Monday, November 27, 2017

A Time-Traveling Holiday Excursion

To paraphrase an old saying, "When the boys are away, the girl will...pick a  new destination to explore, grab her camera, hop in the car, and...go play". So for this year's Friday Field Trip: Thanksgiving Edition, I selected Fayetteville, NC. According to my extensive research--um..."5 seconds of Googling"--the town would be hosting A Dickens Holiday, with the historic area blocked off to vehicle traffic to allow craft booths, horse-drawn carriage rides, strolling Victorian-costumed characters, and period-themed street performers. Throw in a nearby nature center where I'd be able to enjoy the fabulous Fall weather and scenery, and it began to add up to my kinda gig.  

Thus, armed with the aforementioned photographic equipment, and a handful of healthy snacks (which later on would turn out to be utterly lifesaving, as you'll see) I hit the road for the 75-ish mile, almost-due-south jaunt. I had my heart set on stopping somewhere in the first couple of minutes to obtain some of that restorative elixir known as Peppermint Mocha, from the magical realm of...the Celestial Stags (Get it? Star...bucks? Sorry, I couldn't resist...I'm cracking myself up, here...) but alas, this was not meant to be. 

You see, I'd forgotten one very crucial fact: once you leave the protective circle of Chapel Hill, there are vast, wild swaths of North Carolina that contain...a whole lotta NOTHING. In case you don't believe me, or think I'm exaggerating (plasters on her most innocent expression: MoiPerish the thought!), how's this for evidence: apparently, folks in the rural regions must be satisfied picking up their java from...gas stations! (I KNOW, right? Shudder! Also, I might be a bigger coffee snob than I previously admitted. Eh, I'm comfortable with that...)

Other than that little hiccup, it was a peaceful, scenic--albeit super-flat--drive through acres of pine trees and a couple of small 'burbs along the way, breaking up the monotony. My first stop was the Cape Fear Botanical Garden, which--even this late in the year--offered an oasis of brilliant colors along its tranquil, winding paths. With an abundance of Autumn foliage bravely clinging to the bushes and trees...strategically placed overlooks for viewing the lazy Cape Fear River...adorable gazebos tucked into forest nooks, patiently waiting to be stumbled upon and admired...and a delightfully reflective pond in the middle of all the flora and fauna....it provided several hours of soul-satisfying communing with the Great Outdoors. 

Then it was time to rejoin civilization, and see how Fayetteville was decked out for its throwback reimagining of the Yuletide season. The first thing I encountered after pulling into my "Free All Day" parking spot along a side street (Score!) instantly set the tone for my excursion: one of the advertised carriages, decked out for the holiday, loaded with visitors, and pulled by an enormous workhorse. Okay, I'm in the proper mood--let's do this! I wandered into the fray and was struck first by the juxtaposition of the old and new elements on display. The stores and restaurants that line the street were open for business as usual, for example...but while you stood window shopping, Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim might just pass by, amiably waving to the crowd and posing for pictures at tourists' requests. 

Smartly dressed police officers occasionally blew their silver whistles to clear the road when the intrepid riders on towering, 3-wheeled bicycles needed to pass. Or you might hear a loud clanking and moaning, and turn to see the ghost of Jacob Marley stalking down the sidewalk. When I needed a short respite from the exhausting business of popping in and out of boutiques and floating from one booth of unique handmade items to the next, I stopped to listen to the choral or instrumental groups, who set a festive mood while filling the air with the lilting strains of traditional carols. 

It was altogether entertaining and charming, and I ambled up and down the main drag for several hours before finally making the one very important choice of the day: which ornament to purchase for the Team WestEnders Christmas tree. By this time I was approaching the dangerous red zone of "famished: feed immediately or risk unpleasant consequences"; however, there weren't really any viable food options for me at this shindig, unfortunately. That's where the protein bar I'd packed that morning came in handy--allowing me to stave off the worst of the low-blood-sugar effects for a while longer. At that point, though, I'd also been walking around for hours and hours, and while I'd originally planned to stick around for the candlelight parade at 5, I reversed course and opted to start the commute back home. 

Besides, my celebratory 19th-century interlude had infused me with the proper inspiration to continue the spirit at my own house. I mean, since it was the day after Thanksgiving, I could now follow the example my mother set for me all those years ago--by cranking up the holiday tunes, and unpacking ALL the Christmas decorations to merrily deck the halls. Fa la la la la, la la la la...y'all!

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