I took a slight detour today and drove through Shenandoah National Park via Skyline Drive on my way to my new apartment. I wove in and out of the rain and mist on a mostly empty road, listening to Handel's Water Music (appropriately enough), and enjoying the scenery:
Throughout the drive I kept thinking of the Civil War - probably because I kept thinking of the Jimmy Stewart film Shenandoah. Virginia is thick with battlefields: Appomattox Courthouse, Spotsylvania, Manassas, Fredericksburg, and so many others. The unspoiled beauty that is the Shenandoah Valley seems removed from modern life and I could easily imagine Union and Confederate soldiers lurking among the trees, tired of fighting, just wanting to go home.
After a couple of hours of of misty melancholy, I headed to Luray to check out the famous Caverns. It's a popular destination, apparently, because the parking lot was full when I arrived at about a quarter past two. After I spent an hour on the tour, I understood the appeal - it's pretty spectacular. Read about the caverns here.
And finally I arrived at my new apartment around six this evening. After schlepping all of my boxes up to the fourth floor, I made a quick trip to the supermarket for coffee and milk and eggs. Tomorrow I'll unpack, explore the neighborhood, and give the metro a trial run.
No comments:
Post a Comment