Blogs from Charleston, South Carolina, United States, North America

Boy, is it good to get out and doing a little traveling! Even if it just a two night trip. Took the Black Beast (AKA R8) to the historical section of Charleston. Leona and I had been there over 30 years ago, however, it was mostly a tennis trip with a week spent at Wild Dunes. Unfortunately, the week after we left in 1989, Hugo caused a lot of damage to the area. On this trip, the focus was more on understanding the history, appreciating the diversity of cultures and the booming food scene. We stayed at the Wentworth Mansion which was built in 1886 and is one of the top historical boutique hotels in the nation. First stop on the way was the Boone Plantation. The Jamaicans have the language Patois while the slaves of ... read more

We started our second day, after a trip to the local Shell station for coffee, by heading to the Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. It was a fairly long trip from the motel, but well worth it. The entrance is quite a ways from the actual buildings or gardens and parking seemed somewhat limited, but we found a place. The Magnolia Plantation and Gardens seems more gardens then buildings, although we didn't opt for the manor tour, feeling the gardens were large enough to be fulfilling. There were so many different flowers and trees, along with a number of "collection" sections, like camilia, azalea, etc. We spent almost 2 hours just walking along the paths and taking photos. A portion of the gardens border either the Ashley River or the plantation's Big Cypress Lake, adding to the ... read more

In the fall of 1944 the Allied military command decided they need to take Aachen, the westernmost city in Germany, prior to an advance into the industrial Ruhr Basin. Aachen was an ancient city, heart of Charlemagne's empire, and for 6 centuries the place of coronation of the kings of the Holy Roman Empire. A young lieutenant from Orangeburg SC was a member of an American division attached to the British Second Army, and his battalion had been ordered to take Prummern, a small village with a strategic hilltop location. Like many young men with some ROTC training, he had been pulled out of college early and hastily trained for war. The night they arrived in Prummern, he was hiding in a cellar and thought he was going to be discovered by a German officer, and ... read more

Charleston Blog 15th February 2020 Charleston, the South Carolina port city founded in 1670, is defined by its cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages and pastel antebellum houses, particularly in the elegant French Quarter and Battery districts. The Battery promenade and Waterfront Park both overlook Charleston Harbor, while Fort Sumter, a federal stronghold where the first shots of the Civil War rang out, lies across the water. The South Carolina Aquarium is another coastal attraction and is popular for its 385,000-gallon Great Ocean Tank. Nearby, the circa-1773 Charleston Museum showcases the history of the South Carolina Lowcountry region. Many refined Downtown restaurants also specialize in Lowcountry cooking, which blends Southern U.S., African, French and Caribbean flavors. Beyond Downtown, Magnolia Plantation and Gardens offers a glimpse of t... read more

Sunday in Charleston, since most sites are closed or have shortened hours today, it was a good opportunity to sleep in and have a relaxing day. We slept in until about 9, Tarragon wanted to be fed at his normal time 6:30, but he just had to wait. He just laid next to me so he could be the center of attention until I decided to get up. We had very little planed today, Brunch, a museum and a bit of shopping for the refrigerator magnet and a tea towel for Christina (this is our tradition we ever either of us go on a trip). We took our time getting ready and tip the housekeeper, Caroline. She had the next two days off and we wanted to make sure she was tipped directly because she did ... read more