CHARLESTON, SC March 17-18, 2013

Oh, My goodness...I think I'm back int he Blogging business!!!! I'm trying out the new hotspot on my NEW iPhone and it has amazing new capabilities!  That means I don't have to go find an internet wifi spot and sit there trying to write and post, that's become so arduous. If this does work as well as I think its going to, I can keep up with frequent posts.  That's the best part!!!

So here we go!

Ill start with our weekend first...We were parked just south of Charleston for 2 nights at Lake Aire RV Park, a Passport America stay, $22. When we got there on Saturday afternoon we had a huge group of little Cub Scouts running all over, fishing and hitting balls on the driving range. Too fun!  They were there to work on their badges for camping.  Our site had a perfect view of the little lake and other than some happy kids running all over, the park was quiet and set back off the road in a pine forest so we didn't hear any road noise.  We set up our site, made dinner and enjoyed an old movie.

Sunday we did a little Costco shopping before going into the city for a visit to the Apple Store...and my new iphone purchase, then we had tickets to the matinee at the Dock Street Theater to see Boeing, Boeing. A funny and well presented little play in Americas oldest theater! The sunny day had turned chilly by the time we got out so we headed back to our place for dinner and an early night.  Yes, the little Cubs were still there but by now it was campfire time so the campground was quiet.

Monday morning we were up early to pack everything back into the motorhome, drive it to the parking lot at Costco then drive the car on into Charleston for a historic walking tour that began at 9:45. As we were waiting for the tour to begin we looked across the street to see the cutest buggies ever...3 of these red buggies carrying tiny little ones out for a walk of the city.  It was so cute!  Guess they were from a nearby child care center and they are often seen walking around town.  The kids wave as they go by!

 We met at the steps of the Old Custom House and our guide began telling us about the once "walled city" of Charleston. Fascinating!

 As I listened I took photos of doorways and flowers. My favorites!  This is one of the first cities where we've seen flower boxes, and they were lovely.  One thing about the east coast is we see beautiful green vegetation, palm trees and forests but no bedding plants and color gardens like we have in CA...but Charleston changed that.  It's a wonderful destination. I think Charleston is every bit as interesting as Savannah, if not more so!  The history and architecture are fascinating.

 The strange metal post at the front of this house is an old cannon stuck in the sidewalk

 This is an example of a Charleston Single House, well suited to the hot and humid climate. They are only one-room-wide and the narrow end of the house faces the street.  Two-story verandas (called Piazzas) stretch down the long side. It provided cross-ventialtion in the days before air conditioning as well as a perfect place to sit and enjoy the enclosed gardens below. The other thing about the Single House is that the front door is on the porch. Yes, you enter the front door from the street and you're on the porch not inside the house. The entrance hall is centered on the side of the house.  They are everywhere and so beautiful!

Here are more flower boxes...makes me want to put one of the side of our motorhome!

After our walking tour it was time for lunch so we stopped at a little french bakery for a sandwich and had a wonderful visit with a lovely woman from Charleston. Then it was time to say good bye and head south again as our plans have changed and we're leaving the east coast and going back to California for the summer. We drove 185 miles south and stopped near Brunswick, GA for the night at Golden Isles RV Park, another Passport America stay.  Since we only need to stay for an over night, it's easy to find private parks but I already was missing all the beauty of the state parks.

so, now ill give it a try to post this and see how it goes...keeping my fingers crossed.