longwood: LIGHT!

After exploring Chanticleer for several hours and exhausting ourselves, we took a break for dinner and then drove down the road to Longwood Gardens. My friend Jessica and I decided to split an annual membership so I'm excited to have an excuse to return in the Fall (and quite honestly, and excuse to return to Chanticleer.)

The main point of this visit to Longwood was to see Light: Installations by Bruce Munro. We arrived with just a few minutes of daylight left and then viewed the various light installations as the sun went down. They were stunning. It was impossible to capture them with photos (especially without a tripod since it was completely dark outside) but it was truly a unique experience. Unfortunately it was also a popular experience and even though we were there on a Wednesday night, it was packed. I have never seen so many people at Longwood. But the exhibit truly was amazing and worthy of such attendance.

Oliver demonstrates his exhaustion by taking his blanket and laying down in the middle of the sidewalk.

This light exhibit was made with water bottles. Very cool.

 

The walk through the woods was my favorite. There were lights as far as the eye could see. Also, many people didn't bother to do the entire loop through the forest so the crowds thinned out a bit, making it easier to get around.

 

The world's coolest hall of bathrooms is at Longwood. 

We spent a little bit of time inside the conservatory. We discovered the organ room, which we had never explored before.

More beautiful light installations inside the conservatory.

Okay. So these are actually photos I took of photos. So you can get a better sense of what the light installations looked like.