Savannah and the Golden Isles.

PHOTO link–>> https://photos.app.goo.gl/pJn7yuCNsatR3x272

When I returned to Aeeshah at the end of October we were planning to leave fairly promptly for Florida, well that didn’t happen…..

For the 1st week we had a car so that we could drive the generator to Savannah, the closest repair place. However, three weeks later and the generator is still not ready and we are nearing the end of November.

Savannah

We drove along the scenic route 17 to Savannah avoiding the interstate. It was a very enjoyable drive looking out at the marshland, the wooded areas and the small towns along the way.

After dropping off the generator we headed to the Water Front area of Savannah. Once there we started walking from the West end and walked down river to Morrell Park.

Along the river walkway interesting information stops are posted giving the history of the area and the people who lived there. In Morrell Park is the Waving Girl Monument. This Savannah icon, a statue of Florence Martus, waves a handkerchief at passing ships on the Savannah River in hopes that her departed sailor lover would be on one of them. The Olympic Monument is also found there. This is in memory of the 1996 Olympic sailing that was held in Savannah.

From there we walked along the Emmet parkway above Factors Walk.

This is a network of very old narrow cobbled arched streets where cotton producers once sold their crops. The warehouses and shipping terminals now hold residences, restaurants and such. The day we were there they were setting up to film a movie so the whole area was a great big “set”. Once we reached the City Market area it was time for us to drive back to Brunswick.

Jekyll Island

Another day we drove to Jekyll Island. There we walked along Driftwood beach.

When we had 1st arrived in the area we had anchored off Driftwood beach. Now the shoreline is somewhat different with all the damaged trees from Irma.

It is still a very scenic beach and the skeletons of the trees standing along the beach are testament to the encroaching sea level.

St Simons Island

Our next destination was to St. Simons Island. There we first visited the lighthouse built in 1872. It is protected and maintained by the Historical Society, but is still a functional lighthouse.

We toured the museum and lighthouse keepers dwelling and climbed the 129 steps to the top to enjoy the view.

Fort Frederica was our next stop. General Oglethorpe brought colonists and soldiers to St Simons in 1736, building Fort Frederica as Georgia’s first military outpost on the banks of the Frederica River. Now it is a national monument where you can still see the tabby powder magazine, the foundations of the original towns buildings and the cannons used to protect the town.

The English withstood a Spanish attempt to take Georgia in 1742 in a battle know as Bloody Marsh. Also in this area at Gascoigne Bluff oaks were harvested for the new country’s battleships one of them being the USS Constitution aka Old Ironsides. The USA government still has some acreage of live oaks designated for ships repairs. We really enjoyed the informative movie, which we watched there. Walking around the old town ruins and out to The Frederica River was lovely…. the oaks are spectacular.

Riding around Brunswick

We have enjoyed using our bikes to ride around Brunswick and the surrounding area. We rode to the marsh area opposite the marina. Having been told that there we fossilized sharks teeth being found in the mud dredged from the ICW and dumped in the marsh, we thought we would ride over and explore, maybe even find sharks teeth.

Well the ride over was enjoyable and the ride along the dirt roads of the marsh was fun, but when we stopped and tried to get to the dredged area we were attacked by mosquitoes by the thousands. They even bit through our clothes and chased us as we rode away as fast as posssible.

Our friends Don and Pam came for a bike ride with us around historic Brunswick. We stopped at the parks, rode along the lanes, through the neighborhoods looking at all the older buildings.

They showed us the Shotgun houses which is a narrow rectangular domestic residence, usually no more than about 12 feet (3.5 m) wide, with rooms arranged one behind the other and doors at each end of the house. It is an African American cultural architectural form that originated in the American South and was used extensively throughout the region.

The Victorian, gothic style of homes with the lovely gingerbread designs, cast iron fencing and long wide porches were on every street. And we visited the Oak Lovers tree, a massive oak tree in the middle of Brunswick.

The Brunswick old cemetery was the highlight. We spent a long time wandering around reading tombstones that dated back to the 1700s. The Spanish Moss hanging from the trees really gives the graveyard a dramatic effect. We really enjoyed our many rides adventuring around Brunswick.

Savannah again

Finally after nearly a month our generator was ready. Don and Pam volunteered to drive us there and we ended up making a day of our trip. We picked up the generator and then headed into downtown Savannah. I had a walking tour that we decided to follow.

Madison Square was our first stop. General Sherman’s home and Civil War headquarters were there. We continued towards the river passing through Orieans Square. There we found a Pecan festival being held. Georgia being the main area for Pecans, people were selling all things pecan. We enjoyed many samples of pecan pie and listened to some oldie goldie music being played by “The Crabs”.

It was on to Telfair Square where the oldest art museum in the south holds art and sculptures from the 19^th and 20^th centuries. We stopped and had a wonderful lunch at Goose Feathers Cafe, the food was just excellent!

It was on to the City Market area where we even saw a few cats on leashes a group was playing lively music and many folks were sitting enjoying the sunny day.

We passed through Johnson Square and could view the gold dome of City Hall. Down the old stairway to Factor Street and the Waterfront area where another arts festival was being held. We briefly looked at the arts and crafts being sold and then cut up to Reynolds Square and rounded the bend to go to ……

Leopold’s Ice Cream. Now the line was out the door with people waiting to buy an ice cream, but Pam assured us the wait is more than worth it. When we did get ours I had to agree as it was just excellent old-fashioned ice cream, really, really good!

Onto Oglethorpe Square and across to the Colonial Park Cemetery where we walked and read many of the old gravestones.

The Cathedral of St John the Baptist was our next stop. What an amazing cathedral, the stained glass and artwork inside are just awe inspiringly beautiful. The architecture too was just wonderful, the spires outside and the domes inside are quite incredible.

On passing through Lafayette Square and Calhoun Square enjoying looking at the beautiful homes with the old windows, Victorian Colonial architecture, cast iron railings and quaint fixtures was very enjoyable, I do love old architecture.

In Monterey Square we saw the gothic Temple Mickve Israel built in 1734 and the Mercer-Williams house, famous as described in the book, “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil”.

Our last stop was Forsyth Park where they were just packing up yet another festival. There we looked at the beautiful two-tiered cast iron fountain with its statues.