Nov. 12-14 , 2017 - Charleston

We started Sunday with a trip to Trader Joe's (we had never been to one) and to WalMart.  Later we toured Boone Hall Plantation (you can't go to Charleston without touring a plantation).  Boone Hall Plantation is one of America's oldest working plantations.  The original crops were indigo and cotton.  Today, we saw peach trees, tomatoes (you could pick some yourself), and many others.  The entrance to the plantation house is 3/4 of a mile lined with 88 live oak trees.  There are also 9 slave quarters lining the road up to the plantation house. Since the plantation is privately owned now, it is a very popular venue for weddings.  We were told people waited up to 18 months to get a date for a wedding.  After touring the plantation, we jumped ahead to Christmas and drove through a golf course that had been lined with many Christmas lights.  The lights were beautiful, and there was an area with an open fire where you could roast marshmallows.

On Monday, we returned the rental car and worked around the boat.  I walked into town for a hair cut.  Tricia was still sick so Rob came over for dinner that night.  On Tuesday morning, Jack, Rob and I walked to the next marina for breakfast.  I took one last walk through town for a last shopping trip to Harris Teeter.  Charleston was just too cold, so we decided to leave on Wednesday.

Our first visit to Trader Joe's

Getting ready for the horse drawn carriage ride around Boone Hall Plantation

The old cotton gin building

Big tomato plants

Tree lined entrance to the plantation - 88 live oak trees

Of course there's always a stop for ice cream

The form the slaves used to make bricks

The slave quarters

A wedding party - they were blocking the drive way

Boone Hall Plantation

Beautiful gardens in front

View of the house after dark

Time for Christmas!

Big pit where you could roast marshmallows

Busy Charleston harbor

A beautiful old church

I love these Charleston homes - the side door just opens

onto a long front porch