It all started with a wish. A 40th birthday wish that is. My 40th birthday was approaching last March and my dad asked me if he could give me what HE wanted instead of me telling him what I wanted. I'll be honest, I was annoyed. I wanted what I wanted, not what someone else wanted for me. Well, I was wrong on this one. He wanted to send me and Bryan to Charleston, South Carolina where they have the ONLY tea plantation in the United States. Yes please!
It took a year of planning, saving, arranging and deciding, but in April of this year Bryan and I boarded a plane and headed South. We arrived late on Thursday night after a very long day of travel but as soon as we stepped off that airplane in Charleston, I could feel it. The warm air washed over us as we exited the plane. The airport was almost empty, the stores were all closed and there was a quiet and stillness that this Californian is just not used to. We had arrived.
The Battery Carriage House Inn. A very, very old house that dates pre-Civil War. We stayed in the lowest level and later learned there are four more stories on top of where we stayed. It didn't matter. It felt southern and we were happy to be there.
And if you think we were living too high on the hog, not to worry. One of my dreams was to shop at a Piggly Wiggly. I mean, come on, who doesn't want to shop at a store that has a name like that. It just felt southern and I could have spent hours there but we had other things to see.
We spent the little time that we had exploring the city, walking, eating, drinking, shopping, photographing, and always, always, looking up. The buildings were so beautiful and due to a lack of space most of the buildings were at least 4 stories high if not higher.
The Palmetto, South Carolina's state tree. What beautiful trees and if you remember to look up, you're sure to see one.
On the last night of our whirlwind trip I took a walk in the evening and took my trusty camera. There is water everywhere in Charleston. No matter where you are or where you look, you can almost always see water. The sun was setting on the river and I knew at that moment why my southern friend missed her home so much. No matter where she looked and in what direction, she probably saw this sight on a daily basis. I would miss it too.
And I missed home too. Even though we were only gone four days I was anxious to get home. Home to my family, my kids, my house, my life. It really was a dream come true to visit the south and it doesn't get more southern than Charleston, South Carolina. So, thank you Dad. You really knew what I would want for my birthday. Time with my husband in a place I have always wanted to see. It doesn't get too much better than that.
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