Experience Charleston - Walking Around

I think the biggest takeaways about Charleston are the hospitality and the beauty. We experienced the hospitality with the generosity of the Tafts and Rubins. We really appreciated the way these couples opened their homes for us.

It seems that the best way to experience Charleston is by walking around. All the driving around we did on the weekend did not compare to what we saw, learned, and felt by walking around.

On Friday evening we went out to dinner with Liz and Tom Taft and my sister Martha. The restaurant is on the other side of the historic district near the College of Charleston. Instead of taking a car or a cab, Tom opted to call two pedi-cabs! Kermit and Tom piled in one and Liz, Martha and I got in the other. I never did this before!

A pedi-cab is a cart attached to a bicycle. Guests sit in the cart that is pulled by a person with very strong legs! It was a total blast. Our guy wove in and out of traffic, dodging people walking and cars through very heavy Friday evening first-day-of-Spoleto traffic.  The 4 mile ride for three of us cost only $16. Awesome. Pedi-cab driver goes on my list of retirement jobs for sure!

On Sunday afternoon, while Kermit and I were with Dick and Deanna at the aircraft carrier Yorktown, Tom and Liz brought Martha to the boat. She gave them a tour of our boat and Mike and Judy welcomed them to One September. Again Tom and Liz were very gracious. But I am not sure I picture either of them living in 500 square feet of boat space in the near future!!

L: Mike, Katherine, Edie, Judy plus a few others we don't know

Joe Rubin - tour guide extraordinaire

Joe on the steps of the temple

On Monday, Joe and Edie Rubin took Martha, Kermit, Judy, and Mike on a walking tour. Joe is very knowledgeable about the history, buildings, and people. Sareanna left Charleston on Monday morning so they didn’t join us. We miss them already!! Jim and Joy stayed back at the marina because Joy wasn’t feeling well. So the rest of us spent the entire day walking about 10 miles up and down the pretty city.

We stopped in the oldest Jewish synagogue, saw Charleston College, and walked up and down the streets looking at buildings, homes and gardens. We had a great lunch when our legs were about to give out. And we had ice cream at Belgian Chocolate Gelato, quite a taste treat.

We stopped at a little stand under a building to see a woman making traditional grass baskets, a specialty of the out-islands in Georgia and South Carolina. She learned her craft from her grandmother who learned it from her grandmother.

The lady making baskets; she was almost finished with this one

The men pick the reeds and sea grasses from secret spots around local plantations. Her aunt Viola is 96 years old and still lives on the plantation where she was born and where her family worked as slaves. She is famous for her sea grass baskets.

The United Church of Christ

These baskets are very expensive, some costing hundreds of dollars. The technique comes directly from Africa. I bought a small, inexpensive wreath and was rewarded with a big hug from this lovely woman!!

L: Judy, Edit, Katherine

L: Edie, Katherine, Martha from the back

L: Mike, Martha, Joe, Edie, from the back

They encourage swimming in the public fountains!

Rainbow Row - this is the Taft home again

Southern children are so adorable!

We have at least 400 pictures so there is not enough space for them all. Plus we don’t want to subject you to so many photos. So we will post the pictures in Picasa if you are interested.

I think it will be interesting to create some picture files based on themes like sunsets, Kermit and me together, Rusty, our friends, gardens, flowers, and sunk boats. That way when you ask us what is our favorite moment, we can select something based on a theme without boring you to death with a million photos!!

On Monday afternoon we returned to the boats hot and tired to find Darryl and Lisa from Why Knot made it to Charleston!!! So we had a great pickup dinner using the leftovers from the Taft Looper reception. After dinner Joe and Edie Rubin stopped by with their friends Teddy and Rose.

It was a great weekend in a great city with great people! We send major thanks to Martha Fewell, Liz and Tom Taft, and Joe and Edie Rubin for their gracious hospitality. 

It was the best weekend ever!!

Next up: on the road north with the goal of arriving at Moorhead City/Beaufort NC on 6/1. Martha is joining us for the week. We will dive with Martha and the good folks at Blue Region Scuba on Sunday. I can’t wait!!