SAVANNAH, UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

ON MONDAY MORNING WE BOARDED THE CITY  BUS AT 9:00, I  BOOKED A HISTORIC WALKING TOUR OF SAVANNAH  ONLINE OVER THE WEEKEND. IT  STARTED AT 10:30. WE WANTED TO GIVE OURSELVES PLENTY OF TIME TO GET TO JOHNSON SQUARE. WE GOT OFF AT THE VISITOR CENTER AGAIN AND WAITED FOR THE DOT BUS TO TAKE US TO JOHNSON SQUARE, ONE OF THE HISTORIC STOPS.

JOHNSON SQUARE IS JUST ONE OF TWENTY TWO SQUARES IN THE CITY OF SAVANNAH.....THEY ARE JUST LOVELY LITTLE PARKS THROUGHOUT THE CITY  WITH BENCHES AND SHADE. MOST OF THE SQUARES ARE NAMED IN HONOR OR IN MEMORY OF A PERSON, OR PERSONS OR AN HISTORICAL EVENT. MANY CONTAIN MONUMENTS, MARKERS, STATUES, PLAQUES OR OTHER TRIBUTES. JOHNSON SQUARE IS  ONE OF THE ORIGINAL SQUARES AND IS STILL THE LARGEST.

SAVANNAH WAS FOUNDED BY GENERAL  JAMES OGLETHORPE,  HE LAID OUT THE CITY OF SAVANNAH, AND THE SQUARES WERE USED FOR MILITARY EXERCISES. JOHNSON SQUARE IS NAMED FOR GOVERNOR ROBERT JOHNSON, A FRIEND AND AIDE TO OGLETHORPE.

THE FIRST CHURCH EVER BUILT IN GEORGIA SITS ON THIS SQUARE.

THERE IS ALSO A TALL WHITE OBELISK MEMORIALIZING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR HERO, NATHANAEL GREEN, ANOTHER FRIEND OF JAMES OGLETHORPE.

WE MET UP WITH OUR GUIDE, DANIEL, THIS IS A FREE WALKING TOUR, THE GUIDES JUST WORK FOR TIPS.

DANIEL IS  SAVANNAH BORN AND IT WAS OBVIOUS HOW MUCH HE LOVES SAVANNAH, HE IS VERY KNOWLEDGABLE AND WE LEARNED A LOT OF HISTORY AND HE MADE IT FUN! WE WERE TO VISIT FIVE OF THE TWENTY TWO SQUARES.
THE SECOND SQUARE WE VISITED WAS WRIGHT SQUARE. THIS IS THE BURIAL SITE OF TOMOCHICHI, A LEADER OF THE CREEK NATION AND TRUSTED FRIEND OF JAMES OGLETHORPE.

WE GOT TO STOP AND REST HERE A LITTLE.

AND THEN IT WAS ON TO OGLETHORPE SQUARE.

ONE BLOCK NORTH OF THE COLONIAL PARK CEMETERY IS THE MODEST OGLETHORPE SQUARE WITH BENCHES LINING THE BRICK SIDEWALK. THERE ARE NO MONUMENTS ON THIS SQUARE WHICH PAYS HOMAGE TO JAMES OGLETHORPE, THE FOUNDER OF SAVANNAH. THE MOST ARCHITECTURALLY AND HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT  BUILDING ON OGLETHORPE SQUARE IS THE OWENS THOMAS HOUSE.

IT IS CONSIDERED IN IT'S DAY AND TODAY SAVANNAH'S MOST SOPHISTICATED HOUSE.

WE WALKED THE ONE BLOCK TO COLONIAL PARK CEMETERY.

COLONIAL PARK CEMETERY, ONE OF SAVANNAH'S MOST BEAUTIFUL RESTORATIONS, IS THE FINAL RESTING PLACE OF MANY OF SAVANNAH'S EARLIEST CITIZENS. THE CEMETERY WAS ALREADY CLOSED TO BURIALS BEFORE THE START OF THE CIVIL WAR AND NO CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS ARE BURIED THERE. BUT, THE WAR DID LEAVE IT'S MARK ON THE CEMETERY. FEDERAL TROOPS TOOK OVER THE CEMETERY GROUNDS DURING THEIR OCUPATION OF SAVANNAH AND MANY GRAVES WERE LOOTED AND DESECRATED.

IT WAS STARTING TO REALLY GET HOT AND HUMID.

LAFAYETTE SQUARE IS HOME TO THE  ORNATE CATHEDRAL OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST,  THE GOTHIC REVIVAL  SPIRES CAN BE SEEN ALL OVER DOWNTOWN  SAVANNAH.

THIS IS WHERE THE FAMOUS ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE STARTS.
LAFAYETTE SQUARE IS NAMED FOR A FRENCHMAN THAT WAS GEORGE WASHINGTON'S  AIDE AND SERVED AS A MAJOR-GENERAL IN THE CONTINENTAL ARMY.
THERE ARE NO MONUMENTS IN LAFAYETTE SQUARE. ON THE NORTHWEST CORNER IS THE ELEGANT ANDREW LOW HOUSE.

AFTER ANDREW'S DEATH, HIS WIDOW, JULIETTE GORDEN LOW, FOUNDED THE GIRL SCOUTS OF AMERICA.
THE LAST SQUARE WE VISITED WAS MADISON SQUARE. IT WAS NAMED AFTER OUR FOURTH PRESIDENT, JAMES MADISON.

THIS SQUARE WAS LAID OUT IN 1837 AND COMMEMORATES A SAVANNAHIAN OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR, SGT. WILLIAM JASPER.  THIS LARGE STATUE  IS IN THE CENTER OF THE SQUARE.

IT WAS CLOSE TO NOON BY THE TIME WE WERE DONE AND WE WERE, HOT TIRED AND HUNGRY. WE ASKED DANIEL TO RECOMMEND A PLACE TO EAT NEAR MADISON SQUARE AND HE RECOMMENDED ZUNZI'S.

WE WENT IN AND LOOKED AT THE MENU AND SAW THE SIZE OF THE SANDWICHES AND DECIDED TO JUST ORDER ONE AND SHARE IT. IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG TO GET OUR FOOD.

WE WALKED BACK TO MADISON SQUARE, SAT DOWN IN THE SHADE OF THE OAK TREES AND HAD OUR LUNCH......THE SANDWICH WAS DELICIOUS AND LARGE!

WE FELT A LOT BETTER AFTER WE HAD EATEN AND RESTED SOME.

 WE FINALLY GOT BACK TO THE RV AT 4:00, WE DON'T LIKE LEAVING MAGGIE AND MARLEE THAT LONG, BUT WE HAD ENJOYED OUR DAY!

TYBEE ISLAND

THE NEXT DAY DARRELL WANTED TO GO TO TYBEE ISLAND AND CLIMB THE LIGHTHOUSE. THE DRIVE TO TYBEE WAS SO BEAUTIFUL WITH THESE LOVELY OAK TREES  PROVIDING MUCH NEEDED SHADE WITH  SPANISH  MOSS HANGING IN THEM, LIKE ALL THE PICTURES I HAD SEEN OF SAVANNAH.

THE LIGHTHOUSE IS 174 STEPS AND 154 FEET TALL

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WHEN WE BOUGHT OUR TICKETS THE LADY TOLD US WE SHOULD GO UP RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE IT WAS GETTING CLOUDY AND IF IT STARTED LIGHTNING THEY WOULD CLOSE THE LIGHTHOUSE. SO, WE STARTED UP ......EVERY 25 STEPS THERE IS A LANDING AND YOU COULD REST, WHICH WE DID. 

WITH ALL THE RESTIN' IN BETWEEN STEPS, IT DIDN'T SEEM THAT STRENUOUS.

WE MADE IT!!  THE VIEWS WERE WELL WORTH THE CLIMB!

TYBEE ISLAND BEACH IS CALLED "SAVANNAH'S BEACH".

IT WAS A LONG WAYS TO THE GROUND!

WE FOUND SOME FOLKS TO TAKE OUR PICTURE TO DARRELL'S DELIGHT!

AND THERE WAS DUALLY......WAY DOWN THERE!

WE DECIDED TO HEAD DOWN.....

BUT, FIRST WE  HAD TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE LIGHT THAT LIGHTS THE LIGHTHOUSE.......IT IS STILL AN OPERATING LIGHTHOUSE.

WE DROVE DOWN TO TYBEE TO HAVE LUNCH, BUT THAT IS  A CRAZY, BUSY  BEACH TOWN. THERE WAS  NO PARKING FOR OUR  DUALLY.
WE TOOK IN A COUPLE OF FLEA MARKETS OVER THE WEEKEND, BUT MOSTLY WE RESTED UP FOR A BUSY WEEK, WE WANTED TO SEE MORE OF SAVANNAH!

SAVANNAH !

WHEN I CALLED TO MAKE THE RESERVATION, I REQUESTED AN OPEN SITE SO WE CAN GET SATELLITE TV  RECEPTION.

THE NICE LADY I SPOKE TO SAID," I HAVE GOT A NICE SITE FOR YOU!"  SHE MET US WHEN WE PULLED IN TO MAKE SURE THE ONE SHE PICKED FOR US  WOULD WORK.  

 

WE WERE VERY HAPPY WITH OUR SITE, WE HAVE A LARGE GRASSY AREA  WITH LOTS OF ROOM TO MOVE AROUND. THIS WAS NOT A PASSPORT AMERICA PARK.

AFTER WE GOT SET UP WE WENT TO THE OFFICE AND MET TWO OF THE NICEST LADIES!  MOTHER AND DAUGHTER RUN THE RV PARK. THEY WERE SO ACCOMMODATING. THEIR LOVE OF SAVANNAH WAS APPARENT, AND THEY WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH US. THEY RECOMMENDED THE EIGHT HOUR BUS  TOUR OF SAVANNAH, BUT I SAID WE COULDN'T LEAVE THE DOGS THAT LONG.  THE DAUGHTER OFFERED TO LET THEM OUT FOR US AT NO EXTRA CHARGE.  THEY EXPLAINED THE BUS SERVICE TO US AND WE FELT WE HAD MADE THE RIGHT CHOICE BY STAYING HERE  THE NEXT DAY WE TOOK THE BUS TO HISTORIC SAVANNAH.   THE BUS STOP WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE RV PARK . HOW CONVENIENT IS THAT!!

THE BUS WAS RIGHT ON TIME!  THAT WAS A GOOD THING, BECAUSE IT WAS ALREADY GETTING HOT!

IT WAS NICE AND COOL ON THE BUS, WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR THAT. THE HEAT AND HUMIDITY WAS ALREADY GETTING TO US!! THE BUS DRIVER  WAS SO FRIENDLY AND WILLING TO HELP US FIND OUR WAY. THE LOCALS TOO WOULD  ASK, "WHERE ARE YOU FROM?" WE WOULD TELL THEM AND THEY WOULD SAY, "YOU ARE A LONG WAYS FROM HOME!" 

 WE GOT OFF THE CITY BUS AT THE VISITOR'S CENTER. THE BUS DRIVER TOLD US JUST WHAT TO DO TO CATCH THE BUS BACK.

 WE WENT IN AND GOT A DETAILED CITY MAP AND THEN WAITED FOR THE DOT BUS THAT WOULD TAKE US TO ALL THE HISTORIC SITES.

 SAVANNAH IS SO TOURIST FRIENDLY, PROVIDING THE DOT BUS AT NO CHARGE. WE DECIDED TO GET OFF AT THE RIVERWALK. THE DOT ALSO PROVIDES A FREE FERRY, THE BEST VIEW OF HISTORIC  SAVANNAH!

WE DECIDED TO GET OFF THE FERRY AND WALK THE RIVERWALK.

WE SAT DOWN TO REST BY THIS STATUE.

AND WHILE WE WERE SITTING THERE, THIS BARGE CAME BY.

AND WE TOOK A SELFIE!!

WE WALKED DOWN THIS OLD BRICK STREET.....

AND FOUND A CANDY STORE!

TIME TO HEAD BACK....WE WERE TIRED!!! WE HAD A COUPLE OF BUSES TO CATCH AND WEREN'T SURE HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE FOR US TO GET BACK TO THE RV PARK.

METTER AND CLAXTON , GEORGIA

THE NEXT DAY WE DROVE OVER TO METTER, GEORGIA, NOT FAR FROM THE PARK.
AND WERE PLEASED TO LEARN "EVERYTHING IS BETTER IN METTER".

WE FOUND A GROCERY STORE, A FARMER'S MARKET AND AN "OLD TIMEY" ACE HARDWARE STORE. ALSO,  WENT TO A GARAGE SALE AND BOUGHT A FEW ITEMS.

THEN WE DROVE OVER TO CLAXTON, GEORGIA..........THE FRUITCAKE CAPITOL OF THE WORLD!

AND OF COURSE BOUGHT FRUITCAKE!

IT WAS SO MUCH  FRESHER THAN WHAT WE GET AT CHRISTMAS.

I STOPPED AT THE RV RESORT OFFICE TO SEE IF I HAD ANY MORE PACKAGES BEFORE GOING HOME AND NOTICED THEY HAD A SIGN UP YOU COULD ORDER HOMEMADE CINNAMON ROLLS TO BE DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR. I ORDERED SOME FOR BREAKFAST THE NEXT MORNING........

THEY WERE DELICIOUS!! I LOVE THIS PLACE! I WAS WALKING IN THE MORNINGS  AND SAW THESE PLANTS GROWING IN THIS FIELD ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE RV PARK.

I FINALLY GOT A CHANCE TO ASK SOME LOCALS WHAT IT IS.......TOBACCO!!!

WE HAD PLANNED ON FLOATING ON THIS LAKE WITH INNERTUBES, BUT THE DAY WE WERE GOING TO DO IT, IT RAINED!!

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WE FOUND AN RV PARK IN SAVANNAH, GEORGIA THAT HAD PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, WHERE WE COULD RIDE  FOR 75 CENTS EACH AND THEN TAKE A FREE TROLLY TO ALL THE HISTORICAL SITES.  EVEN THOUGH THE REVIEWS WEREN'T THAT GREAT, WE BOOKED IT ANYWAY.