Savannah GA... A Step Back in Time

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Today was amazing. From the excellent breakfast to the faster than expected drive to the amazing beauty of Savannah, it was amazing.

We arrived in Savannah at 3:30 today, after a 7 hour drive, and promptly drive in a few circles before finding the hotel. No big deal...we found it in time, and it is amazing. It is the oldest hotel in Savannah, and has been maintained and updated with care and detail. The lobby is spectacular, with a big staircase, the spectacular library and courtyard. The service is perfect: the valet parking is great, the proper old fashioned bellman brought up our bags, the conceirge called our room to welcome us, the free wine and cheese reception every weekday between 5 and 7, the hotel brought in chocolates and a weather report when we were out for dinner, they made great dinner recommendations, and a deluxe breakfast tomorrow morning. Spectacular. Oh, and the room is beautiful. Probably the best hotel I've stayed in ever....thus far.

Now for the city. Thus far it is so interesting, beautiful and diverse. There are modern areas, very historic areas, residential areas and commercial areas. It is quite touristy, but it sure is gorgeous. After checking in we settled in, cleaned up and went out for a walk to get the lay of the land. We checked out the City Market area (a hess village like strip of shops, restaurants and bars), the river walk (like the waterfront in Montreal) and walked the city streets in between. It started raining a bit, so we headed back to investigate dinner options and partake in wine and cheese. As we walked it got darker and darker to the point that it looked like a tornado was about to erupt. And then it poured. Teemed. It was monsoon like. But it lasted only about an hour.

After it cleared we went out for dinner. We ended up at this very unique dive pizza bar called Vinnie Van Go Go's. It was packed, with low ceilings, a covered patio, a tiny pizza menu with a long beer list and it seemed to have both locals as well as tourists in it...it was just what we wanted. We had a spinach salad, and a medium pizza with toppings of our choice. I also ordered a Yeungling Lager, which I'd never heard of, but which is a lager from the oldest brewery in the US. Who knew? The pizza a good pizza parlour pizza. It wasn't the best I've ever had, but it was really good, and the salad was good as well. The pizza, the atmosphere, it was a great time.

After dinner we walked around the town, checking out many of its beautiful squares. Savannah was built around a series of squares, 24 in total, all of them beautiful. Of those we've seen, Johnson square in the most spectacluar. It is like 2 big cathedrals of trees. Live oaks with spanish moss surround walkways, benches and a large cenotaph monument. It is amazing. Other squares are smaller, or have fewer trees, or are surrounded by gorgeous quintessential American style houses, but all are amazing.

Tomorrow we will see more of the quares and sights, weather permitting.

I love this city. It feels like a huge priviledge to be here. I love it.

P.S. - Food photos added to yesterdays entry

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