The car was packed with all the  essential road trip supplies big fluffy pillow, corn nuts, beef jerky & Gator Ade. Miss Amber was at her favorite Aunties home, Judy & Lee in St. Pete.. It was off to explore America’s infamous historic southern city, Charleston. The fun easy interstate 8 hours drive took us across the state of Florida thru the famous speed trap city of Waldo. Mark made sure lead foot Carrie slowed way down there.  Then it was right up I-95 to tonight’s destination of Charleston, SC.

    Our quaint hotel, The Kings Courtyard Inn www.charminginns.com , was in the Historic Peninsula area right down town in Charleston. The Inn was an 1850 era inn full of welcoming southern hospitality and was charming & very well preserved. The room that we stayed was great with a large 3rd floor 2 bedroom suite with spacious view of the historic district, working fireplaces, wide planked floors and even a Charleston 4 poster lace canopy bed! It came with a step ladder to climb onto the bed. Very preserving antebellum southern hospitality.

    After a quick refresh it was out to explore the central city historic Market Place for an early dinner. The hotel is on the cusp of all the new top selling national and boutique stores. We walked the very narrow streets to the historic market place. Plants of all sorts were in front of most all the businesses doorways. We felt proud to search out some of the most monumental sites in United States history.  We witnessed the very old 200 year old buildings, historic confederate grounds and passed great landmarks. The Daughters of the Confederacy Building was one of great interest at the beginnings of the often called the unofficial ‘Slave Market!’

    We started with a great list of fine restaurants to try given to us by the hotels concierge. Yes, Mark had to have Southern Shrimp & Grits for dinner! Then we were off to Dudley’s Bar  http://www.dudleysonann.com . It is one of two LGBT bars in Charleston. The other is Pantheon Club, a large dance club and drag show bar open on weekends. Dudley’s was a very fun local bar hangout. The decor was art deco with an interesting back bar that was salvaged from a downtown cemetery.  There were 6 other people inside and a group outside at the sidewalk tables. It truly was a gorgeous night to be out walking. We were very lucky to meet bartender Toby, a local who grew up in Charleston moved away and now was back.  Charleston is the host to the states SC Annual LGBT  Pride Festival. With this in mind we were surprised of the lack of Gayness. Toby agreed and commented that with the “general acceptance of Gays & Lesbians comes a reduced feeling of community.”

    I commented to Mark saying this early American city was, “A destiny quest of ambience for romance that enhances the heart, mind & Soul!”

    A liberal cut crystal decanter of area Sherry and platter of assorted cheeses were provided to us which they say is a Charleston tradition nightcap and added the evenings final touch in visiting this early heritage landmark.

    After a quick handmade breakfast it was off for a tour Southern Plantations and our choice was the famous Middleton Place Plantation www.MiddletonPlace,org .This is the oldest landscape gardens in America. They are a family of over 13 owned large plantations. The very wealthy Middleton family memebers were in all the American wars. After becoming a colony, Henry Middleton, President of the First Continental Congress signed the  Declaration of Independence. Years later Henry Middleton, (Jr) took the side of the South in the American Civil War. After the war their rice plantation home was burned down by the union soldiers. It is hard to believe that rice was once a billion dollar export industry in the Carolinas. The manicured lawns and landscaped gardens on the 200 acre plantation are exquisite.

     Back into town for and afternoon horse carriage street tour of historic Charleston. Looking out over the water you can see Fort Sumter National Monument. www.nps.gov/fosu . This was the location & start of the American Civil War.  Where the first shots were fired. This was the inspiration for our national anthem.

    At the time of the American Revolution, Charleston was the capital of Carolina. It’s boarders were to the north,  the Virginia River, to the south the Spanish Florida, and was east to west from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans.

    The British said in the Revolutionary War that if Charleston would fall then the entire South would fall. We all know that didn’t turn out.

    It was an early bright orange sky evening dinner at the world famous Hyman’s Seafood Restaurant www.hymanseafood.com . We sat were a hundred years of celebrities partook in the delicious fresh caught provisions.  In Charleston, the sidewalks are rolled up at 6 PM and there really wasn’t much to do at night. Charleston is one of those places fun to visit one time, but not again. There is a feel here that they are still fighting the Civil War and that they didn’t lose.

     There was an awkward feeling here by us for the lack of African American’s visibility in the downtown’s busy working crowds.