Wednesday, May 09, 2007

The Good Old South


This week JB and I hit the road for South Carolina. We've just finished another long winter and our thoughts are toying with warmer climates. So we booked a low-fare Travelocity flight to Greenville SC, used our accumulated credit card points for 7 free nights in a couple of local hotels, and off we went.
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Neither of us knew much about the South. And although we planned/hoped to lounge in front of a pool with the hot sun on our faces for at least some of the week, a weather forecast of rain and more rain found us exploring instead of lounging. We've gallivanted to Greenville, Hilton Head Island, and Charleston in South Carolina and Asheville North Carolina and Savannah, Georgia.
This is not in chronological order, but here's a few slices of JB and kj on the road in the beautiful old South:
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Every vacation should be lucky enough to start at the Crispy Creme donut "factory". This one's in Spartenberg, South Carolina. I had never had a Crispy Creme Glazed Donut hot off the line before. Here's important information: t a sign outside lights up whenever those donuts are being made and still piping hot. I 'm embarrassed to admit I had three and JB had two. And they were mouth watering awesome.


We spent our first three days in and around Greenville. My very best friend has family there who lovingly showed us their homes and around town. Greenville is a booming small city with incredibly affordable housing, ample land and space, and a downtown offering city culture and a state-of-the-art park.
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The first thing JB did when we checked into the Courtyard Marriott was display Ryan's photos along the dresser. Then we headed downtown and ate ribs and grits. I forgot my camera the first couple of days in Greenville, and we're headed back there the end of the week, so photos of this sweet little city will have to wait until the weekend. Suffice to say we then hit the road, always veering off the major highways in favor of back roads, first passing through the smallest town of Saluda--population 520--on the way to Asheville.


This was a 90 minute drive we stretched into hours. This was my first introduction to cemeteries that use artificial flowers to lovingly mark the graves. No gravestones--just a plaque in the ground and these silk or plastic flowers. We saw several cemeteries like this, so it seems this is the way it is in South Carolina.

On the back roads I always marvel at human creativity and ingenuity. JB and I were in stitches driving by Granny Boops and Pop-Pop's Cafe. Shortly after, we passed these hedges where someone used his/her hedge clippers to write "MR" between the hearts. Bottom line: There's no substitute for back roads!Oh, and don't have the time to garden but you want planters? How about following this idea: find a beat up trash can and plant ivy in it.



Between Greenville and Asheville lies the center of Saluda has with its 10 or so buildings--that's all. You can't blink or you'll miss everything. Enlarge this white building if you can and you'll find the police station and city hall side by side. The town may be small, but it's also classy. Properties were expensive, with lots of equestrian areas. This shot of ciders and tomatoes was in front of the small general store.



And these shots nearby. I thought "goodbye cool world" was a pretty cool way to talk about global warming, and this little grill and fountain restaurant took me back in time.


We were on to Asheville. This city known for its arts and "hippy-ish" influence was larger than I expected and very fun to walk through. We had lunch, shopped without buying anything, visited Ces' favorite Mast General Store, which was all she said it would be, and ended up in an independent bookstore where I finally bought a copy of Elizabeth Gilbert's "eat pray love". I have been reading it outloud to JB ever since when she is driving and we've decided we will finish the book exactly that way.




Lord, please forgive kj that she just cannot figure out, remember, or learn how to straighten these photos. She is pathetic and needs compassion for the time being......

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The drive from Greenville to Hilton Head covered took us from the northeast to the southwest parts of South Carolina. This was a four-plus hour trip we again managed to stretch into the whole day, and loved every meandering minute of it. Hilton Head is on the ocean, but that will wait until another time. For now, may I introduce one of the small towns in rural America-- Prosperity, South Carolina.
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The state is famous for its furniture. We saw lumber trucks and tree farms everywhere. But this truck had PREMIUM wood on it--you could just tell by looking at it. And the fire hydrant--another example of finding humor in all the wrong places.....
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Well. Now. JB and I are now at a fancier-type resort with weather forecasts insisting on thunderstorms for every moment we are here. My plans to lie by the pool for three days are being replaced by day trips and more gallivants.
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So. There will be a part II of this travel update: the ocean at Hilton Head. Savannah Georgia. And Charleston and Greenville South Carolina. By then it's possible Ces will help me straighten my photos so no necks will be twisted. For now, it's time for another breakfast and another day of eating out. Yipee.

16 comments:

  1. Looks like you are having a grand trip. Your family and dog must miss you something fierce.

    PS - A birdy told me that the mystery surrounding your anorexic dog has been solved. She wanted to fit in and eat what the other doggie was eating. She ate that IAMS like we had served her filet :)

    Enjoy!

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  2. Oh, don't I just LOVE it when my daughter Jessica leaves a comment on my blog. And Stella is finally eating. And today the sun came out despite the weather forecasts so yours truly lounged by the pool. All is well.

    :)

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  3. Sounds like you had a great time. Rock Kauser has posted photos of Savannah, looks like a great place to me. You make me envious, I'd like to get out, even just for a couple of days.

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  4. P.S. KJ...it's Krispy Kreme with a K instead of a C. and eating 3 is nothing. I've eaten a whole box at once. And I shall never speak of it again. :)

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  5. I am so glad you are having agreat time. You and JB have the best vacations and travel logs.

    KJ, in my opinion, Krispy Kreme is not the best donuts. Krispy Kreme is too sweet and makes one's jaw quiver. It weeps when exposed at room temperature for a length of time. Of course one would say it won't last that long, belive me they do because it is like eating air. If you scrunch a Krispy Kreme donut into a ball it would be the size of a little gumball.

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  6. What an incredible trip! Even your sideways pix add to the drama! Really enjoyed this and good on you both for venturing forth into the unknown! Of course when i say tea with Ces that it goes without saying that you are intended to be there. Have more happy trails my friend!

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  7. pieterbie, i will look up rock kauser. i loved savannah. and yes, it is refreshing to get away even for a short time.

    nicole, hello! of course krispy kreme with a k. sometimes i am lost in my own little world.

    ces, a donut that weeps: i can just see a baker's dozen in a therapy group weeping together. ha!

    val, thank you for your always kind words and for including me to tea. now i just have to figure out how to get ces to the west coast so we can call you and say, "val, here we are, and we're ready for lunch"!

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  8. Thank you - I enjoyed my little trip - I like seeing photos of the quirky and cute. Your sense of humour shows through.

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  9. I love these road trip pictures! Even sideways they capture so much of the local feeling.

    Your Krispy Kreme story reminded me of visiting a sister in Savannah and having my first (and last, I think) hot Krispy Kreme on the way home from the airport. It was pretty decadent, but my favorite donuts are still the kind you get in the fall at the farmstands that sell apple cider and homemade donuts. They come hot out of the deep fryer and then they roll them in powdered sugar or sugar & cinnamon. I've been known to eat a half dozen in a sitting... and then feeling pretty wretched afterwards, but it's always worth it:>

    I'm glad you & JB are enjoying your trip. Savannah is such a pretty city... you may cross paths with my mother who's heading down this week to visit my sister...

    Enjoy!

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  10. Great post, KJ, about a wonderful holiday in the South. Are you two ladies real Southern Belles now? Is not anywhere a sign 'rotate' while putting the pics in the post? Never mind, it is good for my neckmuscles to bend sideways :-) Lovely Stella is staying ánd eating at Jessica's? Good girl(s)! I hope that you enjoy the rest of the holidays and look forward to more stories. Greetings from a rainy Holland (at last).

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  11. My favorites are the "sideways" pictures.

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  12. KJ, thanks for this amazing tour! I have never been to the US and usually it sounds like just a big country with big motorways and shopping malls but you have shown us another side of it.
    Maybe one day.

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  13. oh, i miss home!!! i lived in asheville for several years before i moved out west for school. the blue ridge is a very special place. i'm glad you experienced some of that.
    did you go to malaprops book store?!?! ~ruby

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  14. You're talking about some of my favorite places - Asheville is a very cool town and I absolutely love Savannah.

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  15. Thanks for the great tour, kj. You always add a personal touch that is irresistable. Like NYC, I have always wanted to visit the south. My travels in America have been limited: all up and down the west coast, northern Idaho (all beautiful) and Florida. Florida was just good luck (husband's business trip to Orlando payed for hotel room, Air Miles payed for air fare) but I didn't like it. Don't think I'd like Texas either from what I hear about it. I think I'd love both the northeast (NYC and New England) and the south, though, and this little tour, even when I had to stand on my head :), proves it! I want to go in May, and start in Kentucky on Derby week!

    Krispy Kreme: there are only a couple in Canada and one of those is about 4 km away. It opened with great fanfare but in spite of how fantastic the doughnuts are (I could eat a baker's dozen!), is always empty. I don't think it can stand the competition from Timmy's (Tim Horton's -- a doughnut and sandwich emporium and a Canadian institution) and I think that has more to do with Timmy's culture than anything. Tim Horton's is a huge community supporter. When we tried to get sponsorship from Krispy Kreme for our volunteer-driven kids' Australian Football Club (Auskick -- a super fun kids' version of the sport) they were outright rude and declared "We don't *do* that sort of thing." I'll be spending all my doughnut dollars chez Timmy's from now on.

    Sorry to ramble on so much, kj. Your Mother's Day post is exquisite, by the way! Happy Mother's Day hug to you.

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  16. visiting from ces's blog (again). the krispy creme photo really caught my attention... I took one almost identical yesterday in the city when we were visiting both it and in&out; then came home and laid on the floor like a beached whale.

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