Shady Historic Savannah

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Geo: 32.0808, -81.0907

We protested about leaving Charleston, having little idea of what was ahead, but Savannah Historic Town was beautiful and after a slightly cheesy tram car ride round the city to get ourselves orientated we walked oursleves to exhaustion that afternoon and the next day. We stayed in a comfortable row (terraced) house and explored the old squares, museums and colonial cemetery with the help of a walking tour guide. Many of the old houses (60 in total) have been adopted by SCAD - Savannah College of Art and Design- which seems partly responsible for the city's regeneration, together with donations of beautiful mansions to the state by wealthy Women, fo Museums and Art galleries. I understood better how this came to pass when a guide explained that women with a wealthy inheritance could own and buy property independently, but if they married this was passed to their husbands, so maybe they thought twice! Many of these homes are also B&B and Inns, where we stayed.

The huge Live Oak trees are a dominant feature of these streets, draped with Spanish Moss, providing an umbrella of shade over right across the streets.
Temperatures were in the low 20s, but in the summer we understand it is very hot and humid. The challenge for early settlers was to stay alive with Yellow Fever and Malaria rampant. The original vision was to build a town without slaves, Catholics or Lawyers. In the event all three became essential for their hard work. The town was built by Scottish peers,trading in cotton and lumber with the labour of slaves and then of Irish labourers on the railroads.

We have tasted the Southern signature dishes - fried green tomatoes, deep fried catfish, gumbo - a spicy meat stew, poboys, key lime pie and a sundowner of mint julep. Nothing if not adventurous.
We've also watched our fair share of CNN coverage of the election and talked to Americans about their choices and their issues. The Democratic office in Savannah welcomed our interest and found us some posters.

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Photos

great examle of spanish moss
in the colonial cemetery, savannah