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A big Maryland Tea Party too

30th August 202430th August 2024 funtime65

There’s a reason why the English sip tea and Americans cwaffee, and having thrown the leaf into Boston Harbour I see that 250 years ago they held a big Maryland Tea Party too.

While up and down the east coast some 16 others which centred not around higher taxes but lower taxes.

All designed by King George III to bail out the struggling East India Company and stop the universal smuggling the colonists favoured.

Which brings us to the subject of the tea itself which is far from your favourite morning cuppa today.

Abigail’s party

The focus of the sujet de jour, Annapolis in Maryland, is the dozenth such party over the year between December 1773 and 1774.

And we confess that we didn’t get the cups out for the ten others.

Mainly because the tea of that time is a bit more bitter.

Bruce almighty: Tea blender Bruce Richardson

Which we discovered in Abigail’s Tea Room. named for the rebel Abigail Adams, in Boston.

And created and updated by Kentuckian tea blender Bruce Richardson.

His tea being made from a blend of Chinese black tea, Nilgiri India tea, and Kenyan and Assam India teas.

Drone ranger

The Annapolis Tea Party surrounded the Burning of the Peggy Stewart on October 19, 1774.

And marks the moment colonists in Annapolis formally ushered Maryland into the revolt against Britain.

A drone show surrounding a replica of a colonial-era brig will provide a living history reenactment beginning at 7pm.

All of which be seen from locations with a view of Annapolis City Dock.

Our pals at Capital Region USA, which promotes Maryland, Washington DC and Virginia, have flagged up too a trip that suits us down to a tea.

Drive on

Honest Jim: And Honest Abe in Washington

With Journeyscape offering a 15-day Classic Capital Region fly-drive from £3690pps.

And that includes highlights such as Washington DC, George Washington’s estate Mount Vernon, colonial time capsule Williamsburg and awesome Annapolis.

With the price including return international flights, 14-nights accommodation and car rental throughout.

Of course, those of us who have an inside in Maryland in Chevy Chase and Chesapeake Bay have our own stopping-off point.

Where we’re guaranteed the best beers, and for the year that’s in it, a big Maryland Tea Party too.

America, Countries, Deals, Sport

A Tee Party in the Capital Region

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One thing we can all agree on in this US election cycle is that there’s going to be a Tee Party in the Capital Region when the Solheim Cup rolls in.

Fresh from making my pitch for my local course, Muirfield.

To golfing great Sir Nick Faldo at the Open at Royal Troon I’m looking further afield.

The golf tours move on, to the Olympics in Paris and now the men’s majors are done for the year, the women’s game.

Solheim from home

We have a special interest in my new stomping ground of North Berwick, the best place in Britain to live in.

In Solheim Cup great and proud townswoman Catriona Matthew.

And a special relationship with DC, Maryland and Virginia through family there and friends met at the US Travel Fair, IPW.

All under the umbrella of the Capital Region.

Capital gains

Reflections: After sunset from the edge of the reflecting pool in Washington DC.

I will often advise newbies to travelling in America that if they can’t do it all then the Capital Region is America in a nutshell.

Maryland, in fact, bills itself as America in Miniature while the capital and its Smithsonian Museums, tells the story of the States.

The next President of America: In Washington DC

And Virginia is your entry to the Deep South where the Trump posters we saw in 2016 will have been adapted to replace Pence for Vance.

Now if you think the divisions in American politics and society has reached a new breaking point.

Then it is worth noting that Virginia was the theatre for the first major battle of the US Civil War.

Battleground tourism

Stonewall it: With Stonewall Jackson in Manassas.

And why does this matter? Well, just because, but because you’ll be staying in Manassas for your golf.

Your Golf Travel offers packages to the Solheim Cup in Gainesville, Virginia.

All of which takes place from September 10-15, starting from £2215pp including flights.

You’ll get six nights bed and breakfast at the Hampton Inn in Gainesville or the Tru by Hilton in Manassas.

And the news: From the Capitol: In Washington

The practice day and tournament day tickets, Solheim Cup return transfers, 24-hour concierge service and event party.

Visitors wishing to add golfing experiences in the Capital Region USA can add a tailor-made holiday to the package for an additional cost.

Picnic time

And if it might seem quirky to be a tourist in a battlefield town then consider this.

Day trippers descended on Manassas, or Bull Run, with picnic blankets to watch the fighting.

We’re hoping and expecting that the two sets of rivals will keep it more gentlewomanly on their field of battle.

And that you can enjoy your Tee Party in the Capital Region.

America, Countries

Gettysburg… you know the address

19th November 202319th November 2023 funtime65

And yes, Gettysburg… you know the address. Though probably most don’t know where it is.

The site of Abraham Lincoln’s finest hour in Pennsylvania in fact only lasted two minutes.

But it resounds 160 years on today, November 19, and will do so for 1,600 to come.

In the most deprecating manner the Union’s Commander-in-Chief opined on this day in 1863: ‘The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here.’

And peers noted that the Union’s leader was worried that his tribute would be overshadowed by Edward Everett’s two-hour speech.

Let battle begin

The good news for us is that the National Park Service, as they do across America, ‘have come to dedicate a portion of that field’ for us to pay our respects.

Gettysburg, as General George E Meade and General Robert E. Lee knew only too well, was a pivotal crossroads (aren’t they all?)

On the border of Maryland and Pennsylvania which made the battle, between July 1-3, Lee’s last excursion into the North.

Now where Meade and Lee had maps and compasses, these days we have GPS.

And Gettysburg lies an hour and a half north of Washington DC, two hours and ten minutes west of Philadelphia and an hour and ten to Baltimore.

Now while you can, and should, visit the battlefield and it will take three to five hours.

A day in history

Today it is all about Lincoln’s address.

And we are encouraged to kick off our trip through history at the home of attorney David Wills.

Where Abe stayed and perfected his speech the night before.

An annual parade of Civil War living history groups is held with the Gettysburg Address anniversary.

While there will be a commemoration day illumination which will feature a luminary candle on each of the 3,512 Civil War soldiers’ graves.

Now if you can’t get to Gettysburg today the National Parks Service give us a virtual tour, complete with the full speech.

Gettysburg… you know the address. Now look up the postal address on your next trip to the east coast.

Calling culture vultures

Now the Cultural Experience will give you a full day at Gettysburg in their 14-day American Civil War: Eastern Theater Tour.

And throw in Manassas (we were there), Fredericksburg and Appomattox among the highlights.

You’ll get return flights from London and will stay in 3 and 4 star hotels. See site for prices and conditions.

America, Countries

175 years in Smithsonian

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It just felt like 175 years in Smithsonian in the labyrinthian Museum of African American History but I wasn’t complaining.

The 19 museums, 21 libraries, nine research centers, and zoo make up what is affectionately known as ‘America’s Attic.’

James Smithson was a strange cove, a confirmed British bachelor scientist, but it was America’s fortune that he amounted his.

And bequeathed it to the amassment of a collection of museums in America.

A country he had never visited but clearly held in awe.

Washington fixture

Smithson is a fixture now mostly in Washington DC where they’re on every block.

And Maryland, New York and Virginia.

In fact for someone who never actually set foot in the US capital his name is up there in mentions with The Great Man.

I am, of course, looking forward to hearing which of the Smithsonians The Son and Heir takes in this week on his first visit there.

I’ve pointed him in the direction of the Air and Space Museum on the National Mall which was reserved for our American Travel Fair (IPW).

Alas the Newseum, a testimony to the Third Amendment, was a casualty of Donald Trump,

A strong Constitution

First Nation: The American Indian Museum

There are some holy scrolls that are untouchable, the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

And you’ll know the Constitution’s authenticity with the misspelling of Pennsylvania.

One of the great Smithlothian gems is near the Capitol, the American-Indian Museum.

Where Robert Redford, no less, will narrate you through the history of the First Nation.

And you can browse through indigenous crafts and clothes.

And so with these treasures and much more you could easily spend 175 years in Smithsonians.

Aerican dream

The 47th President of America: In Washington DC

With The Son and Heir and me before him flying out of Dublin with Aer Lingus there’s never been a better time to visit DC.

We can only think the absence of Aer Lingus and pre-clearance back in Smithson’s day is the main reason he didn’t visit.

Africa, America, Countries, UK

Get Black History Month

8th October 20228th October 2022 funtime65

He’s a bit of a forgotten Commander in Chief but he is the US President who did get Black History Month… he brought it to the masses

Gerald Ford officially recognised the programme in 1976, the bicentenary of the USA.

When he called on the public to: ‘seize the opportunity to honour the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavour throughout our history.’

Of course theirs is February to mark the birthday months of the Great Emancipator Abraham Lincoln and abolitionist Frederick Douglass.

Ours in Britain is October and dates back to 1987 to mark 150 years of emancipation in the Caribbean.

Of course black history isn’t and shouldn’t be restricted to either February or October.

And while I’ve had to seek out black history myself around the world thankfully it is taught now in schools.

And, of course, it isn’t a black and white issue, these black icons should be everyone’s icons.

We share your dream

Dr Martin Luther King: A leader for the ages and how we could do with his like today.

You can follow in Dr King’s footsteps throughout the Deep South from his birthplace of Atlanta, Georgia.

Through the bridge protest in Selma, Alabama to his final days in Memphis, Tennessee.

And his memorial in the unfinished statue in Washington DC, unfinished because it can’t be completed until the struggle is.

Sweet Harriet

Harriet Tubman: And even before the film of her life Harriet was immortalised in song in Swing Low, Sweet Harriet.

And you thought it was an England rugby song…

No, she was coming for to carry me home (the black slaves of the Civil War era, that is).

And you can see how she did it at the Slave Haven in Memphis.

Rightly now she stands proud on pedestals in the modern-day Oo Es of Eh, and most poignantly in her home state of Maryland.

The long march

Nelson Mandela: Mandela’s status and reach marks him out as the only statesman icon of our age.

With nearly 300 locations named after the first post-Apartheid President of South Africa.

Of course there were those, take a bow Glasgow who would rename the street on which the SA embassy was after Mandela.

So correspondence would be delivered to Nelson Mandela Place.

Mandela rests for eternity in his native Eastern Cape in inland in Qunu where they still speak his gullet-clicking Xhosa language.

Redemption Song

Bob Marley: And while there are other deserving black legends of music none pioneered black political empowerment quite like the King of Reggae.

Marley emboldened black people through his musical message at a time when racism was institutionalised throughout the UK and the world.

Of course pilgrims pay homage to Bob in his native Caribbean at mases (concerts) like the One Love gog I attended at Barbados Crop Over.

But most especially in his native and much-referenced Kingston in Jamaica.

Sweet Mary

Mary Seacole: Much though still needs to be done to level up with those we put on a pedestal.

And it is instructive that when the British government set up their emergency hospitals during Covid they called them Nightingales.

After Florence, whose harsh matronly rule of the hospitals out in Crimea are now being revisited by historians.

While Jamaican-born Mary is only recently being studied in schools.

Flo, we should remember, also turned Mary away, probably on account of her race, but she went on to set up her own hospital.

But Flo gets her own museum and gentle Mary must make do with a reference in the London Museum.

All something then to explore as we get Black History Month.