OpSail 2012: A tale of two worlds

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) - When thousands of people gather in one spot, you'll find flashes of technology everywhere. 

The fast-paced world of digital communication is everywhere. 

But during OpSail 2012, a trip back to 1812 provides a culture clash between two Americas:  today's 21st century race compared to a slower, more genteel time. Both were on display in downtown Norfolk during Opsail. 

Actors in full costume recreated an America at war with the British Empire. They talked to modern voters in character giving them a sense of polite conversation from a different time. 

President James Madison talked about ideas on federalism and why we fought the British over trade and territorial disputes. Revolutionary Way veteran Benjamin Heath remembered his part in the Battle of Saratoga with the "Green Mountain Boys" of Ethan Allen. 

One woman described the scene of two ages blended into one another as a surreal experience. Rarely did we have an opportunity to see America from two ages side by side.