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Old 2 Feb 20, 06:25 PM  
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WileyCoyote
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Bayous to Beaches. Oct 19. Day 10 A Tale of Two Cities. Charleston and Savannah

Thursday 10 October
Yesterday is HERE

As a reminder, we are now into the non-Florida leg of this trip. We will return to the sunshine state tomorrow
Today we look around Charleston and arrive in Savannah


We had both had a really good night’s sleep - must have been all that walking yesterday - and we woke up at 7.45.

Good thing we had opted for the 10 am tour and not 9 am otherwise it would have been a real rush.

Good thing it was also midday check out at the hotel as it meant we could pack up and leave our things in the room while we took the tour.

We still felt quite full from last night’s dinner so didn’t need breakfast.

Andy spent a frustrating half an hour still trying to sort out the money for the paintings. Yes, it’s still a running saga.

By now the money had been transferred to the artist but his bank absolutely refused to send the money back to our UK bank - even though he had asked them to .

It was a complete nightmare and despite every effort from our bank we were going around in circles.

To the point we were now contemplating whether one of us (not me) was going to have to return to New Orleans once we got to Florida to sort it out in person.

It wasn’t the greatest start to the day - nor the fact that yet again it was cloudy and overcast.

We popped to get some cash and I saw this plaque on the side of the building about Georgia's oldest orphanage



Learning from yesterday's experience we took a pedi cab from outside side the front of the hotel


Passing this building, which is the Confederate museum



The market



And some other big buildings



until we got to the Old South Carriage company.




I had been a bit conflicted about this and the whole issue of the horse’s welfare but decided to give it a go.

They talk a lot about the care they give the horses and are ok to let you see and be close to them in the stable area. There is also an inspector as they leave the area who checks over the horses and confirms where the carriage is going. It all seemed well regulated.



It was definitely a good call to take the pedi cab as wouldn’t you know it there was a burst water main which was causing quite a bit of disruption.

We checked in and had a look around and waited about 15 minutes for our ride.

They call you to board in order and we were in the very back row.

While we were waiting, I was listening to the manager giving each guide instructions on the revised route to take because of the burst pipe.

The guide for the carriage in front of us repeated it a number of times and set off.

I should have known then that the tour guide god was working against me.

Our guide, nice enough chap, but didn’t take a blind bit of notice of the instructions.

I know this because the second we set off he didn’t turn the same way as everyone else.

No Sir, as he said, he was giving us a “mystery tour”

I don’t want the jeffing mystery tour, I want the historic downtown tour I paid for

And mystery tour it was - it was nice enough in parts and not so much in others





Particularly going past this park several times



and ending up through the university quarter where students exercised their democratic rights to tell us all we shouldn’t be on a carriage tour




I got so fed up, I had been so excited to show Andy the gorgeous places that I had seen yesterday and we didn’t see a single one of them - we didn’t even get to the waterfront.



Added to that, we had set off late and were also running late so it was starting to be a bit of a worry that we would get back to the hotel before checkout time.

In the end I just couldn’t wait to get off.

I felt thoroughly fed up that the tour was nothing like what I had expected and had I not gone walkabout yesterday I would have left thinking Charleston really wasn’t anything special at all.

To compound my annoyance later in the trip, I discovered I had been charged twice for the tour and when I responded to their email asking me for feedback, I never got a reply.

So that’s me and organised tours done - never again!

Andy said he thought it was ok and I was being harsh but I still felt he had been short-changed

We had run out of time to visit Another Broken Egg which had been on the plan. No yolk folks, very disappointed so we took a walk back to the hotel through the city market



And stopped at Groucho's deli just a few minutes along from the hotel






We just had water



I went for a plain turkey sandwich but had it served warm. Yum



Andy had the STP - beef, turkey,bacon and cheese.



Totally reasonable bill ! All very fresh and super quick service.



Andy went to check out and pick up the car, I went to get our stuff from the room - we had by now worked out that where we had covered garage valet parking we could leave our cases in the car and just take one in with us for overnight - made life a lot easier

I picked up our stuff and then grabbed a coffee and some snax from Starbucks for the journey



And so, it was goodbye to Charleston around 1230

Its not a long drive to Savannah and it was going well until we hit a traffic jam on the outskirts of the city and were stuck for 45 minutes (down to an accident at some traffic lights).

Andy’s cough was still niggling him so we spent a lot of the journey with the windows down rather than the aircon being on

Maybe he was avoiding kennel cough



We made it to Savannah around 2.45, a bit later than planned but now the sun was shining and it looked a beautiful city.



Always a truck in the way at the vital moment

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Old 2 Feb 20, 06:26 PM  
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WileyCoyote
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We missed the hotel the first time around as the sat nav didn’t recognise it as being on the corner of the square but second time over we found it no problem.




The rooms were definitely getting smaller as the trip progressed



and the views were not getting any better




… but this had been a decent price, was pretty central and we had the cheese and wine social to look forward to later as well as breakfast tomorrow


We headed out to the riverfront - we were really wowed with our first impressions.

Everywhere was so clean and so pretty.

We were opposite Reynolds Square where there was a tribute to John Wesley




- also an old movie theatre across the street



It was a pretty walk to the riverfront



Andy pondered on the risks of the steps



We followed the line of the trolley tour




Not stopping at Spankys



But dropping in to the Five and Dime






At the wharf we saw the Waving Girl ( hint, its a girl waving) and the Olympic Torch from Boating



We turned back along the river walk

Ah Bob and Fannie making another appearance




Popped into a few stores



And back up the steps to walk a little further along



Andy was going all paparazzi




The City Exchange Bell - appaz oldest bell in Georgia




Streets were just so lovely with the trees


The Cotton Exchange



Also its the Freemasons Lodge - founded by that chap James Oglethorpe who we now came to realise had been the founder of Georgia . Solomon's Lodge is the oldest continually operating Lodge in the western hemisphere fact fans.

on to the Washington Guns



So named as they were a gift from President Washington. One English and one French gun from the civil war.

We really were enjoying our walk around. So much history and just such a beautiful place.



Nathaniel Greene monument




The gold city hall roof was so eye catching in the sunshine




Johnson Square and the markers of Washington's southern tour




A bit thirsty by now with all the walking we set off in search of a bar - which turned out to not be quite so easy - so many we saw were closed for in the afternoon - we began to wonder if it was a dry city !



Finally we found somewhere -


I had a Pink House. Very apt. Eddys is flavoured vodka






The bar was quiet but nice




It was almost time for the wine and cheese social at the hotel so we headed back and got changed for dinner.

Then headed downstairs - we weren’t really sure what to expect but struck up a conversation with a couple of ex pats who have lived in Washington for 40 years.

They were such good company and we were sorry to leave them when it was time for our dinner.

We did maximise the free wine and cheese though
!



At 6.30 we said our farewells and did that thing of exchanging addresses - with a promise to stop and see them if we were in Washington (fact fans alert we did hear from them at Christmas which was lovely)

We walked all of two minutes to the Old Pink House



This is next door to the Planters Inn where we stayed on Reynolds Square. It was at one point a bank and another of the oldest buildings in the city

It’s set out all in the original rooms like a house. We were upstairs in what was the manager’s office.

It was all low lighting, very posh and almost impossible to take pics without including other diners which I didn’t feel was appropriate as it was such a personal setting . I can only say the setting was very well done





I had a Pink Lady



Andy had a bottle of red wine

Then we had the bread service



While perusing ...



We shared the scallops to start as we had already stuffed ourselves on the cheese social



Then the mains.

Andy had the rib



I had the pecan crusted chicken



Oh my both were delicious.
Mine had a cooked sweet potato with a sweet sauce and collard greens. It was amazing.
Andys mash was heavenly. I cannot tell you how delicious this was.

And then ...

Dessert...

Art on a plate...

Honey pecan praline basket with ice cream and fruit for Andy



And

Pumpkin Pie with toffee pecan sauce for me



In an actual baby pumpkin

Which was also edible !

OMG

It was all divine, like food of angels plus our server Chris was fantastic.

Everyone was actually, the maitre d who checked in on us a few times , the in house singer who visited every table and didn’t sing unless you asked for it but did spend time chatting , and all the other servers who checked in on us

Amazing. 11/10 Worth every penny/cent By far the stand out meal of the trip and right up there as one of our most amazing meal experiences ever. Would 100% go back.



Even though it was early we were both stuffed and with all the wine and food in a short space of time also now feeling a bit tired.

We thought about a walk to the river but that lasted about two seconds before we decided we would prefer an early night.

Or more accurately another round of calls with the bank back home ………..

tomorrow is HERE
Today's cocktail tally: 2
Holiday tally so far: 19

Edited at 02:34 PM.
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Old 2 Feb 20, 08:16 PM  
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What a shame about your tour. However the rest of your day sounds fantastic.
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Old 2 Feb 20, 08:26 PM  
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How frustrating for the tour. The rest of the day seemed fab though - and dinner looked amazing.

I hope Andy managed eventually to get the bank stuff sorted out - very annoying.
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Old 2 Feb 20, 09:43 PM  
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Your dinner sounds delicious.

Can’t believe the bank still isn’t sorted. It is like a soap opera.

Thanks for taking the time to post. Really interesting
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Old 3 Feb 20, 03:12 PM  
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What a mixed day So pleased you finished it off with an awesome meal, I love that pumpkin pie dessert! So adorable!
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Old 3 Feb 20, 11:42 PM  
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The day got better. The desserts look amazing
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Old 4 Feb 20, 05:16 PM  
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I really hope neither of you have to go back to New Orleans, what a nightmare!

Such a shame the tour didn't go to plan, what was the guy thinking going rogue like that

On a plus Savannah looks lovely, really looking forward to visiting. Another fabulous view from your hotel room , but free wine and cheese certainly make up for it

I've got The Olde Pink House on my list of restaurants. Do you think it is too fancy for the teens or would Spanky's be more suitable?
The food looks divine!
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Old 4 Feb 20, 09:37 PM  
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What a pain about the bank transfer, it must have been on your minds all day. Also frustrating that the tour guide didn't follow the actual tour.

Still the rest of the day certainly seemed to make up for the poor morning. What on earth is it with you guys and your luck with getting a room with a view? Ah well, I suppose you're not in the room too much.
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Old 8 Feb 20, 04:31 PM  
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Ah, what an annoying start to the day - first with the continuing bank/paintings saga and then your tour guide going off plan It's such a shame you were disappointed with the tour and Andy didn't get to see the same Charleston that you did on your wander.

The rest of the day sounds excellent though... new friends, and your evening meal looks outstanding - it's so nice when somewhere lives up to expectations. It sounds like a lovely, intimate setting too. Savannah looks very interesting with a rich history and more beautiful buildings.
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