Parque Natural Mexiquillo

3.31.2013

Easter Pot Luck

Camped at the Elks. (32.82518, -79.98913)


Great people, tasty food and a good time had by all.

Happy Easter to All



On to Charleston




Along the flat  George and South Carolina coast you find hunks and chunks of dry land interspersed with rivers and estuaries.


The grand old, very old, mansions of Charleston.



Down on Church Street is .....

The George Eveleigh house, #39, which was built in 1743 by an indian trader. 


The Charleston Battery

These thirteen inch mortars were used to shell Fort Sumter . (32.76945, -79.92968)


A monument for the ladies.


Another Triple D dive.  (map)


I had to Jerk Chicken sandwich Guy featured on his show. The chicken was dry and bland, but the plantains were great. Members of our group had the Seafood Bouyon which was excellent. The tacos were also good. 
I did not choose wisely.

Stories from the road
Donna was riding with her friend Mel when she needed to go. With no facilities near by, she elected to use some bushes that would shield her from Mel. Mid way, she hears the loooong blast of a train whistle. Looking over her shoulder she sees the train's engineer who has an unobstructed view of her derriere. 




3.29.2013

Strolling Savannah

Savannah is an easy, beautiful walking city.

Me and Mercer. Can you sing Moon River?

The grave site of Nathanael Greens who died near Savannah.



The Owens-Thomas House was completed in 1819. Very modern with a cistern above each floor to deliver rain water to the bathrooms and kitchen and drain pipes to remove the dirty water. 

Legend has it that the Marquis de Layfayette , Revolutionary War hero, delivered two speeches from the this balcony.

The Kitchen


The children's dining room.

Adult dining

The back yard looking toward the carriage house/slave quarters. In the day there would have been wash hanging to dry and a vegetable garden.

3.26.2013

Fort Pulaski

In April of 1862 the Rebel occupied Fort Pulaski was attacked by Union forces. They took 112 days to dig in their gun batteries a mile from the fort. On April 10th the Union forces open fire using new rifled artillery pieces. The South considered the 7.5 foot thick masonry wall impervious to cannon fire. The thinking of the day was that beyond 700 yards smooth bore cannon and mortars were ineffective. But the new rifled cannons proved so destructive that the Rebel forces surrendered after 30 hours of shelling.


Inner gates


Soldiers' quarters

Rank has it's privilege 


Small cannon
Better cannon

The big boys are up on the ramparts


Even though much of the damage from Union artillery was repaired, some damage still remains.















No more masonry forts were ever built.

3.24.2013

Savannah, GA

I have rejoined my friends traveling up the east coast. Even though it is raining, eight of us decided to drive into Savannah.



I left sunny California for this!!!!

All the streets are lined with beautiful spanish moss draped oak trees

We went to the old River Front. It was the working waterfront in the 1700 & 1800s. 
It is now the Pier 39 of Savannah.  The rain stopped and we had fun exploring the waterfront.


Streets paved with ballast stones.

l-r  Paul, Arlene, Ellie, PJ, Donna Lee, Mel

The SS Savannah. "A lone steamship in a world of sail.This Staunch vessel departed Savannah May 22, 1819 and arrived Liverpool June, 20, 1819, to become the first steam powered ship to cross the far reaches of the Atlantic Ocean."

I love the eclectic mix of building materials.

Down spout detail
Lunch

I had the fried oysters and they were great.

I passed on a T shirt









More of the wonderful Oak trees