Before I move on – I forgot to mention that after we checked into our motel we had to drive around looking for food. It was late and most of the places were closed. But we found a little place called Freddy’s and got chicken tenders and onion rings. The inconceivable thing was that they were out of — SALT! If you know me, you know I am a salt-aholic! But I managed and the food was good. And it felt good to tumble into bed, with an early morning wakeup call!
It was a beautiful sunny day, and our first rest stop had both the crepe myrtle trees in bloom and the famous Palmetto trees. Of course we had to get pictures. As we were posing I looked down and found a painted rock. I picked it up and it was one of those ‘post pictures and re-hide somewhere else’ rocks. I carried it around with me until we left the city on Thursday, and placed it outside one of the historic buildings after posting a picture on facebook. It was very tempting to keep it, as it was beautiful and would have been a treasure to have!
We made it into Charleston before noon, and since we couldn’t check into our motel until after 3pm, we headed into Mt. Pleasant (SC!!!) and ate at the King Street Grille. A dear friend of mine for many years – Donna Kier – had 2 sons, Scott and Brian, that moved to Charleston YEARS ago (before she passed away) and opened the King Street Grille. I had made up my mind that if ever I got to Charleston I would try to eat there. Neither were in that day, but Kath and Paul were gracious to indulge me, and we ate there for lunch. It was very nice to have that connection, and the food was good. They had a Steeler wall (it’s a sports bar) and it was in a very nice little section of the town.
Our first official tour was Ft. Sumter, boarding at Liberty Square. We had reserved our time online, and we arrived early enough to browse around the museum and watch the boats and ships on the water. At 2:30 we boarded The Spirit of the Low Country and headed out for our 35 minute ride to the fort. Our tour guide – on the way over – gave us lots of information about the battle, with names and dates, and was actually an information overload! But we then had an hour to wander around the fort, seeing the cannons and battlements and remnants left behind. It was the bombardment of Fort Sumter by the South Carolina militia (the Confederate Army did not yet exist), and the return gunfire and subsequent surrender by the United States Army, that started the American Civil War.
It was very interesting to be immersed in the southern culture and history – seeing everything for the other side of the situation. I have spent my whole life with a ‘Northern’ viewpoint – and it’s enlightening to hear interpretations from the other side’s viewpoint. It was fascinating and humbling when you understood the siege and the significance of that bold attack and the outcome.
Jim’s message from Florida will be in post #3 (Day 2!)
On this day in 1652 New Amsterdam (NYC) enacted the first speed limit law in North America, and in 1778 the Liberty Bell returned home to Philadelphia after the British departure. The Great Stock Crash on the NY Stock Exchange was in 1893; the world’s first ATM was installed in London in 1967, and in 2003 the US National DO NOT CALL registry registered 3/4 million people the first day! Helen Keller was born in 1880 and Ross Perot in 1930. In 1964 Ethel Merman married Ernest Borgnine.
TOMORROW June 28 is:
Part 2 of Day 2 is in post #3. God bless….
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