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  • TravelerAppalachian Trips
    Day 23

    Arlington National Cemetery

    November 25, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 41 °F

    Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia today honors 400,000+ active-duty service members, veterans and their families who have served our nation. The gravesites of Kennedy family and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier are also here.

    The land of Arlington once belonged to Mary Custis, George Washington’s step-great-granddaughter. The Arlington House on the hill with the best views of Washington, DC was the residence Mary married Robert Lee in 1831, and then seized by federal soldiers during the civil war.

    Robert Lee is the most complex and controversial figure in American history. He was a military leader of the defeated Confederacy, a symbol of the American South, a father, a slaveholder, and a dedicated educator. The victories as a Confederate General showcased his brilliant maneuvers, and his grace in defeat set the tone for the country’s reunion. Following the American Civil War, he made great efforts to restore peace between North and South.    Read more

  • TravelerAppalachian Trips
    Day 22

    George Washington's Mount Vernon

    November 24, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F

    Mount Vernon is the home and burial place of George Washington with the 18th-century two-story Georgian mansion overlooking the beautiful Potomac River.

    As the leader of American Revolution War and Founding President, Washington had the wisdom to give up power when he could have been crowned king. He was the wealthiest colonial American not only because he married to Martha Custis, a 27-year-old widow who inherited considerable properties from her died husband, but also because he was an innovative farmer. Washington switched from tobacco to wheat as his main cash crop in the 1760’s, diligently experimented with new crops, fertilizers, crop rotations, tools, and livestock breeding. His whiskey distillery was one of his most successful enterprises. He even creatively designed a 16-sided barn to thresh wheat more efficiently using horses.

    Washington never had any biological children. He treated his stepchildren as his own. Lost his father and discontinued his schools at 11, Washington wanted to give his stepson the best education. After their 17-year-old daughter had a seizure and died, and their 26-year-old son, John, died of army camp fever at Yorktown, Washington and Martha started to raise their grandchildren.    Read more

  • TravelerAppalachian Trips
    Day 22

    Luray Caverns

    November 24, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 43 °F

    Situated to the west of the Appalachian Mountains in Luray, Virginia and deep beneath Blue Ridge Mountains, the Luray Caverns are series of limestone caves and listed as the largest caverns in Eastern America.

    The town of Luray is a beautiful place located in Shenandoah Valley. It was officially established by act of General Assembly in 1812, has the ideal balance between rural scenery, countless historic and convenient travel connections today.    Read more

  • TravelerAppalachian Trips
    Day 21

    Hollywood Cemetery

    November 23, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 54 °F

    Established in 1847, Hollywood Cemetery is a garden cemetery located in Richmond, Virginia. Here the James River has carried away the tops of the Blue Ridge Mountains for eons to create Tidewater Virginia. Presidents James Monroe, John Tyler, and Jefferson Davis of Confederate are buried here.

    President James Monroe’s tomb, locally known as "The Birdcage", is in Presidents Circle overlooking the James River. Monroe was the last President considered to be a Founding Father. As the 5th president of the United States during the Era of Good Feelings, like three of his four predecessors, Monroe was also from Virginia. He combatted sectionalism and fostered nationalism during his presidency, dealt with economic crisis the Panic of 1819, the annexation of Florida, the Missouri Compromise, and his own Monroe Doctrine. The Missouri Compromise helped to tamp down sectional issues by admitting one slave state and one free state to the Union and setting terms for the admittance of future states. The Monroe Doctrine established U.S. supremacy in the Western Hemisphere and warned Europe against intervention, lasting impact on U.S. foreign relations until the WWI.

    Monroe was noted for his integrity, frankness, and affable personality. Deeply in debt when leaving the presidency due to the long services publicly with mediocre pays, Monroe worked hard resolving his financial difficulties in his later life.    Read more

  • TravelerAppalachian Trips
    Day 21

    Richmond, VA

    November 23, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 48 °F

    As a Virginia’s Appalachian hotspot, Richmond has America's richest culture and history. Here is the home of Patrick Henry’s “Give me liberty or give me death” during American independence and the President Jefferson Davis’s White House of the Confederacy during the Civil War.

    Three days in April 1865, no other city had experienced so much concentrated fighting during the war and the drama of its final days. On Sunday, April 2, 1865, when the news of General Robert Lee’s defeat at Petersburg reached Richmond, Confederate troops began to evacuate the city and set fires to military, tobacco, and cotton warehouses throughout the city, the last bridge across the James River was also destroyed. On Monday, the Union army marched into Richmond. The next day, on April 4, Abraham Lincoln arrived unannounced in the city and walked up Main Street toward Capitol Square. When Richmond fell, so did the Confederate cause. Exactly one week after Jefferson Davis fled the city, General Lee surrendered at Appomattox. Five days later, President Lincoln was assassinated.    Read more

  • TravelerAppalachian Trips
    Day 12

    Dahlonega, GA

    November 14, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F

    Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Dahlonega is known for its mountain vistas, wine country, and performing arts community. It’s the site of the nation's first major gold rush in 1829 and the original home to the Indian Cherokee Nation.

    Dahlonega’s downtown district and historic public square are listed on the National Register. Here in the 19th-century buildings people enjoy history, charm, fine dining, local wines, and various antique stores.    Read more

  • TravelerAppalachian Trips
    Day 1

    Blue Ridge Parkway-Cherokee to Asheville

    November 3, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 50 °F

    The Appalachian Mountains run from Alabama in the United States northeastwards to Newfoundland in Canada. Appalachian Trail, as the longest hiking footpath in the world, challenges millions of people yearly with its 2,175-mile scenic, wooded, pastoral and wild route.

    The Blue Ridge Mountains are subranges of Appalachians, extending from Georgia through Tennessee, South Carolina, North Caroline, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.

    The Blue Ridge Parkway, a linear National Park running along the spine of the Blue Ridge and linking Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks, is noted for its 469-mile scenic beauty.

    Our journeys start from the southern end of Appalachians in Georgia and will continue to expend further.

    Blue Ridge Parkway: Cherokee to Asheville

    This one-day driving along the parkway skirts the ridge tops offering numerous overlooks with spectacular mountain views. Along the way with the gorgeous weather, we reached the Blue Ridge Parkway’s highest point, passed many roadway tunnels, saw “glass mountain” and many more.

    Cherokee town is full of Indian history. In nineteen centuries, Georgia set in motion to seize Cherokee land, especially when gold was discovered in Dahlonega area and President Andrew Jackson passed Indian Removal Act. Thousands of Cherokees were expelled from their homeland and forced to migrate to Oklahoma. Because of harsh weather conditions, more than 4,000 Cherokees died during the winter on “Trail of Tears”.    Read more

  • TravelerParis, France
    Day 2

    Notre-Dame and City Island

    May 30, 2023 in France ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F

    Dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Notre-Dame is one of the finest French Gothic architectures with its stunning rib vault, flying buttress, rose windows, sculptural decorations, three pile organs, and immense church bells.

    The story of Notre-Dame's bellringer Quasimodo and beautiful Esmeralda from Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre-Dame inspired my interest in Notre-Dame since I was young. Many historic events took place here, including the coronation of Napoleon I in 1804 and the celebration of the Liberation of Paris during WWII.

    The heartbreaking 2019 fire started in the attic of Notre-Dame had destroyed the fleche and roof. It’s hard to believe today in the 21st century, the Cathedral staff made a mistake not to call the fire department in time when smoke detector signaled the fire. And according to the latest news Notre-Dame will not re-open in time for the Olympic Paris 2024.

    The City Island (Île de la Cité) is full of historic spots. Sainte-Chapelle, Palace of Justice, and Clock Tower are all here. The Conciergerie, once the fortress and royal palace, had imprisoned, tried, and sentenced 2,780 prisoners, including Marie Antoinette, during the French Revolution.    Read more

  • TravelerParis, France
    Day 1

    Eiffel Tower

    May 29, 2023 in France ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    Designed by Gustave Eiffel for 1889 World’s Fair and called “Iron Lady” in French, the Eiffel Tower is an ultimate symbol of Paris today. However, it was not universally accepted by Parisians in its day, a group of 300 artists protested calling for its immediate removal, referring it as “the useless and monstrous” and “gigantic black factory chimney”.

    Over the years, the Tower has become a timeless symbol of romance, capturing the hearts of people from all over the world. It has been the site of countless proposals, weddings, and romantic moments with its elegant lattice structure that curves upwards towards the sky. The Eiffel Tower has also been featured in many movies of which I love the most is Ratatouille.    Read more

  • TravelerParis, France
    Day 1

    Concord Square (Place de la Concorde)

    May 29, 2023 in France ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    Named as a gesture of harmony after the turmoil of French Revolution, Concord Square is the central stage of Paris events. It was the place of victory celebrations such as World War I, World War II, and FIFA World Cup, the entry point of two international expositions in 1900 and 1925, and the site where1,119 persons were guillotined during the French Revolution.

    The guillotine once stood in the corner of Concord Square near the Hôtel de Crillon was where King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette were beheaded in 1793. When King Louis XVI was overthrown and a new constitution was completed, although the monarchy was still in place, an elected assembly held most of the power. Louis appeared to support the new constitution, but inwardly hoped the revolution would fail. He tried to escape France but was caught. His remaining credibility as a leader was lost. Louis then hoped for a foreign invasion to crush the revolution and restore him to power, but it did not come. Later, a secret cupboard containing proof of Louis’ counter-revolutionary beliefs and correspondence with foreign powers was discovered in Tuileries Palace. Louis and his wife, Marie Antoinette, were brought to trials for treason and executed.

    As a gift to France, the Obelisk of Luxor is one of a pair of ancient Egyptian obelisks from the Temple of Luxor. The Hieroglyph on the obelisk is about Ramesses II and the deities. It was not easy to get the Obelisk to Paris. Three hundred men first had to dig a canal in Egypt to provide shipping access. Illustration on the base of the Obelisk shows how it was raised into place in 1836.    Read more

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