Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Savannah


This is the view from our hotel room in Savannah. Isn't that crazy? We're right on the river, and I asked for a river view, but I had no idea we were going to get such dramatic action! Gigantic container ships like this one passed several times yesterday afternoon.

My mom keeps expressing fear that they're going to hit the building. I told her I was pretty sure that's not a realistic danger.

The bridge in the background carries U.S. 17 over the river and into South Carolina.


We got here yesterday just before lunch. The view of the industrial riverfront isn't typical of most of the central city, which looks more like the picture above -- the elaborate 1858 fountain in Forsyth Park. Central Savannah is dotted with 22 "squares," or small parks, so it's very green, and many of the parks are surrounded by 19th-century mansions and contain historic statuary.

When we drove into town, we dropped the car at our hotel (the Hyatt Regency) and walked a few blocks to a local cafe for sandwiches. Then we caught a trolley tour to get the lay of the land.


Apparently dolphin downspouts, like this one, are a Savannah thing. Or so our tour operator said.

We had two trolley guides. We weren't thrilled with the first one, but then we disembarked for a walk through Forsyth Park, and when we got on another trolley we had a much better guide. He kept up a steady stream of information and every once in a while he'd interject a comment about other drivers and pedestrians, like, "A turn signal would be nice. Bless your heart."


It's a good thing we weren't walking around, because it was pretty hot and Mom, who turns 80 today (!), much preferred riding. She would really have preferred air conditioning, but you can't have everything.

Anyway, after the tour we rested a bit, and then went to dinner at The Grey, a sleek art deco restaurant housed in an old Greyhound bus terminal. We had an excellent meal -- mom had foie gras with grits and I had tilefish.


Everyone associates Savannah with the book (or maybe movie) "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil." I loved that book. This is the Mercer mansion, where "the incident" (as our second tour guide put it, with typical Southern discretion) occurred in the left front room downstairs.

Today we have plans in the morning, and then we'll get back on the road in the afternoon for the two-hour drive back to Jacksonville.

15 comments:

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Savannah looks and sounds as pleasant as I remembered it. Happy Birthday to Mummy!

e said...

Happy Birthday to your mother! It sounds like a fun road trip.

Marty said...

Never been there, but would love to go.
"Please his heart" is such a Southern expression and can cover so much ground!

Ms. Moon said...

I know that your mother is enjoying this and appreciating it so much. To have time with her son is the very best gift you could give her.

37paddington said...

I do enjoy traveling along with you! I feel as if I have visited Savannah this morning.

37paddington said...

And happy birthday to your mom!

Jennifer said...

Happy Birthday to Steve's mom! And isn't Savannah lovely? As is Charleston, right up the road. Enjoy the rest of your trip!

Sharon said...

What an amazing view you had! I've never been to Savannah and I've heard wonderful things and seen beautiful photos. I'll have to make a point of getting there one of these days. Tell you mother I said Happy Birthday!

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful tour of the city. Love that view out your window. Happy birthday to your mom!

ellen abbott said...

love the dolphin downspout. now I want one. and now I'm intrigued about the incident. I'll have to see if the library has that book.

The Bug said...

We love Savannah! And I'm extra excited that we're a whole SIX hours closer to it than we used to be. I'm sure we'll be heading there at some point in the next year.

Happy birthday to your Mom!

P.S. Ellen - you should also watch the movie with John Cusack & Kevin Spacey - most excellent!

jenny_o said...

I read that book not long ago - it was one of my finds at the book sale last summer and one of the last to get read. It was fascinating - thank you for posting a picture of the house!

Your mother does well to get out and about in the heat. Much better than I would! Please wish her yet another Happy Birthday from one of your readers :)

Sabine said...

So jealous! I devoured that book and always wanted to see the place.
Happy birthday to your mother, she is lucky to have you as a son.

John Going Gently said...

Very steel magnolias x

Elizabeth said...

Savannah IS very beautiful, but I'm always jarred by the Confederate thing and where it all started.