Godspeed in Alexandria, 2006



The replica of the Godspeed, one of three that brought the original settlers to Jamestown, docked in the Potomac River at Alexandria, Virginia.


The ship is traveling with a tent fair from all over Virginia and the UK near Greenwich where the original Godspeed launched, showing what colonial life was like and encouraging tourism for Virginia's 400th birthday.


Here is the Godspeed from another angle, with the Potomac Belle riverboat visible behind the gazebos.


Since the Godspeed is a working vessel with a full time crew living aboard, the areas belowdecks contain more modern amenities than the original Godspeed, so there is an exhibit in a tent replicating some aspects of the deck where the immigrants lived during the voyage. (The reenactors have a lot more personal space than the passengers would have enjoyed!)


There are also assorted exhibits on colonial life. Here is a demonstration of how coffee beans, nuts and chocolate were crushed for cooking.


Propeller on permanent display by the Potomac River, with Godspeed and sailboats docked nearby.


Outside the Torpedo Factory, now a center for the arts (Daniel and Adam loved this woman's studio the best, as did Rosie and Cinnamon -- the picture in the upper left could BE me, and Rosie if the cat were orange)...


...and inside, a reminder of what the building was formerly used for.


Behind the Torpedo Factory at the waterfront, the Potomac Belle riverboat, which takes passengers for rides on the river.


Parrots rescued by the Wilson Parrot Foundation will pose with visitors for a small donation, like this one with Adam (or for $10 you can have two parrots on each arm and a parrot on your head!)


Because the Jamestown exhibits apparently had exclusive rights to use the waterfront, the parrot rescue people had set up at the Torpedo Factory, which meant that there were not fantastic views like this one with ships in the background at the 2004 Waterfront Festival...


Or this one from the 2005 Waterfront Festival...


But hey, as long as there are birds somewhere, people are happy and the foundation raises money!



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