Visiting the Sant'Agatas (East Coast Trip 1)

Erin and I are now on our week long adventure into America's past, visiting North Carolina and Virginia. Our first stop is visiting our friends Tara and Tommy who are recent emigrants to this land.

Saturday is the opening of Pecan season and what better way to start it than by going to a plantation to pick pecans? But we were too late and they were all picked (bad season) so we went to the other side of the plantation and learned all about picking cotton and the importance of Eli Whitney's infamous Cotton Gin. (see below for picking)It is a beautiful time to come here during the fall season. All the trees are turning a brilliant red, orange, and yellow. Although pretty, Tommy spent the better part of Friday raking the leaves out of his yard to impress us only to find the leaves to double themselvs by the time we arrived the next morning. Below is a picture of Erin and I below a Red Lace-Leaf Japanese Maple from the Raleigh Arboretum. (My personal favorite of all on display)Sunday we drove to the South-Eastern tip of North Carolina to a town called Wilmington. Old, quaint, and celebrity hot spot. I didn't see anyone familliar on the horse-drawn tram ride, but I did see John Travolta's picture inside a souvenier shop. (don't laugh, bad hair day)
Across the Cape Fear river (from where we're standing above) is the final resting place of the Battleship North Carolina. With 15 battle stars and fighting in every naval offensive in the Pacific, it is the most decorated ship in all of WWII. Below is a picture of the bunk quarters stacked 5 high. This is how a majority of the 2300 crew slept aboard this floating city of men.
We'll continue as our trip progresses...