Charleston, South Carolina Adventures!

 Joseph and I went to Charleston, South Carolina to explore this famous city.  We enjoyed visiting there just as much as we enjoy Savannah, Georgia!  Charleston, South Carolina is Savannah, Georgia's sister city, but it is the older city.  We learned a lot.  Like both Savannah, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina have a lot of history including Civil War history.  We had a blast!  We learned that Charleston is named after King Charles of England who moved to America after being exiled from England, and that the city was founded by him as a "eat, drink, and be merry" city...that is actually where this saying comes from.  I didn't know that!  It is known to have some of the best elevated culinary experiences in the states.  We found this to be very true.  If you like history and are a foodie, check out Charleston, SC.  You just might like it!  :-)

BELOW:  When we got to our hotel, we were surprised to see my husband's name displayed at the hotel front desk as the "guest of the day".  Made us feel special, and for our entire stay, the front desk staff treated us like royalty.  We loved it, and tried to give joy back to them.  We stayed at the Cambria hotel.  We would totally stay there again.  Very upscale and unique hotel.

BELOW:  First stop was Fort Sumpter, where the first shot of the Civil War was shot.  We've read about this in school books, but never would we have thought that we'd be given the opportunity to see it with our own eyes.  Here are a few Fort Sumpter pictures that we took while there.

Next stop was to Patriot's Point a few miles from Fort Sumpter.  This is not Civil War history, but rather WWII and Vietnam history.  It is a battleship that sunk during a battle that was raised and turned into a museum for tourist.  It has old war planes, and even old rockets that actually were in space.  Joseph and I both love our country of America, are totally patriotic, so we loved this excursion.  We would totally go back again!  How cool!

BELOW:  Enjoy photos from our Patriot's Point excursion

below is a fun "paid photo" that we took at the Yorktown

BELOW:  Next stop on our trip in Charleston, South Carolina was to the Charleston Tea Garden....one of the only tea gardens left in the USA that grows, produces, and sells American grown tea!  Joseph and I both love tea, so we loved visiting the tea garden.  It's kind of like visiting a wine vineyard, only it's visiting a tea garden, literally.  We were greeted by a super kind staff who showed us an open tea bar where you can taste many different teas, both hot and iced that they offer.  If you are a tea lover, this is your place.  I bought a "TEA Shirt" from their gift shop.  :-)  Their website link is:  www.charlestonteagarden.com

Check out our Charleston Tea Garden Photos if you wish!

The next morning, we went to a fun place in downtown Charleston called Tijon!  They sell fine perfumes and colognes.  They also offer fine perfume and cologne making classes.  They teach you how to make a custom scent of your own, and then they actually keep "your recipe" and you can buy it online on their site when you want to restock.  How cool is that.  It is a great date experience for couples, or a great fun experience for a group of friends.  We loved it.  We made three scents and chose two each.  It was a fun good smelling time!

Their website link is:  www.tijon.com

BELOW are pics from our fun experience there!

ABOVE:  Awww....Joseph named one of his custom-made scents after.  How sweet!

BELOW:  After our fun filled day, we had a special date planned to try one of Charleston's finest starred restaurants, The Charleston Grill.  It was great and exceeded our expectations.  We told the chef our dietary restrictions; food allergies and let him choose our course meal.  We were glad he did.  He "whipped up" all kinds of neat and creatives things for our date evening.  Below are pictures of our culinary experience there.

Meeting and thanking our chef.

They had nice live jazz music playing with a dance floor.  Joseph and I danced a dance to their lovely live music.  We both are not dancers because we haven't had formal lessons, so I like to say we "pump water" to music.  We do want to take ball room dancing to learn, but he works so much these days, there isn't time.  So much fun though!

We also went on a horse and carriage ride to tour Charleston such as we had done in Savannah.  However, I was so enthused by the ride that I forgot to take any photos.

We also went to Boone Hall Plantation, one of the few surviving plantations from before the Civil War era.  This plantation has been used to shoot many movies, and even parts of the movie, The Notebook from 2002, and many more notable movies.  I like looking at old architecture.  I have taken a few college classes in the past on architecture, so this was great!  BELOW:  Enjoy photos from this adventure if you wish!

BELOW:  The slave cabins still stand on this plantation.  Apparently, according to our tour guide, the brick making (masonry) was their main job on this plantation which explains the brick quarters.  Many of the buildings and streets in downtown Charleston were built here by bricks made on this plantation by slave labor.  Interesting fact.  My husband and I are not hostile about the past as slavery was and still is wrong, but the Civil War has been fought, over, and won for years.  It is the history that fascinates us and look how far many of the slave's descendants have come now.  Joseph and I always say, no use in dwelling in the past, you cannot change what's happened, just move forward, you can control that as long as God allows.

A glimpse inside the slave cabins

below is a health tip learned

Indigo is a big crop in Charleston.

After we left Boone Hall Plantation, Joseph and I wanted to experience another Charleston culinary adventure, so we went to the swanky Circa 1886.  It is located at an old downtown mansion.  We had another great evening of food fun, but this spot is also a great spot to take photos.  BELOW:  You can tour our Circa 1886 date evening.

BELOW:  Chocolate....I'm blessed.... everyday my husband and I grow more and more in love and grow closer.  The first year of marriage is the hardest as I was told that before marriage which is very unlike the movies that show the first year being all romance.  Real life is not like that.  You grow in love more as your marriage progresses, and you both overcome and learn things, and growth brings more joy.  Thank you to my wonderful God given husband, Joseph, for having these delivered to our hotel for me.  Awwww....chocolate is one of the keys to many gals hearts.  :-)  I was touched by the message on the note on top of the chocolates.  Joseph surprises me.  He was in the service in his younger days, and can be as I call it" lovingly militaristic", but then randomly I get love notes, gifts, chocolates from his civilian side when I least expect.  :-)  I love that.