Two Days In Richmond

We joined our friends Chad and Franklin from Baltimore on Saturday for an overnight visit to Richmond, Virginia. We saw four attractions: the Capitol (with a great tour guide there), the Valentine Museum, including a tour of its 1812 Wyckam House, a wonderful example of Federal architecture, the Museum of Fine Arts and the ICA (Inst. Contemporary Art.) The last had mostly displays by artists decrying the past treatment of slaves and black people by those in power, namely white men. It's interesting that the atmosphere in Virginia has changed so much from when Dan visited the state as a child and teen. There was a great Hopper exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts and we also had a really good lunch there in their restaurant, before we took the train home. The weather was just as cool in Richmond as here in Philadelphia. The train ride home, was miserable as there was a half hour delay, lengthening the trip into five and 1/2 hours. Going down to the city was much better, a 4 hour and 15 minute trip. The trains also has a longer stop at Washington when traveling north. Amtrak still has a way to go to match the efficiency of European or Japanese trains. - Dan