Charlottesville

We had a fun time driving to our present park.  We had 3 different GPS instruments and Tom had a 4th all showing a different route!  I called the park but had to leave a message.  By the time they called back we had taken the exit mentioned in two of our four suggestions and it was not the best one.  We had a roller coaster ride over twisting undulating roads to get to the KOA.  The office people apologized profusely.  We received our sites and it was a Buddy site which is our doors facing each other.  

Our first day was going to be at Monticello.  I went on line and reservations were available every 5 minutes all day long!  We expected no crowds.  Boy were we wrong!  First up was a purse sign.  None allowed.  I stopped in my tracks to decide what to do.  I had a small crossbody with my phone and ID.  A lady was walking out and I asked if they said anything about her purse and she said “No, just don’t have a gun!”  I noted we parked in C3.  

We were directed to a line that was quite long.  We were an hour early because the info said there was a half hour film to watch.  We determined the film was being shown in the building to our right.  We asked if we got out of line to see the film, could we get back in line based on our reservation time of 12:15.  No, you need to go to the back of the line which was now longer.  A man in line told us to go in and watch the film then take the elevator up to the shuttle level.  So we did!

Upon arrival on our shuttle we again were sent to the back of a line of almost 200 people.  I asked the young man where in line were the 12:15 people and were informed they pay no attention to that.  They move about 60 people at a time so we were about the third set.  The house “tour” is walking through 4 or 5 rooms on the first floor.  There are no docents giving info, a few signs you have no time to read because 60 people are behind you in 5 minutes.  You have to keep moving.  Terrible disappointment.

We did find a tunnel to the basement to see the supplies and workings of the household.  Since it was not mentioned on the tour, most people missed it so we had time to read about life on the plantation.

The most informative part was the docent giving a tour of the out buildings and enslaved people’s quarters.  She spoke of the children Jefferson fathered with Sally Hemming and what happened to them.  Jefferson never acknowledged them but gave two their freedom at his death and DNA more than a century later has uncovered an entire family descended from Jefferson.  

We went to the cemetery to see where Jefferson is buried but you have to peer through gates.  

A shuttle came to take us back down to the parking lot.  There were 4 of us, only 3 empty seats so we had to get off.  So we stood where we got off but when the next shuttle came she would not pull into the spot across the street until we moved over to it.  No signs saying where to stand!  

I was glad I noted where we were parked but it didn’t help.  There were no signs indicating which lots were where.  We headed in the right direction and there next to the car it said C3.  Not a lot of help until you find it yourself!  

We were hot, sweaty and tired not to mention disappointed after paying $128 to get in!