Our travels brought us to Monticello, home of our third President and author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson today. We left for Monticello, situated right outside of Charlottesville, VA in the early afternoon. Upon arriving we picnicked for lunch and then headed up to the Visitors Center to purchase tickets and board the shuttle bus that would take us up to the actual homestead. Driving up the winding mountaintop road we were surrounded by a beautiful green landscape and spectacular views of the nearby Virginia countryside. Monticello, itself was of striking beauty, Roman-influenced classical architecture and colorful gardens in full summer bloom. We were led on a half hour tour of the house's interior by a knowledgeable tour guide and then were free to wander the grounds; exploring the tunnel of storage rooms and wine cellars beneath the house, the large vegetable garden and bountiful flower gardens. From the house we strolled a short while down to the cemetery where we saw the grave of Jefferson, a large monument with the words " Here was buried Thomas Jefferson Author of the Declaration of American Independence of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom and Father of the University of Virginia, Born April 2 1743 O.S. Died July 4, 1826" engraved in it, the epitaph written by Jefferson himself. We returned to the Visitors Center and concluded our visit with a stop at the Gift Shop, before heading back to our campground for the night, Walnut Hills Campground in Staunton, VA where we had decided to stay a second night.
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