November 8th - Charleston, SC

We took a trip to Charleston today with a couple hour stop in Summerville as another one of Ron's sisters lives there.  Barbara took us on a tour of the old town area, very nice, as everything in the South is, old building and lots of churches.  We also went to her favourite Greek restaurant for lunch, it was really tasty.

I had an appointment at 5:15 at the Apple Store to check out my computer as I have been having so much trouble with it and the Geek Squad suggested taking it to the Apple Store as they have no software for Macs. We arrived in plenty of time, what a store, it was filled with people learning about all the products. They have what is called a "Genius Bar" where you take your item needing attention and they solve your problems.  We were there about 3 hours but left with an upgraded computer that was working and all it cost was $20.00 for the software.  We now have Snow Leopard - if that means anything to anyone.

As we didn't get to see anything of Charleston we decided to stay there another day instead of going to Myrtle Beach.  I am so glad we did.  We took a bus tour of the City, you always see so much more and learn about all the buildings as well.  We also toured one of the old houses that had been built by one of the wealthy plantation owners as a summer home.

We had the Tour Bus Driver drop us off at the market and what a market it is.  I believe it takes up about 4 blocks.  There are lots of things for sale there, not as big as the College of the Dessert but the stuff is really nice and you get to meet the Artisans.  We had a conversation with an elderly woman making a Sweetgrass basket, she gave us a deal on one.  It is a beautiful functional piece of art, which is also a dying art as the young girls are not interested in learning and the sweetgrass is becoming an endangered species and only the people making the baskets can get a license to cut it.  We didn't buy one the last time we were here so we figured we had better splurge and get ont this time.

We had lunch in a little Tevern across the street from the market, food and beer were both good but the treat in the Ladies Room was the best.  There was a large bowl of sea salt to give your hands a massage- boy did that feel good!  Yes, you had to do it yourself...still great!!

We had an uneventful trip home, not like when we left to go down.  Dalton didn't look at the map and he was sure we had to go on Highway 20, were were almost in Agusta, Georgia when he realized we should be on Highway 26...sooo heading across country we were, hence the pictures of the cotton fields.

This is what cotton looks like before it is picked

This is a lovely looking feld and just to the left side the owner has an air strip

Thought this was a neat looking bridge into Charleston

Dalton at the Information Centre, nice building

This is considered a single home in Charleston

This, believe it or not, is a submarine located in front of the Museum

The above two is an old Penetentiary, it can't be torn down as it is an historical building, it has to fall apart by neglect before they can do anything with it.  Interesting concept.

I just love the old buildings

This was an interesting on, the wife liked the balconies to be rounded and the husband liked it to be square and this is the result.  There is a walkway in between so the disagreement was amicible at least

This is one of the ladies that make Sweetgrass baskets

They had to build special fire trucks to fit into the fire station as a regular size one wouldn't fit and it couldn't be renovated as it is a historical building

This is the Mansion we toured it is the Joseph Manigault House and it was built in 1803

Beautiful staircase and no supporting beams, hmmm

This is the Comode in the wife's dressing room, is has knobs on it to look like a dresser when the top is down, very inventive!