Saturday, 5 November, 12:30 PM We walked this morning through the nearby mall together, stopping to retrieve my hat from the post office where I left it earlier. After a visit at Taylor Books in search of 1) a depressed and cynical local poet, and 2) information about a local tavern that might do folk and/or bluegrass music (both negative), we parted ways.
Pat went off searching for art shops and galleries, I went wandering, finding the Anchor Tobacco Company (a classy and well stocked cigar store) and not much else. I returned here to write after a few uninteresting streets.
We walked Charleston Thursday, getting an early and cool start. The route took us out Kanawha Boulevard - which parallels the Kanawha River - to the West Virginia Capitol. We circled the Capital Complex grounds and made our own route back, angling up to the Capitol Market, a year-round indoor market. Picking up supplies for supper, we stopped at our hotel and dropped them off before returning to the Hampton Inn, a block farther, to check out of the walk and stamp our books. Three capitals remain.
Yesterday, we walked again to the Capitol to view the museum, take a tour of the Capitol, and roam its halls and environs. On the return, we stopped at the mall food court to take a grilled chicken salad from Chick-fil-A to supplement our supper.
Both the capitals of Ohio and West Virginia have no security checkpoints or barriers, a rather pleasant and unexpected convenience.
We are scheduled to leave, again on the Cardinal, at 08:20 AM tomorrow (Sunday). Our route takes us to Charlottesville (we visited there a few years ago with brother Al & Carol) where we move to an Amtrak Thruway Bus for the run to the Richmond Staples Mill Station. All this is a bit bewildering since tonight we magically switch to Standard Time and the morning will be an hour lighter.
I have enjoyed Charleston. The setting is lovely and, even though the leaves are past their prime, they are beautiful and and make every walk an aesthetic wonder. People have been friendly and helpful, nothing unusual in that. By and large, people “dress up” more than we are used to. We noticed this right away in Indianapolis. Heels are commonplace, white shirts and ties adorn young male interns and flunkies. I don’t think I’ve seen a shop clerk in jeans.
The influence of Big Coal, though waning, is still significant and it’s easy to find someone who is defensive about the issue. Coal has made West Virginia, and I expect its sudden demise would have a terrible effect on the state’s economy. And yet Big Coal’s damage to West Virginia, its habitat and people, has been significant. Looking at the available history, Big Coal has not been a particularly benevolent master and the workers’ battles, especially for health and safety, have been difficult and painful.
The museum told some of the story of coal. The geologic part is thorough and well done. The labor battles, often violent and bloody, were told with a fawning objectivity, but the environmental issues were dealt with with a great bent toward the viewpoint of Big Coal. We all suck up to whomever is paying the bills, even if it’s with our money.
I am already regretting not getting the Senator Robert Byrd fiddle tunes CD at the museum. It’s the kind of thing for which I have a fondness.
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