The Sentimental Journey- Up the Coast

On the Road to Charleston 

As we drove toward Bluffton and then to Charleston, we crossed the Moon River. I, of course, burst into song: "wider than a mile, I'm crossing you in style". In an effort to shush me Michael said, "It's not THAT Moon River." But it was. Johnny Mercer lived (and mostly drank) in Savannah & wrote Moon River. And it is wider than a mile...

So Much History...and Humidity

Charleston is a gorgeous city. And it has a very complex, conflicted history. To its credit, the city does not shrink from the reality of its reliance on slavery. We toured a house owned by a family that grew rich on the slave trade and spent an educational, yet depressing hour or two in the Slavery Museum. It was brutally hot and humid. Imagine working in a rice paddy inhabited by poisonous snakes in that weather. The thought evokes so many phobias I can't even enumerate them.

A mural on a wall in Charleston reminded us of some of the murals in Ajijic.

One of the very interesting items in our tour was the building architecture.

St. Michael's Anglican church was completed in 1761 & is the oldest existing church in Charleston. Both George Washington & Robert E. Lee worshiped here.

The interior had several stained glass windows dating back to its construction.

The base of the pulpit was damaged by a shell during the Civil War.

Around the walls of the church were several inscriptions regarding persons interred at the church. This was one of the oldest.

A view of the graveyard from the church...

with gravestones, many of which were so worn by the elements over the ages that the inscriptions on the headstones were no longer legible.

The Nathaniel Russell house was built in the Federalist style in 1808 by a slave trader and merchant. He had his initials included on the ironwork on the middle balcony.

The three story floating staircase in the house was magnificent

The home was furnished in the neoclassical style...

as were the ceiling and door moldings.

This medallion is on the South Carolina Society Hall which dates from 1804.

As we were going to dinner to meet Ben & Lindsey, we came across the stables for the carriage horses with this description of "20 Things".

Happier Times

Featured Guests: Ben & Lindy

Length of Relationship: About 10 years.

Background: We met Ben & Lindy in Ajijic through LCS (Lake Chapala Society). Ben was President and Michael was Treasurer while Lindy and I were on the same LCS committee. Our friendship grew over the years. Several years ago they moved to Arizona and then landed in South Carolina. They drove to Charleston for a "dinner date".

Inching Up the Coast - Wilmington, NC

Featured Guest: Marilyn

Length of Relationship: Approximately 30 years

Background: Marilyn & I worked together at Boston Technology. My kids were little and Marilyn saved me numerous times by taking long business trips for me to places like China. Truly a pal. Marilyn became a neighbor after adopting Tom from Lithuania.

Anecdote: We took Tommy, fresh form the orphanage to a u-pick it farm. He was 3 years old. I pulled a carrot from the ground. Astonished & thrilled Tommy pulled a dozen carrots before we moved on to other vegetable adventures. He  grew up to be a fine man.

Tracy, Michael, Marilyn & Deirdre after our wonderful meal.

Wilmington was our first day of rain on the trip. This thwarted our planned beach day at Wrightsville Beach. Marilyn soother my soul by lightning round shopping, wherein we hit a variety of stores in less than two hours checking off most of my North of the Border shopping list.

We met up with up with Marilyn's pal Tracy for a laugh filled dinner after a stroll along the Harbor Walk in downtown along the Cape Fear River. I was wearing Marilyn's Red Sox ball cap when two young men passed by and yelled "Go Sox". I gave them a thumbs up and they stopped to chat. They asked if we lived in Boston and we explained that we lived in Mexico and outlined the Sentimental Journey. "Damn", one said, "When I get really old I want to be like you guys and not just sit around the house." Really old? Really? A truly backhanded compliment, but I guess it's nice to be inspirational --- I guess.

We left the next morning to head to D.C. Marilyn loaded our ice chest with enough food to last us through our Delaware River stop. Now, that's a real friend.

Upon our arrival Marilyn presented us with this marvelous charcuterie board.

An amazing display of flowers along the boardwalk by the Cape Fear River.

 

We did not go into the Museum of the Bizarre (listed in Atlas Obscura)...

but just marveled at the oddities listed as being in the museum.

The battleship North Carolina in Wilmington on the Cape Fear River.

On our way to Wilmington, we stopped at the Hampton Plantation in McClellanville, SC established in 1735. It is one of the finest examples of a wood frame Georgian Plantation House and is listed as a National Historic Landmark.

Some interior details of the plantation house.

This tremendous tree predates the establishment of the plantation and dwarfs Deirdre standing next to it.

When the Wheels Came Off the Bus

We reached DC on July 3rd and moved into our VRBO rental on Capitol Hill - conveniently located 2 doors from our longtime buddy Suzanne. The apartment was large & beautiful which was a good thing - you'll see why in a paragraph or two.

Featured Guest: Suzanne

Length of Relationship: 52 years

Background: When Michael & I were in College and newly in love we both worked in a small retail mall called Canal Square in Georgetown. Suzanne was my boss at a store called Port of Call. She tolerated our moony-eyed romance ND long lunches and became our friend of 'lo these many years.

Suzanne & Deirdre outside her house in DC.

Celebrating July 4th in D.C. reminded us of why we never went downtown on July 4th when we lived in D.C. It is a zoo! It is worse now since the Capitol and the White House are totally barricaded off. Bus travel - no. Cabs or Uber - $25 from the Mall to Capitol Hill (2.7 miles). Heat 95 degrees & humidity - 95%.  I had obtained tickets to the African American History Museum for July 4th.We found our way through the crowds, various police lines, heat & humidity. We entered and realized we only had one mask. Masks are optional. Michael gallantly offered the mask to me and we entered the world of The Middle Passage. This museum is magnificent You descend below ground and start to climb via ramps upward both through space and history - about five centuries of history. And it is not a pretty history. By the 1700s I was awash in white guilt, by the 1800s I was smiling apologetically at all my black museum neighbors and by the time we got to the resurgence of the Klu Klux Klan I was simply done in.  They also had great exhibits of art, music and culture that were a bit less weighty. We left the museum and were unable to find any motorized transport so hoofed it back to the apartment. Suzanne had graciously invited us for a July 4th cookout. So we stumbled into her house sweaty, exhausted and riddled with post-museum guilt where Suzanne rejuvenated us with libations and burgers & dogs.

We had tickets for the Holocaust Museum for the next day. I was leery of a second day of human misery, but figured I couldn't get much more depressed. That visit was not meant to be however. Michael woke up with a definitely scratchy throat. Uh, ah. Yep. Covid. It is so much fun calling your friends (Marilyn, Tracy, Suzanne) and telling them you may have shared a potentially, dangerous disease with them. Not to mention all those folks at the African American History Museum. As if we didn't feel guilty enough already. Amazingly no one else (including me) got it. Well, not sure about the museum goers...

Michael was lucky however. As he says, " I have had colds that were worse than this." Runny nose, tired, little cough and over in about 3 days. Due to contagion the remainder of our days in D.C. were quiet. We'll take you on a photo tour of a drive we did down memory lane. 

While Michael was fine, his Covid did upset some visits and plans. But we'll delve into all that in the next blog. We're halfway up the East Coast and going strong(ish).

One of Suzanne's eclectic neighbors decorates for the holidays & other special occassions.

On July 4th the food trucks are lined up to handle the hoards.

The WWI memorial was something we had not seen since we left DC.

The security in DC was very tight for the 4th with many dump trucks with snow plows used to restrict vehicular access to many of the streets.

On our way to the National Museum of African American History and Culture we encountered the tail end of the July 4th parade.

This portrait of Harriet Tubman done in cotton, silk & velvet quilted and appliquéd was quite striking.

 It was titled: "I Go To Prepare a Place For You".

This piece titled: "Ghetto Krater" uses something common in ancient Greece to depict the plight of the black man in the ghetto.

This piece titled "St. John the Baptist" inspired Leonardo da Vinci's St.John the Baptist

 1513-1516, which is in the Musée de Louvre.

This is Chuck Berry's Cadillac.

The Mothership on display is one of the most iconic stage props in the history of popular music.

On The Sentimental Journey we visited our alma mater Georgetown. This is Healey Hall at Georgetown with its distinctive clock tower.

On the way to our former residence in Glover Park we passed this impressive looking building which was not there when we went to Georgetown. This is the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Georgetown.

This picture of our former apartment building does shows that it hasn't changed since we lived there 48 years ago with the exception of the window air conditioning units.

That's it for this round.  By the time we left D.C. Michael was feeling better but still testing positive.  Dodging humans we sealed ourselves in the car and headed North.

Onward, Ever Onward

Next Stop Diamondhead (No, not that one)

Featured Guests: Jon & Angela 

Length of Relationship: Jon - 40 years Angela - 15ish years

Background: Jon & Michael worked at Pepsi for several years and they bonded as they dealt with the Pepsi "culture". It was said that when you were hired at Pepsi, someone at Corporate fireda gun with a silver bullet and you don't know where and you don't know when, but one day you know you will get that silver bullet in your back. Michael left Pepsi  to become an entrepreneur by investing in a new franchise and becoming an Area Franchisee for Mail Boxes Etc. Jon left Pepsi only to come back and then leave again, but managed to exit unscathed.

We were just "passing through" Diamondhead with only an opportunity for lunch (great gumbo Angela) and a quick tour of the coast narrated by  Jon & Angela and then we were off to Mobile.

Mobile

There is nothing to say about Mobile. Well we had a dinner that lasted no more than one-half hour and was grossly overpriced. Not a fine dining experience.

Tallahassee

There is only a little more to say about Tallahassee. It is the state capital. We got there on the day that Roe vs Wade was overturned. As we drove to dinner we passed the State House and the steps were filled with demonstrators. "Michael, look!" I yelled. They're protesting! In Florida! There's hope!" When we got to the restaurant and I had a wine in front of me, Michael said to me kindly "You know dear, they might not have been protesting. They might have been celebrating. It is Florida." Well I couldn't read the signs or hear the chants, but I like to think at least some of them were protesting. The restaurant had lobbyist dive written all over it. My sorbet had large chunks of inedible pineapple protruding from it. Another in a long line of overpriced subpar meals thus far on the trip.

Savannah

At last a city with substance! Savannah is beautiful as you'll see from the photos. It was still an inferno with temps pushing 95 bolstered by that lovely Southern humidity. A saving grace is that Savannah has squares, parks and shade aplenty to help mitigate the heat. 

We spent a lovely day exploring the waterfront (touristy but interesting) and the historic area around Forsyth Park. Michael's photos will lead you through our tour.

A dock leading out to the estuary on Tybee Island.

As we were searching for restaurants on our first foray to Tybee Island, we encountered these two characters who wanted their picture taken. We promised them fame, fortune and a placement in the blog.

The Cotton Exchange on the Savannah Bluff.

Below the bluff is the river with its tourist paddle boat (which uses diesel engines, not steam) whose paddles are only for show.

We came across this Coast Guard boat with this dummy sunbathing. 

Wandering around Savannah, one of the many interesting things are the old mansions. This was the Kessler Armstrong Mansion. This is a nationally significant example of Italian Renaissance Revival architecture.

In fitting with the Italian character of the mansion, Il Porcellino, the Wild Boar of Florence graces the garden. 

The Forsyth Park fountain is iconic, is over 150 years old but is not unique. The fountain was ordered from a catalogue and similar fountains exist in New York, Peru and France.

This is one of the figures spraying water in the fountain...

and this swan is another.

The spanish moss draped trees are resplendent throughout the park.

Hodgson Hall is the home of the Georgia Historical Society. Built in 1876 it was designed by the founder of the American Institute of Architects, Detlef Lienau.

Jepson House Education Center was originally built in 1856 as a private residence for Thomas Holcombe as a grand Italianate mansion.  It has since been acquired by the Georgia Historical Society for use as its Education Center.

This is the mansion featured in the non-fiction novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

A monument to Casimir Pulaski in Monterey Square. This is a 19th century monument to Pulaski, who lost his life during the siege of Savannah during the Revolutionary War and was credited with saving the life of George Washington.

Details of the Italian marble monument.

Congregation Mickve Israel was founded in 1733, shortly after the founding of Savannah. It is the third oldest Jewish congregation in the US. The synagogue was built in 1878.

The Comer House once hosted Jefferson Davis.

This very interesting building currently house SCAD (Savannah College of Art & Design). It previously housed the Savannah Volunteer Guards.

The tree lined streets of the historic district of Savannah help to shade it from the intense sun and moderate the temperatures.

The architecture of the Savannah buildings speaks to the importance of this Southern city.

The climate is very conducive to the greenery of the city.

The Green-Meldrim mansion is an example of residential Gothic Revival architecture. The mansion was offered by Green to William Tecumseh Sherman for use as his headquarters, which Sherman used for that purpose from December 22, 1864 to February 1, 1865.

This monument was erected to Sgt. William Jasper in Madison Square. Jasper was mortally wounded on September 9, 1779 fighting against the British.

The Cathedral of St. John the Baptist with its twin steeples stands out in Savannah...

as does the gold dome of Savannah City Hall.

We made the mistake of going to Tybee Island on a summer weekend and trying to eat. Not doable. That lack of availability combined with lackluster, overpriced meals was definitely bumming us out. And then...

Deirdre Meets Phobia #53

I didn't even know I had this one. After our failed dinner on Tybee Island, we vowed to return. So we set out on a quiet Monday morning to return to Tybee Island and rent a kayak to explore the channels and marshes which are quite scenic. (Michael was missing his kayaking and since we rent a tandem kayak and Michael paddles while I enjoy the scenery this seemed like a great plan. The golden-haired surfer dude who was giving us the safety/trail pitch looked at us and said, "I recommend the shorter, easier paddle, especially for you guys." Here it comes again --- the "old thing". Michael fixed him with a stare and said, "I paddle 15 kilometers three times a week." That shut him up.

So, off we go. I, who know nothing and actually contribute nothing to the kayaking endeavor, suggest that if Michael gets out of the current from the receding tide by paddling closer to the reeds he can expend less energy. And this is true. Until there is a god awful, thunderous crash and water swells into the kayak while it rocks vigorously from side to side. "Hang on" exhorts Michael. A very substantial alligator had launched itself out of the reeds to about a foot from Michael. Luckily it didn't take a second shot at us and the kayak we rented was very stable. I pretty much whined and moaned until Michael dropped me off at the dock so he could continue to paddle in peace.  As we pulled in the Golden Boy said snarkily, " Well that was a short paddle. Was it fun?" "It was great until the gator attack", I replied. He was struck mute, which was pretty nice. He gathered his wits and immediately began to refute our "story". "Oh, it was probably a sea turtle...a gar... a dolphin." We did not recant. It was clear they didn't believe us or didn't want to believe us. "Fine we said, have it your way. Here's our card. Email us when it eats someone." 

Michael traded the tandem kayak for a single and kayaked into the bay where he did see a gar leap straight up out of the water (further confirming it was no gar previously) and also encountered a pod of dolphins on his return swimming around the kayak. Upon Michael's return from his solo paddle we were off to lunch.

Seated at a lovely table at a lovely restaurant on the same lovely estuary, we asked our waitress if they had gators in the water in front of the restaurant. "Oh god yes, many. You know that enclosure we have with all the gators in it. They're all local." Well somebody was fibbing earlier, eh?

When we spoke to son Alex he was somewhat reassuring, "I think it's the time of year they lay their eggs. It was probably a female alligator just protecting her nest and you just got too close." Well (fun fact) alligators do lay their eggs in the last week of June thru early July, but I'm not convinced. She seemed a tad too eager... With a sense of relief for surviving our encounter we left Savannah and made a brief stop at a plantation and then the amazing town of Beaufort, SC. (Filming location for The Big Chill.)

While it was impossible to get a photo of the gar leaping out of the water, I did manage to get photos of this dolphin...

and this dolphin swimming near the kayak.

A sign outside The Crab Shack, inviting patrons to "Feed the Gators!".

Our wonderful waitress appeared in this stylish aluminum foil headdress at one point during our meal.

The estuary by the restaurant where the gators abound.

The Crab Shack (which claims to be the oldest, original crab shack in the US) has some unique decorations...

and Jimmy Buffet songs issued forth from the loudspeakers.

Some of the gators lounging in the enclosed pool by the restaurant available to be fed.

Deirdre swears this gator mounted on the side of The Crab Shack must have been the size of the gator that went for us.

The 1.5 mile entrance to the Wormsloe Historic Site in Savannah is lined on either side by 400 stately live oak trees dripping with spanish moss.

It is impossible to get an idea of the expanse of this tree lined drive in just one photo.

This is the part of the remains of the 1745 tabby house constructed by Noble Jones, an early colonist and contemporary of James Oglethorpe. Noble was granted 500 acres on the Isle of Hope in 1736.  Tabby construction was common in the area due to the availability of the materials --- equal parts sand, oyster shells, lime and water were mixed in molds to create building blocks. The building was covered with a smooth layer of quicklime plaster.

More Gator Tales in Bluffton

Our next stop was to the historic town of Bluffton, which is on the mainland across from Hilton Head to visit my (Deirdre's) cousin and his wife.

Featured Guests: Scott & Joann

Known since: Scott (since birth) Joann 55ish years.

Anecdote: When we were kids, Scott would come and visit us for a week or two each summer as he and my brother were very close in age. Scott was a sort of finicky eater while my mother was an adherent of the clean plate club. The major clash involved peas. Not able to exert her full parental mojo on Scott, mom would dole out peas one by one in increasing numbers meal to meal and summer to summer. It was the food equivalent of Chinese water torture. Scott may still not eat peas...

Still not quite over the gator encounter, we were recounting the tale to Scott & Joann over cocktails. "Yeah, said Scott, "'those suckers are mean." He then regaled us with the story of a neighbor's mishap. They live in a planned community in which houses surround small ponds. One day his friend was walking on the edge of his pond which also borders a golf course. Out of nowhere this gator leaps out and grabs the guy by his ankle and starts to pull him towards the water. He's screaming and manages to lean down and pull the gators jaws apart. But the gator pulls free and then grabs his calf and is really working to drag him into the pond. The guy is still (of course) screaming and a golfing foursome hears him. One guy runs over with his club and pummels the gator until it lets go of the guy. The guy ends up needing about 160 stitches.

Scott's takeaway: "Dee, think about it. A foursome and only one guy runs over and helps. Last time I'd play with those guys." I love Scott.  After a great meal together and overnight visit we were off to Charleston.