Day 7

Left Atlantic Beach, NC and traveled south to Charleston, SC. Arrived in the morning and stayed at Mills Guest House Hotel in downtown Charleston. Had a great lunch at Poogan's Porch. Walked around town investigating the very cute shops while Joe investigated the outsides of shops. Got to the city docks in time to take the ferry to Fort Sumter. Though it was cold and windy it was well worth the time/trouble to walk around the fort and think about the battles.

Decided on a tourist restaurant, Hyman's, that with all their assorted businesses took up almost a full city block. We were seated upstairs at the same table Jimmy Buffet, Barbara Striesand and Erma Bombeck had used...the waiter promised it was all true!

We delayed our leaving the next day to get to Jestine's for lunch...real Gullah food including Sweet Chicken (about 4 pieces of dark chicken on a bed of rice smothered with a gravy and Lima beans (what we call butter beans.)

Took a Gullah tour of Charleston that included a balance of the great homes and the humble homes. The architecture of Charleston was amazingly uniform. Most unusual was the door to a front/side porch in a false wall. All the porches were on the north side of the buildings to be the coolest. Not a problem right now, though. Still cool.

Left for Savannah to meet my cousin, Judy Compton. Arrived about six and visited them and went out to eat. Stayed at the Inn at Mulberry Grove outside of Charleston instead of the Mulberry Inn IN Charleston like we were supposed to!!