Most of you know by now that our annual trip to America is in October, to coincide with the Cumming Country Fair and our family trip to the cabin in the North Georgia mountains. It's always worth the wait.
This year we started our trip with Robin for 5 days in New York City...which I'm saving for the last. In the middle, we spent 5 days with Bob and Peggy, friends south of Atlanta, and visited Savannah and Tybee Island.
This post is about Savannah, Georgia's oldest city, established in 1733 on its east coast. In spite of living in Georgia for 25 years, I had never visited it for a real look.
We arrived in time for lunch...a good way and place to start.
By now you surely recognize Bob and Peggy!
After lunch we decided to just get the lay of the land around River Street.
We would have the entire next day to tour the city properly.
(And that's City Hall, not the capitol of Georgia, which is in Atlanta.)
The musicians and artists are part of Savannah's ethos.
BUT they do NOT want you taking their pictures, some of them!
(Savannah reminds me of New Orleans with a strong Voodoo influence.)
Then we just walked around and took in the beauty of the trees with Spanish moss.
EVERYWHERE.
Going back to the car, look what we found in the parking garage.
It even had Astrid's name on it, as the Co-Pilot.
We had 2 nights at a nearby hotel and enjoyed an evening snack in B&P's room that first night.
And, yes, that's moi getting familiar with my new iPad. What a fun toy, right?!
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The next day we got serious about Savannah, starting out with a trolley tour.
Since it was a hop-on-hop-off tour, we did the full loop first and then went back to spots of interest.
What I failed to mention is that our first night together, before we started this trip,
we watched Midnight in The Garden of Good and Evil, from 1997.
Because it's based on the true story of millionaire Jim Williams in Savannah, it was a must-see beforehand.
I won't give the movie away if you haven't seenn it but, yes, there's a murder inside this Mercer House.
The famous drag queen, Lady Chablis, "makes" the movie, as far as I'm concerned...
and Kevin Spacey as Jim Williams is clearly sweet on the eyes.
Don't forget Johnny Mercer, who co-wrote the soundtrack and was born in Savannah in 1909.
We even had a sweet-tooth break in Clary's café, one of the movie's hot spots.
Did I mention this was 2 weeks before Halloween?
I loved the pumpkins everywhere.
There's a cemetery in the movie, remember? So Savannah is already perfect for Halloween,
...and for any other transportation you'd want to choose.
Savannah's historic district has 22 squares represented by parks and fountains and playgrounds.
Two other squares are in the process of being "revived" to total the original 24.
Did you know Juliette Gordon Low was born in Savannah in 1860?
She's the founder of the Girl Scouts of America.
Other famous people dot the landscape, often from humble beginnings,
like this 14-year-old drummer boy, Henry Christophe, who became the first King of Haiti.
(click on any collage to enlarge)
(click on any collage to enlarge)
You could spend weeks, of course, learning about every little thing.
We saw "SCAD" signs all over town for Savannah College of Art and Design.
And guess what some of those college students do???
They renovate buildings for the preservation of Savannah's architectural heritage!
Look at these houses.
Can you imagine getting a degree in restoring such a place?
It's hard not to like the architecture of Savannah!
Churches and synagogue included, of course.
But it's the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist that we earmarked for visiting,
founded in 1700 by the first French colonists.
WOWSER!
After all the European cathedrals I've seen the last few years,
I was totally impressed.
It was time for dinner by then. We were short of eyes....
...and just when we thought we had seen it all,
we walked into the middle of a new SpongeBob SquarePants 2 movie in the making. Seriously.
It's scheduled to be released on February 13, 2015. Hmmm. Just may have to watch it!
Supposedly even Antonio Banderas will be in it...one of my faves.
We ended the day at the City Market where we had a before-dinner drink
(yup, that's my Guinness!)
before a wonderful dinner there at Belford's.
It was so good I forgot to take pictures!
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Back to the hotel for another night...and the next day, to Tybee Island.
To be continued....
I've been told we should get to Savannah. Now I know why. Should we see the movie? Thanks for not giving it away. I especially like the house with the pumpkins down the stairs like matched pearls.
ReplyDeleteIt was my 2nd time to see the movie, Ted, and I liked it even more, so, yes, if you like murder mysteries and drag queens and voodoo, in such an historic part of our country, see it. Then you'll really want to go see Savannah. HA! The pumpkins were the cherries on top of the cake. :)
DeleteOh the houses, the beautiful houses, reason why I really love to visit this city someday.
ReplyDeleteThe houses are worth the trip all by themselves, Maria. Definitely! I hope you can go one day.
DeleteGorgeous city and wonderful photos, Boots. I really need to see Savannah, or Charleston. I think it would be fun at Christmas time. But Halloween looks pretty great. There is just so much history and culture, unbelievable. I'm glad you finally got there, after moving away!
ReplyDeleteI loved the movie. I really like Spacey. We're watching him and Robin Wright in the TV series "House of Cards" and loving it.
I'm glad we finally did Savannah, too, Ruth, because it has been on my Bucket List since forever. I had been to River Street eons ago with Jo but didn't remember even that. The same with Charleston...I was there years ago with Glenna but don't have a proper memory of it. That's also on our Bucket List. Next year we plan to go to Callaway Gardens with Bob and Peggy...a place Bill and I took Mom and Dad when we first moved to Atlanta.
DeleteI think this is my favorite movie for Spacey. It was good to see it again. One day we'll have it in our DVD library. HA! Haven't heard of "House of Cards." If it ever comes to the Netherlands, I'll keep my eyes open for it. Astrid says it's only on Netflix right now.
Shut up and drink your beer - now that's something I like!
ReplyDeleteOMG Ginnie, what eye candy have you here! Savannah certainly is a place I want to see, the architecture is so beautiful. They really went overboard with their pumpkins!!! I love it. You went there at the best time!
That shirt would be a good one to own, Carola, wouldn't it! HA! I know many who would love it. You'd love Savannah, if you ever have a chance to get to that side of the country. Definitely worth a visit. And since it was off high-season for tourists, I do believe it was the best time to go...especially before Halloween. :)
DeleteThe trees! Those beautiful old trees! Those SCAD students do a remarkable job on the old homes and yes! the churches and the squares, so much to see! Hope you grabbed a couple of the fans that I spotted on the tour bus, they sure come in handy and I love the image of you two in the bar mirror! Another wonderful trip, always glad that you share so much.
ReplyDeleteThe trees still amaze me, Susan. Parts of the South are full of them, as you know. I'd go back for the trees alone. It never occurred to me to grab a fan to take. HA! I guess they need them in high-season when it's blistering hot. But for us, the temps were just perfect. I was just glad for the photo op. :)
DeleteYou're always so encouraging about these trips we take. THANK YOU.
Absolute fabulous pictures, and I was there..... Savannah is a very delightful photogenic city. I love the Spanish Moss, it gives the real southern feel. The pictures tell it all. We were short of eyes, but never had the imagination that it was too much. The tour in the old trolley was fun, sometimes I missed the subtitles of the lady-driver who was great with her telling 'the whole story'. I loved the part when she said; 'life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get'..... Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump sat on the bench in a park in Savannah (the original bench is in the museum now)
ReplyDeleteThank you again for making this wonderful post to add to our collection. A wonderful memory added. Bob did a great job with searching some hotspots to see.
We were on that trolley TWICE with Vee, who has a magnificent Southern drawl. And yes, since I never got a pic of the benches, I never mentioned about part of "Forrest Gump" being filmed there. Vee told that part of the story like a pro! Thanks for sharing it.
DeleteLittle by little we're seeing these important places not too far from Atlanta. Next year it'll be Callaway Gardens! Bob and Peggy are such good sports. :)
Thanks for taking me with you and this trip! It's a perfect compilation of Savannah! Now I want to return! So happy you two had a fabulous trip!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Robin, for tagging along. Have you noticed that I'm saving NYC for the last??!! :)
DeleteOh, Ginnie. What a wonderful post! So informative for me as I was thinking of the book when I started reading and then you say there is a movie about it. I will try to find it. It is one of my favorite books. The city is the main character. With your post I was short of eyes.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read the book, Mary, and so don't know if the movie follows it carefully. Hopefully you won't be disappointed. But I do highly recommend the movie. It's the best for Kevin Spacey, in my estimation. Clint Eastwood directed it and his daughter plays an important role in it. Let me know if you ever see it.
DeleteIn the meantime, thanks for stopping by and commenting!
We adored spending Easter in this city a few years ago! The Trolley tours is where we always start in a historic old city if we can! Very smart. Went to Mass in St. John the Baptist on Easter morning - and yes, I found it gorgeous as well - afterwards we ate an amazing Easter dinner at "The Olde Pink House". Obviously you did not make it to the Bonaventure Cemetery - I have that and Savannah on my sidebar as places I've been. You would be overwhelmed walking through Bonaventure (You might just swoon :) I really enjoyed this glimpse of Savannah - my favorite city to walk, that's for sure. (I also adore the book "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Eveil). The movie I loved because of the actors - but the left so much of the book out! If you liked the movie, you will adore the book.
ReplyDeleteNow that I have an iPad, Margaret, maybe I'll start buying books to read there. I bet I'd love the book, now that you say they left so much out of the movie. Hmmm. Thanks for the recommendation! Savannah is a hard city not to love. Next time we'll make sure we see Bonaventure Cemetery!
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