I CAN'T WAIT TO MEET VIRGINIA!

Meet Virginia!

First stop after the Appalachians was Roanoke, Virginia.

 

 

This city was bigger than I had imagined it. The downtown area has trains coming and going through the middle of it and they had a large farmers market lining Market street. I found a bridge crossing over the train tracks. It was a memorial bridge to Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Say that I was a drum major for justice; say that I was a drum major for peace."

I had imagined a small town feel and a southern kind of charm. What I got was more of a busy city kind of vibe. Then again, I explored mostly the downtown area. It just shows you that expectations are usually something to avoid.

I decided to head to my next stop of Staunton. One of my uncles lives there so I was glad to have someone I knew in the state.

This smaller town is spelled S-t-a-u-n-t-o-n. My assumption was you pronounce the U. I've since learned that local are very quick to correct you that this is not how you say the name. It's pronounced Stan-ton (with a longer A sound). Anyway, this town has so much going for it! The houses here have that old southern charm I was looking for. Most of them are huge two or three story houses made of red brick with colorfully painted shutters and Boston Ivy plants growing up the sides of the houses, trees, yards, mailboxes, everything! I even came across a log house that looked like it had been standing for decades but was still housing a family.

I was taking my time walking around these neighborhoods and happened to come across a white chicken waddling in one of the yards. I thought this was funny because this town isn't very rural or anything like that but here are these chickens in the front yard. I walked by them and I noticed the white one was shuffling towards me. I kept walking and turned around to see it was now running towards me with an intimidating look. So I jogged off a little and saw it was now coming straight for me as fast as it's little legs could take it. So I started running. While I was running to save my legs from being pecked to death, I could not help but laugh because I was just thinking if anyone was watching this encounter how hysterical it must look! Being chased by a chicken is my punishment for all the chicken nuggets I've been eating this week.

Killer Chicken! (not the actual chicken)

Before the killer chicken event, I went with my uncle and his girlfriend to visit battlefields around Fredricksburg. It was strange to stand in a place where so many people lost their lives.

 

 

I also enjoyed the afternoon with my uncle and his girlfriend and her kids. They are great hosts and have so much energy and life that it's hard not to have a good time around them.

(My uncle, Asia, and Isaiah)

(Go dogs, go!)

(In the woods)

(A beautiful spot where a whole small settlement used to stand during Civil War times)

There is so much to do here and so many amazing sights here in Virginia it's been hard to bring myself to leave! This trip just keeps getting better and better as I learn how to take every single moment and savor it.

(Hiking in the mountains alongside a waterfall)

 

Thank you Stephanie and Richard for inviting me into your home and showing me how wonderful the state of Virginia truly is!

~K.P.~