Sweet tea & sweet time
A mother-daughter escape to Charleston
STORY BY Terri White
How did we plan our vacations before the Internet? I guess we let our fingers do the walking through the yellow pages and hired travel agents. However, I appreciate the ease by which we can plan our trips nowadays.
I wanted to take my daughter Joy on a girls’ getaway, and Charleston, South Carolina, seemed like the perfect choice— legendary history, beautiful scenery, tasty food, unique architecture and more. Like other trips to iconic U. S. cities, I used TripAdvisor to plan our visit.
Finding accommodations can be tricky, but the app comes with reviews that I scrutinize. The Hampton Inn, situated across the street from the Visitor’ s Center, proved the perfect choice, right in the heart of the city and within walking distance to everything. Once reserved, I looked up“ things to do.”
The app, loaded with local tours, grabbed my attention. Again, I read the reviews before choosing one tour for each day of our visit. After that, I reserved our flight. All this was accomplished on the computer in the comfort of my home— no need for a travel agent.
I’ m ambivalent about choosing clothes for a January trip. The weather can change on a dime, but I crossed my fingers and packed for the predicted weather, similar to north central Texas.
The day arrived. After Steve dropped us off at Love Field, we navigated the security quagmire and settled in for the wait. Finally, we boarded and took off into the friendly skies, jetting two hours to the East Coast. Once there, we Ubered to our hotel without a hitch.
For the first day of a trip to a new area, I reserve a stem-to-stern tour of the city to get an overview. This provides us with ideas for how to spend our free time. I would have preferred the carriage ride around the city, but with the cold rain, we opted for a bus tour. Our guide, full of colorful anecdotes, added pizzazz to
6 Community Life the historical overview. It’ s a lot of information to soak in, but well worth it. Afterward, we donned our rain gear and hiked to the market, a several-block-long series of vendors in open-air, covered buildings— something for everyone. We purchased our Charleston sweatshirts. No regrets.
The famed baskets woven by the Gullah / Geechee people, prevalent in the market, are sold everywhere in Charleston. These descendants of enslaved West and Central Africans forged a distinct culture and Creole language while forced to work on isolated coastal plantations, and the sea and barrier islands of the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. Due to geographic isolation, they retained deep African traditions in their foodways, crafts, and spirituality. The Gullah / Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor preserves this unique, enduring community.
Eventually, we headed back to the hotel to warm up before dinner. Food is king in Charleston, so we chose venues recommended by those who frequent the city. Sometimes we shared a main dish. Each restaurant featured its specialty vibe, so it was fun to experience these local haunts.
On our second day, the Boone Hall Plantation tour did not disappoint. Ancient live oaks, draped in Spanish moss, flanked the road leading to the mansion. An impressive entrance.
From the mansion to 700 + acres of hand-planted and hand-picked produce to the slave quarters, our heads swam with loads of information.
Historically, the plantation produced four million bricks a year. If you look closely at the brick structures in the city, you will find fingerprints. Straight out of the kiln, the bricks were still soft, so slaves’ fingers imprinted on the bricks before they hardened. Also, rice exports from all the plantations made Charleston the richest city in North America.
As Joy and I strolled the grounds, we feasted on its beauty. A massive 600-year-old live oak spread its expansive, welcoming arms. Quite a sight! Joy particularly enjoyed the gardens. Even in January, flowers bloomed.
Set to the side of the entrance, each of the nine slave quarters featured a different aspect of life as a slave. These particular quarters housed the skilled laborers. They were made of brick, about 200 square feet in area, and featured a central fireplace. Usually about fifteen people were crammed in each. Due to the crowded conditions, some slept in the rafters.
Have you ever wondered how slaves survived on their meager provisions? They didn’ t. They found ingenious ways to store food under the floor, hidden from their master’ s eyes. Remains of chickens and other food items were discovered, proving their resourcefulness during their difficult lives. In one report we read, the author claimed that these slaves may have eaten a better diet than their masters.
Back at the hotel, we freshened up and then headed to dinner at the Fleet Landing, located on the dock overlooking the ocean. We sampled SHE Crab Soup, a local specialty, and the fried green tomato crab stack. Delicious. My $ 9 tiny oyster, nestled in the shell over ice, was a one-and-done experience. Joy snapped a picture of it to remind us of this bit of extravagance. To be fair, I saved the shell. So there’ s that. It’ s currently resting on my jewelry case. I wonder if Joy will snatch it up as a memento of our trip when I pass from the world.
The next day, our Hidden Alley tour guide regaled us with stories as we meandered the famed alleys, decked with lush greenery, shops, offices, and homes. Brick homes from pre-Revolutionary to the 1800s lined the narrow, cobblestone streets. I nearly missed the popular“ Rainbow Row,” with several row houses painted in pastel colors. Indeed,