La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
WHEREVER WE’VE LIVED OVER THE years, our nephews Ryan and Matt always came for a visit with their parents, San Geraldo’s sister Linda and her husband, Tom. During their visit to Washington DC in the ’80s, when Ryan and Matt were perhaps 8 and 6, we drove to historic Williamsburg, Virginia.
First established in 1632, Williamsburg was the capital of the colony of Virginia from 1699 until 1780. It’s now a restored colonial city with homes and business looking just as they did in the 17th century. You can see the blacksmith, the shoemaker, and others performing the crafts the way they were performed more than 200 years ago, which is exactly what my story is about.
We went from house to business to shop and, each time, I would say (ad nauseum), “Matt, this is the original blacksmith shop… This is the original glass blower… This is the original shoemaker.” Finally, while we waited in line to see an “original” private home, a staff person in traditional colonial garb came out with a large green trash bag and placed it in a metal dumpster behind the house. Matt turned to me and asked, “Is that the original garbage?”
DURING ONE HISTORY FILLED DAY in Washington DC while we both worked, a day led by their American historian father and their second-grade teacher mother, Matt and Ryan saw the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, White House, Jefferson Memorial, and more. They arrived at San Geraldo’s office at the Library of Congress and SG asked, “Matt, of all the things you saw today, what was your favourite?” Without hesitation, Matt excitedly responded (with two fingers about an inch apart), “Uncle Jerry, we were in a park and a squirrel came up this close to me!”
Although I think of Matt all the time, he was especially on my mind Tuesday morning when we visited the 1,000-year-old Castillo Sohail here in Fuengirola.
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DONDE HEMOS VIVIDO A LO largo de los años, nuestros sobrinos Ryan y Matt siempre venían de visita con sus padres, la hermana de San Geraldo, Linda, y su esposo, Tom. Durante su visita a Washington DC en los años 80, Ryan y Matt tenían quizás 8 y 6 años, nos dirigimos al histórico Williamsburg, Virginia.
Establecida por primera vez en 1632, Williamsburg fue la capital de la colonia de Virginia desde 1699 hasta 1780. Ahora es una ciudad colonial restaurada con casas y negocios con el mismo aspecto que tenían en el siglo XVII. Puedes ver al herrero, el zapatero y otros realizando las manualidades de la forma en que se realizaban hace más de 200 años, que es exactamente de lo que trata mi historia.
Íbamos de casa a negocio a tienda y, cada vez, yo decía (ad nauseum): “Matt, esta es la herrería original … Este es el soplador de vidrio original … Este es el zapatero original”. Finalmente, mientras esperábamos en la fila para ver una casa privada “original”, un miembro del personal con atuendo colonial tradicional salió con una gran bolsa verde de basura y la colocó en un contenedor de basura de metal detrás de la casa. Matt se volvió hacia mí y me preguntó: “¿Esa es la basura original?”
DURANTE UN DÍA LLENO DE historia en Washington DC mientras ambos trabajábamos, un día dirigido por su padre historiador estadounidense y su madre maestra de segundo grado, Matt y Ryan vieron el Monumento a Lincoln, el Monumento a Washington, la Casa Blanca, el Monumento a Jefferson y más. Llegaron a la oficina de San Geraldo en la Biblioteca del Congreso y SG preguntó: “Matt, de todas las cosas que viste hoy, ¿cuál fue tu favorita?” Sin dudarlo, Matt respondió con entusiasmo (con dos dedos separados por una pulgada): “Tío Jerry, estábamos en un parque y ¡una ardilla se me acercó tanto!”.
Aunque pienso en Matt todo el tiempo, estaba especialmente en mi mente el martes por la mañana cuando visitamos el Castillo Sohail de 1.000 años aquí en Fuengirola.
San Geraldo fuera del castillo.
¿Una luz original de pasarela?
Una vista del río Fuengirola (y autovia).
Un basurero verde original, al pie de las escaleras que desciende San Geraldo.
Dos originales basureros amarillos a la derecha de San Geraldo.
Dos originales: Matt y Tio Jerry unos años después de Williamsburg.
La esposa de Matt, Lindy, nos envió esta foto de una reunión en Washington DC en 2017.
Awesome post, thanks for that. I loved that story about the squirrel, made me laugh. When my old friend Phil was still alive and I stayed with him for a couple of months in Palma, Mallorca I went to the castle there. The thing I remember the most is that the stone steps were actually worn where so many people had climbed them.
Happy New Year guys. Thanks for all the work you invest in your blog, it does not go unnoticed.
🙂
Tom and Dimi
Tom and Dimi:
Thanks always for your very kind comments. I do spend a lot of time on my blog, but I really enjoy it. I remember the stone steps the first time I climbed the Tower of Pisa. Worn from side to side thanks to the tilt. And, like you, that’s the thing I remember most. Wishing you a happy new year and a 2021 filled with a lot more good news.
Funny stories and wonderful memories! I like how the photos complemented them, LOL!
Debra:
Thanks. I really enjoyed this. I enjoy thinking about that family. What a gift. And Matt was so entertaining (still is).
What a nice set of pictures and wonderful memories. How old are the nephews now?
Mistress Maddie:
The post made me smile as I wrote it yesterday. The nephews are now (GASP) 44 and 42, and they still make us smile.
Kids are so funny, aren’t they? Easily amused. A bit like cats — we buy all these expensive toys for them and all they want is a cardboard box. LOL
Steve:
Yeah. Tom did a major eye roll at Matt’s answer. Had two deliveries today. Dudo was so excited to receive more boxes.
We always wanted to visit Williamsburg and never made it. Here in the Maritimes we have the French Fortress of LouisBourg built by the Sun King Louis XIV and restored at great cost 35 years ago on Cape Breton. It’s only 2 hours away and we should go to see it. I love the original this and that including the garbage, historically preserved, LOL!!!! Best Wishes for the New Year 2021 and better days ahead.
Laurent:
We both love Williamsburg. The first time I was there was with my parents in the ’60s. SG and I went a few times when we lived in DC. Great dining, too!
Homer of Blogland makes his living out of evacuating original garbage.
I find it fascinating to learn what we find rummaging around in our ancestors rubbage heaps.
Urspo:
It’s amazing the history that has been uncovered that way.
We were watching ‘Unorthodox” on Netflix the other day. I realized that this was not the Williamsburg in Virginia but the neighbourhood in Brooklyn. I guess the ‘original’ Williamsburg was the one you guys and family visited.
Great photos from the castle, Mitchell!
Jim:
Oh, two very different Williamsburgs. LOL. Come to think of it, I don’t think I have ever been in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I understand that now in addition to the Hasidic population there’s a very cool arts and jazz culture there. Certainly not the case when I lived in New York!
what a fantastic photo of SG and Matt – perfect timing! My nephew, also a Matt, would have been just excited by that close encounter with squirrel. He spends hours coaxing wild birds, squirrels, and chipmunks to eat out of his hand.
I think we have some original garbage around here, but alas, no colourful dumpsters.
Wilma:
Thanks. I was proud of myself with that photo. Kids and the wild things. Why waste money on an expensive vacation.
the sea is SO blue! is that the castle to which SG can make a claim?
anne marie:
Yep. That’s our castle!
You can see the sights any day, but how often does a squirrel come into your personal space??
Bob:
Exactly. And there are no gray squirrels in central South Dakota. So it was an exotic wild animal.
There’s a “Historic 19th Century Village” not far from the library where I used to go to access the Internet. At Christmastime, it’s strung with electric lights. Technically possible, I guess, since Edison invented the light bulb in 1880, but these are those real small colored lights, about the size of the tip of your finger. I don’t remember them even existing when I was a kid, and as old as I am, that’s still a long time after Edison!
Kirk:
Maybe they take the meaning of “historic” to be “having great and lasting importance” and that’s what they think of their lights. Anyway, Colonial Williamsburg DOES have electricity.
Great storytelling today. Wonderful photos. Back in the late 70’s my grandmother and I spent a couple of days in one of the “Colonial Houses” operated by the Williamsburg Inn. I need to do that again, take my sweet bear down there for a long weekend.
David:
We stayed at the Williamsburg Inn but in a modern room. I don’t remember Colonial Houses. That would have been very cool. We took Jerry’s mother there, too, and had a ball.
“Original garbage”… Hope the lad grew up to have the brilliant life that comment deserved.
wickedhamster:
He has continued to be brilliant and very quick-witted, and one of the kindest people I know. When I grow up, I want to be just like him.
sweet.