Not being one to complain, we’ll skip all the details about my Internet’s provider’s spotty service this week and get right to a post that is about six days late.

Regular readers may recall my earlier posting about the midnight arrival of the L’Hermione in Alexandria, Virginia about two weeks ago.  The vessel, is a replica of the French frigate that brought the Marquis de Lafayette to the American colonies during the Revolutionary War.  Details on its background can be found in my post here and in Patti’s “Displaced Beachbums” post here.

The next morning, the public began to queue up for free tours aboard the ship.

Channel 7 was on the scene.

As were others who found the frigate a handy backdrop for themselves

The gangplank wasn’t ADA compliant, but no one was complaining.

Once aboard, you notice there are a lot of ropes everywhere.

                Every rope (actually line) on the rigging has a function and a name,               such as the “mizzen topsail halyard.”

There are two wheels, in front and in the rear (fore and aft, I believe).

Everyone wanted to know what was underneath these hatches.

Some more than others.

 Some of the crew performed maintenance duty….

and others charmed their guests by posing for pictures….

and others kept alert for evil doers…

with the help of local security forces.

L’hermonie will be in Philadelphia June 25-28, then will sail for New York City.  Details on the itinerary can be found here.

Keep Shooting….