September 26, 2009-Charleston & Savannah

 

 

 

 

Well, today was another busy day.   We got up early and drove downtown Charleston to catch the boat over to Fort Sumter, which is where the Civil War started.   There was a charity run/walk going on, so traffic was extra heavy downtown.   In fact, it was a mess.   The boat took about 1/2 hr to get to the fort.    There are some other forts in the area, but this one was built in the middle of the harbor, to try and keep the enemy away from Charleston.  This fort was also used in World War II.


Drove over this neat bridge over to Mount Pleasant, SC which is only 3 yrs old.     We went to the Boone Hall Plantation there.    When you drive down the driveway,  there are 300 yr old trees lining up on both sides with their branches meeting each other on the other side of the driveway.  It took 200 yrs for these branches to meet each other.    Then, you see tons of Spanish moss hanging from the trees. It looks like the typical south portrait.  At the end of the driveway is the plantation house.
This plantation is where they used to make cotton.    They still have a small area of cotton trees, which are used for demonstration purposes.   
The tram ride took us all over the property.   It is still a working plantation.  They make watermelon, strawberries, tomatoes, etc.   During the strawberry season, you can go out to the field and pick strawberries.
Several Hollywood films were made at this plantation including the Halle  Berry movie "The Queen",  "The Notebook", and the Patrick Swayze TV show "North and South".


It took us about 2 1/2 hrs to drive to Savannah, GA.   I was expecting it to be all interstate highway, but much of it was on North 17 which is out in the boonies.  There isn't much to see except swamps and trees.


We got lucky with our hotel in Savannah.    We wanted to stay at the Doubletree, but when we got there, they were booked so they told us about this new hotel through Marriott, Springhill Suites.   We went there and got a room for $89/night.    The hotel just opened two days ago, so it is brand spankin' new.    It is ultra modern.    We went to the City Market for dinner.