Had a great, if short, night sleep,up in my little bunk. The train rattled a lot but that's half the fun. Alarm went off at 4:05 as we were to arrive in Charleston at 5:00. I was up and dressed and waiting for my wake-up call, that didn't come. Went down the corridor to look for coffee and to see that Julie, the attendant, hadn't slept in. She was down there and told me the train was running an hour late, which was i hadn't had a wake-up call. So that's three Amtrak trains i've been on, two substantially late - one by an hour, one by two hours. Neither of which mattered.
Got the coffee, which was surprisingly good, and watched out the window til we arrived. We had stopped and started a few times so when we did arrive and the platform was on the other side, I didn't realise. Julie came and told me we were there, otherwise I would have ended up in Jacksonville! Very glad I'm not training it to Miami today - there are roadworks up the track and they have to get off and bus it from Jacksonville. How horrid!
First impressions of Charleston - lots of black men in the mist and shadows and a distinctive smell - not sure what it is. There was a taxi rank and as I approached it, one of the men emerged from the mist and got in. Sign on the window in the tax - "If you vomit in the cab it's an automatic $150 fine. You are responsible to clean it up. Failure to do so will result in a further $100 fine." And the chairs are covered in plastic. I asked the taxi driver if they get a lot of vomit. He said yes, particularly in Friday and saturday nights when everyone's drunk. Sounds like a fun place. It's Saturday today, I may not be going out...
I get the taxi to the airport, where it feels like a safer waiting place, for a start. Waiting for daylight, really. Not much to do in any city before the sun is up, I'm guessing. I get a coffee and egg 'sandwich' from Dunkin' Donuts and watch the morning shows for a while. Then up to get my car. Again, there's only one other person at all the car rental places - in the company I'm going to. This is not the issue it was in New London coz I'm not in a tearing hurry to catch the last train to Washington. I even go off for a bit of a wander. They have a lot of this...
Up to the very nice lady behind the Enterprise counter. Paperwork done, she directs me down to the rental cark parking lot. There's a little tent set up with two guys and a younger girl. They have to sit there all day, helping people with their cars. I was appreciative.
Rudy, like many Americans, thinks Australia and England are the same place - they hear an accent, they assume it's all one. He insisted on drawing me out directions (undecipherable) on the rental agreement, even though I said a number of times I was okay, I had the GPS. I think he had no faith that I could set one or follow one. And I am a female driver... He was sweet, and not at all helpful.
Here's Rudy on the right.
Drove into town, to the Visitor Centre, which wasn't quite open. Sat out the front and an older black lady came up and started chatting - all about her family and George Zimmerman - the man who shot the unarmed black teen and blamed the teen, and got off - fairly random conversation. She comes here on Saturdays to weave and sell baskets and was lovely. Lots of, "that's right, honey chile." And pats on the arm.
The door was meant to open at 8:30 and about 8:45 I went around to try and find out what was happening. They were all operational inside, just had forgotten to open that door. Watched an introductory film before heading off to the meeting place for the walking tour I had signed up for yesterday.
Parked the car and into the store. Two lovely ladies were there, all ready to suggest options for the day. Michael arrived and the tour was off and running. Michael is seventh generation Charlestonian and, like all the others, is very proud of that.
This was a really interesting tour, packed full of information. We went past one of the earliest theatres, the Dock Theater...
Here's the exuberant Michael (in blue) explaining the single house that is very popular here.
Love this tree growing around the lamp post.
Lots of stuff about the fires that used to rage through, the odd earthquake and the Civil War that all helped damage a lot of the buildings and them being redone. All very interesting and a bit hard to recount. He also told lots about the plant and insect life, including catching a butterfly and lizard to show us. A few churches coz Charleston was the place to come to for religious freedom. Two of the signers of the Declaration of Independence are buried here.
There's one intersection known as the Four Corners of the Law where there's the Courthouse (state law), City Hall (local law), Post Office (federal law) and St Michael's Church (God's law). This name is attributed to Robert Ripley, as in believe it or not guy.
Here's a cool house decorated for Halloween...
See the skeletons on the balcony.
And the rich part of town by the water.
Fort Sumter (where the Civil War began) is just across the bay here but it's closed because of the shutdown. This didn't worry me too much, hadn't planned on going, but there were some who weren't happy.
After the tour, I went into the Nathanial Russell house - he was a wealthy merchant who dealt in the slave trade amongst other things. Great house with an amazing spiral staircase. Lush drawing room with a harp, mandolin and harpsichord. You can't take photos inside here but here's one of the outside.
Took a stroll up to the shopping area for a look.
There's a relaxed, laid-back feel about this town.
Went up to the Old Slave Mart where they used to hold auctions for slaves. They had to move them inside in 1861 (think that's right) coz they were outlawed, but still flourished. Quite a horrid place with details of their treatment, the traders, the whole thing was disturbing. They were certainly not treated as human, with families they may not want to be separated from. Horrid.
On my way to here, I took a wrong turn and went a short way in the wrong direction. But in doing that I came across a church with a notice up...
..and thought this sounded perfect. And it's on to tonight! The one drawback is that I'm booked at this plantation place for the night and it's 45 minutes out of town but I think it could be dodgy. Also, the only reply I got when I booked it was an email saying, "Come on and see us." I had phoned to check my reservation and was assured it was all good.
I decide to go back to the Visitor Centre (where the tickets are booked) to ask about the concert and work out what to do. When I get there, there's my friend Mary Alice from this morning, weaving her craft. She is very happy to see me coz we got separated this morning after they opened the door. She gave me a coaster she has weaved. So sweet. A true Southern lady!
I book a ticket for tonight then decide to head out to the plantation and drive in for the concert and drive back after it. Not really wanting to do that but what can you do.
Interesting drive - different to the New England section. Different vegetation. See lots of the Spanish moss.
I get out there, ring the bell and she has no idea who I am - that vague, not-quite-with-it stare. Secretly, I'm really happy about this coz I can go back and stay in town and go to the concert. And it looks musty and a bit run down here. And she had said it was a little way out of town but not this far. I should have called and saved the trip but that didn't occur to me!
Anyway, I bid farewell to the plantation and drive back into town. The Visitors Centre (where they help with accommodation) is closed so I drive back to where I had seen a couple of places earlier. First one, no good, full. Second one, yes, we have rooms. So I'm up on the sixth floor of the Mills House. Had seen it earlier, on the tour - a beautiful building, massive and pink and old.
This is the view from my room - the Four Corners of the Law. And the bell was actually tolling when I took this.
It's just lovely!
Had a brilliant shower with a spray that could clean 10 years of moss of a footpath and was great after a long sweaty day. Then walked one block and into the church. There's been a power outage in the area so they're going without light. They've got candles around the front but just the natural dusk light.
It was great! There was a guy introducing each segment with interesting stories. They started with music of the early Charleston - Clementi, Bach and Haydn. Then music from the Civil War - great tunes with banjo, guitar, songs. One of them was a singalong, I didn't know it bit most people did.
Next was a spiritual session, sung by an African American woman. She sang Swing Low, Sweet Chariot which is actually about the underground railroad. And that was amazing!! Then a piano duet of Rhapsody in Blue - amazing!! And then Amazing Grace, coz this is meant to be one of the churches that inspired the lyrics.
It was just a perfect concert. Loved, loved it. Then walked around the block, ordered room service and day is done.
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