It’s amazing how after all these years, this is the first time I actually visited Fayetteville’s only landmark — the Markethouse. Probably because back in the day it was where they sold slaves, but still. I called a couple of my people and they all not only mentioned they never visited it, but they asked why I was there.
Regardless, we took Najwa downtown Fayetteville, NC, where there was a little festival and people walking around in character to Dickens’ Scrooge. I don’t know the story like that, but did Scrooge have a slave?
Fayetteville NC
[img src=http://davidgaines.com/wp-content/flagallery/fayetteville-nc/thumbs/thumbs_1695.jpg]
[img src=http://davidgaines.com/wp-content/flagallery/fayetteville-nc/thumbs/thumbs_1684najwa.jpg]
[img src=http://davidgaines.com/wp-content/flagallery/fayetteville-nc/thumbs/thumbs_1681najwa.jpg]
[img src=http://davidgaines.com/wp-content/flagallery/fayetteville-nc/thumbs/thumbs_1693.jpg]
[img src=http://davidgaines.com/wp-content/flagallery/fayetteville-nc/thumbs/thumbs_1666markethouse.jpg]
[img src=http://davidgaines.com/wp-content/flagallery/fayetteville-nc/thumbs/thumbs_1668markethouse.jpg]
[img src=http://davidgaines.com/wp-content/flagallery/fayetteville-nc/thumbs/thumbs_1653.jpg]
[img src=http://davidgaines.com/wp-content/flagallery/fayetteville-nc/thumbs/thumbs_1656.jpg]
[img src=http://davidgaines.com/wp-content/flagallery/fayetteville-nc/thumbs/thumbs_1670markethouse.jpg]
[img src=http://davidgaines.com/wp-content/flagallery/fayetteville-nc/thumbs/thumbs_1658.jpg]
[img src=http://davidgaines.com/wp-content/flagallery/fayetteville-nc/thumbs/thumbs_1659.jpg]
[img src=http://davidgaines.com/wp-content/flagallery/fayetteville-nc/thumbs/thumbs_1688courthouse.jpg]
[img src=http://davidgaines.com/wp-content/flagallery/fayetteville-nc/thumbs/thumbs_1705.jpg]
[img src=http://davidgaines.com/wp-content/flagallery/fayetteville-nc/thumbs/thumbs_1708scrooge.jpg]
[img src=http://davidgaines.com/wp-content/flagallery/fayetteville-nc/thumbs/thumbs_1717.jpg]
Najwa is just determined to get her hands into the water at all costs.

For Valentine’s weekend, the ladies and I went to Philadelphia to visit the city of brotherly love. We checked out the LOVE sculpture seen over and over in movies based in Philly. We visited the Liberty Bell, which was smaller than I was expecting, Independence Hall
Whenever I’m in New York, I feel compelled to run around the city, without a map, snapping pictures of whatever gets in my way. Everywhere you look, there’s a photo op. From the architecture and monuments, landmarks and historical buildings to the local art, the neighborhood hangouts and just about everything else in between.
After watching dozens of programs on Discovery Channel about Hoover Dam, I made it a point to visit it during my second trip out to Arizona to visit my dad. Leaving from Flagstaff, it took us only a ouple or so hours to get there, arriving at the massive structure and all its glory. And it’s truly massive.