Once upon a time, Madley and I took a trip to South Carolina to visit my family.
I hadn't been there since I was a little girl and all I remembered was the moss on the trees, the red dirt, flying cockroaches, and swimming in the ocean.
Charleston is a beautiful city rich in history and culture.
We got to take a horse and carriage ride through downtown and learned so much from the driver. Since it was the middle of the week in February, they were slow on business so he took us further around town and we got a double tour. They gave us blankets to keep warm and I tried to steal the horse because he was adorable. I had just read Gone With the Wind so I fully expected to see Rhett and Scarlett walking the streets. I forgot they were fictional characters for a moment.
The driver told us a lot of colorful details about the past and present of this quaint but bustling city. I was intrigued and wanted to learn more...but I was saddened by the stories of the slave trade there.
Later, while we walked the streets of downtown together, my sister introduced me to some pecan candy that I fell in love with...Pralines. Now I've had pralines and cream ice cream at 31 flavors...but this was the real deal. I bought 500 pounds to send home.
The food was very... interesting. I ate things I may never eat again in this lifetime. I had she-crab in various forms, hush puppies, bog soup, steamed oysters or clams? I can't remember. Some sort of fish, collard greens, okra...cooked 2 ways, fried and slimy, boiled peanuts, fried peanuts, some weird, unknown substance sandwich my brother brought home one day, and Duke's BBQ.
Bless my sister-in-law for making baked chicken, baked potatoes and corn on the cob the last night we were there. My tummy thanked her too.
I hadn't been there since I was a little girl and all I remembered was the moss on the trees, the red dirt, flying cockroaches, and swimming in the ocean.
Charleston is a beautiful city rich in history and culture.
We got to take a horse and carriage ride through downtown and learned so much from the driver. Since it was the middle of the week in February, they were slow on business so he took us further around town and we got a double tour. They gave us blankets to keep warm and I tried to steal the horse because he was adorable. I had just read Gone With the Wind so I fully expected to see Rhett and Scarlett walking the streets. I forgot they were fictional characters for a moment.
The driver told us a lot of colorful details about the past and present of this quaint but bustling city. I was intrigued and wanted to learn more...but I was saddened by the stories of the slave trade there.
Later, while we walked the streets of downtown together, my sister introduced me to some pecan candy that I fell in love with...Pralines. Now I've had pralines and cream ice cream at 31 flavors...but this was the real deal. I bought 500 pounds to send home.
The food was very... interesting. I ate things I may never eat again in this lifetime. I had she-crab in various forms, hush puppies, bog soup, steamed oysters or clams? I can't remember. Some sort of fish, collard greens, okra...cooked 2 ways, fried and slimy, boiled peanuts, fried peanuts, some weird, unknown substance sandwich my brother brought home one day, and Duke's BBQ.
Bless my sister-in-law for making baked chicken, baked potatoes and corn on the cob the last night we were there. My tummy thanked her too.
My brother took us all over to see the sights, plantations and beautiful homes of Berkley and Charleston Counties.
One day they took us out to Cypress Gardens see the black swamp where they filmed part of The Patriot movie. This picture is one I took with my point and shoot camera of the fake "ruins" they had built and left there for the sight seers to enjoy.
I had always dreamed I would be rowed out by an older-than-dirt guide in a little rickety rowboat on a black swamp with alligators snapping all around me..actually...I didn't see any alligators in the swamp. I was so disappointed...or not.
Actually, it was kind of cool seeing where the filming was done...and the trees were amazing. It was truly black...there could have been inferi lurking below the surface and I wouldn't have been able to see them. Good thing we didn't capsize is all I have to say!
Actually, it was kind of cool seeing where the filming was done...and the trees were amazing. It was truly black...there could have been inferi lurking below the surface and I wouldn't have been able to see them. Good thing we didn't capsize is all I have to say!
Just in case you weren't scared enough in the daylight, they also offer midnight rowboat tours for Halloween on the swamp. With swamp monsters and everything. This could be interesting...I could pee my pants and scream out in the dark on a rowboat and possibly be eaten and never seen again...unless I am transformed into an inferi.
They did have a butterfly house and some alligators behind bars you could get sort of close to. I think the butterflies are way funner. Not so grumpy. Definitely prettier.
So if you're ever in South Carolina near Moncks Corner in Berkley County...stop by Cypress Gardens and get a real thrill.
I think I visited Cypress Gardens as a teen. Looooong time ago!
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