the migration of wildfowl that passes through eastern Virginia.
It has a small art gallery, postcards, and memorabilia from the Edgar T. Brown collection.
The second floor exhibits the history of the De Witt family and a surfboard made by Peter De Witt.
Day 6: Wednesday, September 3, 1997
We visited the Virginia Beach Marine Science Museum, one of the top 10 marine science museums in the U.S.
We saw a "Touch Tank," full of sharks, stingrays, dolphins, and harbor seals.
We visited the Chrysler Museum of Art located at 245-West Olney Rd., Norfolk, Virginia 23510, 757-664-6200
The two-level museum was heavily guarded.
It had all sorts of glassware, which intrigued my sister Vickie. I enjoyed the life-size portraits of George Washington.
Inside the museum, we saw European and American paintings and sculptures, a world-renowned glass collection, a rich photography program, Art Nouveau furniture, and African, Asian, Egyptian, Pre-Columbian, and Islamic art.
We visited Colonial Williamsburg, we walked up the spiral staircase in the Old Cape Henry Light House; we sailed on the Spirit of Norfolk Harbor dinner Cruises, we rode the trolly at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens, we walked through the Chrysler Museum, we put our hands in the shark tanks at the Virginia Marine Science Museum, we walked through the Hermitage Museum, Gardens, and the Willoughby Baylor Home, and last but not least we found bargains at yard sales.
August 30-September 4, 1997, Norfolk, VA
Leave Huntsville International Airport (HSV)
Arrived at Norfolk International Airport (ORF)
Leave Norfolk International Airport (ORF)
Arrive Huntsville International Airport (HSV)
The light house climb!
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