So while mum was over visiting she decided she wanted to go to Charleston. She'd seen it once as a child in a movie she'd forgotten but always wanted to check it out. So her and I packed up the car 19 May and drove down for a night.
We got to the Holiday Inn in the northern part of town and set off for a wander around town. We walked all the way down King St to Market and walked across to the indoor markets before stopping for a quick bite at a pub on N Market St. Leaving in a hurry, we walked up to the port and just made it onto the last Fort Sumter Tour. The 45 minute ferry ride took us out to spend a couple of hours out at Fort Sumter - where the American Civil War started. Really interesting place full of history. I can only imagine how magnificent it looked in its full glory. A 2 hour history lesson from the National Parks Service before our cruise back to Charleston.
Upon arrival we went to the Tourist Info Center, before doing a lap of the town on the free trolley. The trolley stopped not far from the hotel. I had decided on dinner over at Shem Creek. I had eaten at a bar there 12 years ago with A, and after 10 years in the desert just love the idea of waterfront eating. We ended up at the Waters Edge where we enjoyed a great seafood meal while overlooking the creek. Glad we went over the bridge to Mt Pleasant for this.
Upon arrival we went to the Tourist Info Center, before doing a lap of the town on the free trolley. The trolley stopped not far from the hotel. I had decided on dinner over at Shem Creek. I had eaten at a bar there 12 years ago with A, and after 10 years in the desert just love the idea of waterfront eating. We ended up at the Waters Edge where we enjoyed a great seafood meal while overlooking the creek. Glad we went over the bridge to Mt Pleasant for this.
Me & Mum @ Water's Edge, Mt Pleasant
After a nice breakfast in the hotel. We walked back down to Market St to get on an Old South Carriage Company ride through Charleston. To stem the flow of traffic, the horses are directed on 5 different routes via a lottery system. Fortunately for us, our trip wound through the southern tip of the city. An area we had yet to explore. We spent close to 2 hours seeing some beautiful homes and churches, as well as getting a great historical rundown of the city. After the tour we walked down to the see the homes of Rainbow Row. It was then that the weather turned nasty and we jumped on the trolley back to the hotel. From there we headed home. Mum had a blast and it was nice to be away for a day. I wonder where we'll go when she comes back next year.