24 Oct 2019 – 7 Years Have Passed By Quickly
https://amylamsg.com/2012/11/06/island-hopping/
Fri: TGIF and a good weekend to all. App 2hrs drive from CAE-CHS with a lunch stop, but seemed less with much to catch up during the drive. Tkx to HiHills/Glenda for driving us. In CHS to visit with AT-Hiking buddies. MoFo (trail-name who will be known as John here as we are not on the trail) met us@2Meeting St, a beautiful B&B out of my budget-range! White Point Garden must be one of the most popular locations for getting married.
https://www.charleston-sc.com/white-point-garden.html
The Battery – known for the stately&grand houses.
http://www.dreamcharleston.com/charleston-battery.html
CHS&our host certainly lived up to the pineapple expression of Southern Hospitality. Walking on the cobble-stones sure brings back memories from students days in DUB. Halloween is in the air and anyone would turn into a skeleton too trying to fish for food from a sidewalk!
Some of the historical steeples – St Michael’s (1761), St Philips’s (1838), St John the Baptist (1890), St Mathew’s downloaded (1872).
The cast-iron gates are fascinating and could spend a whole day just admiring them. 32 Lagare St (Sword Gate/1849), last pix above has an interesting history behind it, but the other gates too have their own history which I know not of.
Every door&gate has a story but sometimes we stare so long at the closing ones that we forget to appreciate&see the open ones.
Sat: woke up to this view from our hotel window, The Holiday Inn Express&Suites@Mt Pleasant – Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky in morning, sailor’s warning. Expecting Nestor (tropical storm), thank goodness the forecast was not what it made out to be and continuing with our sight-seeing on 4wheels.
The Citadel (1842), a public college is one of 6 US senior military colleges. John’s family, from his grandfather, father, bro and now his nephew 4generations all attended this college, including John who did his MBA here – impressive place with the biggest class-ring I have seen.
Taking in every bit of the history (+imagining what it was like then!) from a knowledgeable local retired-architect guide. Today’s pix are not so clear, mainly with raindrops taken from the windows in the car.
While the rest were shopping, had a yummy coffee-milkshake in this joint with this lovely painting.
and was checking if Nestor’s visit will flood the water-front – seems like the bark was louder than the bite.
Lunched@Pages Okra-Grill where I first tasted pickled-okra 7yrs ago and now my 2nd time and still like okra best this way – even their BloodyMary is garnished with okra.
The weather called for more shopping and was happy to just tag along with the group. Was told that this doughnut place Fractured-Prune made individual fresh doughnuts with whatever sprinkles you want – was too stuffed to try, perhaps the next time round!
Appreciations to John&Lynne for their gracious Southern-Hospitality with scrumptious home-made Low-Country-Boil, Melon-salad&Coleslaw
in their beautiful home@Mt Pleasant.
Sun: a breezy, refreshing wet walk across Arthur Ravenel Jr./Ravenel/Cooper River Bridge (1,546ft/471m), a cable-stayed bridge over the Cooper River connecting downtown CHS to Mt Pleasant.
Mt Pleasant Pier: under the bridge, a delightful pier built on the foundations of the old bridge with the tell-tale signs of the weather for the past few days. A goodbye breakfast@Pages Okra-Grill again before the ladies drove off. Appreciations to be included to John’s family dinner where I got to meet 2 (Amelia/7&Jack/2+) of the 4 of their grandchildren. One more night@the hotel as it was paid in advance.
Mon: most delightful morning walk@ShemCreek Boardwalk along the Low Country Marsh Scene.
Softly, slightly rippling the water as it carried the heady scents of late Carolina springtime through the air. Honeysuckle. Jasmine. Ripe, pungent river mud. Ah, the world felt right ―
Forest Gump in mind with the shrimp boats.
Life is just so complete in this glorious weather, watching life go by, tkx to John for lunch and letting me stay@their place. Also time to thank my AT-hiking buddies+our charming&the best CHS guide for this most memorable stay.
Sugar had grown up in Charleston, South Carolina: possibly the most luscious of the world’s garden cities. Behind every wrought-iron gate or exposed-brick wall in the picturesque peninsula blooming between the Ashley and Cooper Rivers lay a sweet-scented treasure trove of camellias, roses, gardenias, magnolias, tea olives, azaleas and jasmine, everywhere, jasmine.
With its lush greenery, opulent vines, sumptuous hedgerows and candy-colored window boxes, it was no wonder the city’s native sons and daughters believed it to be the most beautiful place on earth ―
The hotel refunded 20% of the bill as the room’s fridge, micro-wave and coffee-machine were not functioning. So long CHS. 1st time flying off from this airport – tkx to John for the ride and for making me aware that one of Boeing Companies is located by this airport.