June 4-6, 2016 Charleston, S.C.

 

June 4-6 Charleston

Our plan for sightseeing was to head into Charleston, explore and take a tour.  Our day started with a water taxi ride to get to the city.  The ride was enjoyable as we chatted with the young taxi captain.  We wandered thru the city and the City Market which is open air.  We enjoyed lunch at Hyman seafood restaurant – Shrimp po’boys and hushpuppies.  We then took a bus tour.  (Good planning to be on a small air-conditioned bus during the heat of the day.)  We learned about the Gullah and Geechee  languages and the ways of the slaves and freed slaves in the Charleston area.  We traveled through James Island and John Island to see plantation mansions and ancient huge trees.  The city has many churches which display the theme of religious freedom.  The return taxi ride was cooling and gave us a good view of the Yorktown aircraft carrier adjacent to our Harbor.  We enjoyed a refreshing dip in the pool with a few beers. 
The next morning we took another ride on the taxi and this time took our bikes with us.  We toured the water front and enjoyed the views.  The architecture of the mansions and houses are unique.  Most of the houses are narrow on the street side but extend deep into the lots.  For that reason most of the luxurious porches are on the side and often look over the side yard.  Many of the churches are surrounded by cemeteries, mostly well-kept and old.  Many headstones date back into the 1700’s and many are so old they are illegible.  The city has many hidden treasures, including a church in which George Washington sat, hidden pathways between streets, renovated parks and many good restaurants.   A quiet evening was enjoyed after an exploring, bike riding day.  The last day spent in Charleston was rainy one.  A tropical depression was predicted and the all-day rain was a part of it.  This was the last day we had a car so the girls did provisioning and the guys made one more run to Lowes and Walmart.

 

 

Fort Sumter where the Civil War or The War of Aggression (if you
are from the South) started

One of the many ocean going cargo ships that went by our marina
This one is a car carrier bringing in foreign cars

Looking out from our boat at the marina toward the aircraft carrier, Yorktown

One of the beautiful alleys you can walk thru in Charleston

The City Market where there are many booths selling all kinds of
products from South Carolina and surrounding areas

Sitting on a "joggling board". It swings side to side. Had never
seen one of these, ever.

This is how the joggling board works. Any ideas, Gary?

One of the drive ways leading up to an antebellum mansion

This is the Angel Oak, named after the family that owned
this farm.

Another mansion

The old slave market where people were bought and sold.

In our walks thru the church cemeteries we found this guy
who was killed in the battle of Gettysburg

This tree had grown around the headstone

This is the grave of a Greek man we found

John and I strolling thru one of the paths in a cemetery
 

Another one of the mansions, you have to love the porches

Our "biker gang": John, me, Claude, Peggy, and Pam.
We are some mean dudes!