Charleston, South Carolina

When leaving for Charleston today, I had the feeling we were about done with the South. I expected this city to be just like Savannah or New Orleans. The amazing thing is that every city has it's very own identity. The history in Charleston is so deep. There are so many levels of history from the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and the Civil Rights movement. So much to see!

 The drive back here from Myrtle Beach was only an hour and a half.  It was nice after such a busy day yesterday to have a short drive and be able to relax a bit. The drive is beautiful with so much to see. There is water every where. The size of the ships that come up the waterways are huge!

 After checking in to our room we took the shuttle down to the Historic district.  Thee was a great fountain that children were playing in.  We just stood and watched, Laughing at a darling little boy that reminded us of Jack, our youngest Grandchild. He was adorable! What a fun place for the local kids to cool off.

 Walking along the street a building caught our eye. It's called the Exchange Building and we decided to take a tour of the dungeon and the entire building. Our guide is wearing an authentic costume of the Militia man. The part of the building we're in is the basement of this historic place.  He was so knowledgeable with the building of the city and all that had gone into building this special place.  the bricks overhead are actually the foundation that is holding it all up.

 There were 1.5 million bricks used to make this building. Over the years, the basement was used for storage, Prisoners, Pirates and hiding products from the British.  This same building is where the Constitution was ratified and George Washington was honored at a reception in the grand ballroom.  It was pretty fun to be in a room that we knew George Washington had been in.

 After the tour we started walking again.  We wandered by numerous homes that were built in the 1700's. They are still protected and it's nice to see so many beautiful homes still being used for family dwellings. They are registered as historical landmarks and will be protected for future generations to enjoy.

While driving into Charleston we noticed wooden stands along the roadside. People that work at an art called Sawgrass baskets set up their baskets for sale.  This is just here in the Charleston area.  They were also set up in the streets. This art of making baskets came to the states with the slaves brought from Africa. They have passed down the art to their children. It is still an active way for families to make money. The baskets are incredible, and very high quality.

 This is Ruth, she was very happy to sell me my baskets and pose for me. Her baskets are in the next photo. I was very interested in the story of the basket weaving. She asked me to make sure and pass this story on to my grandkids. I had already bought a book that tells the story. She was so thrilled that I had bought the book. I love this souvenir from Charlston. It will be very special to me.

Wandering along we came upon cemeteries, which I love to visit!  Just the really old ones, I don't go cemetery hopping on a regular basis at home! The dates on some of the tombstones are from the 1700's right next to some from the 1990's! The families still have control of the private family spaces.

We walked on through the Market Place and out to the pier. There was a family of dolphins playing! They entertained us for a good half hour before moving on the way. I didn't expect dolphins here. What a surprise!

After all this walking, we find a fantastic place for dinner. My last chance for Shrimp and Grits. We have tried to eat regional foods as we've traveled.  We've had Mexican Food in New Mexico,  BBQ in Texas. Gumbo and Creole in New Orleans and I have personally enjoyed the Shrimp and Grits. Tonight's were the BEST!




It's time to move on in the morning. It will take us two days to get to Nashville. We had a wonderful time in the South. We've learned so much and met great people. As sorry as we are to leave the South, we are excited to move on to new experiences.  We could also use some rest! This travel thing is hard work. We're going to need a vacation from our vacation!