Tuesday, May 31, 3016

This morning, we went out for breakfast at a cafe near the salon that Becky was going to to get her hair cut.  It's a local place that had large portions and good food.  If I could remember the name of it, I would include it.

Later, we went to the Cape Henry lighthouse that is on Fort Story, a military base here.  The lighthouse is from the 1800's and is now a National Monument.  In order to see it, we had to go in through the gate to the base where the sentry asked for both our ID's, and the registration and insurance papers for the car.  Then we both had to get out of the car, after opening the console compartment and the jockey box, and stand next to a barrier while they checked the car.  Stella had to open the hood and the rear hatch since we are in her car.  After the car was looked through and they did the mirror thing to check the undercarriage, we were on our way.  Our permit was for 4 hours but we didn't need that long.

There are two lighthouses here, the historical one, Cape Henry, and another one that we were cautioned about getting too close to because it is operational.  No admittance to it for tourists.  After paying our $8 admission fee in the gift shop, we went out the backdoor where we were immediately met by stairs up to the lighthouse.  It's 191 steps to the top and the sign next to the first stair said "Start counting your steps now."

I climbed all the way to the top, but Stella opted out when we reached the top of the first stairs.  When you reach the top of the embankment, you can walk all the way around the outside of the lighthouse, or continue on inside it.  When it was first built, the sand covered the base of it but now the sand has eroded so much that they have built a set of steps that are probably 10-12 feet high to reach the doorway.  Then the fun begins.  An iron circular staircase that has definitely seen some wear.  I was quite proud of myself for only stopping once to catch my breath.  I met a young couple coming down, but other than those two, I was the only person inside.  Around and around and around.  Then, when I thought I was at the top, it's an iron ladder!  A very steep ladder with little narrow steps!  And a sign saying that you descend the ladder the same way you go up, facing it.  I grabbed both handrails and climbed the 10-12 sreps.  The top at last!  But, no.  There was another circular staircase with about 10 steps and I was finally at the top.  Wonderful views.  I could see container ships out at sea.  I could see the other lighthouse and the military installation.  It was great.  After a few pictures, I retraced my steps.

At the gift shop, the man working there told us about another National Historic Monument just up the road so we went to it also.  This one commemorated the battle on the Cheseapeake Bay between the British and French forces.  The French prevailed under Francois Joseph Paul de Grasse.  It was the turning point for the Americans to win the Revolutionary War.

After we left Fort Story, we went to a quilt shop in Virginia Beach.  I know it's hard to understand, but this was the only one we have been to on the trip.  They had great seashore fabrics that we never see in landlocked Idaho.  Were we empty handed when we left?  Um, that would be a no.

This evening, we had dinner with Becky and her family, one brother, two sisters, one niece and her husband, and her son and daughter-in-law and their 5 and 3 year olds.  I think there were 12 of us.  Her sister made the best sponge cake, yum.  We waddled along the boardwalk for awhile this evening after that feast.  It was nice, still warm out and enough people out and about that it felt perfectly safe to walk.