Interesting Things Near Perry, FL

We arrived in Perry Tuesday, May 26, to visit with old friends, David & Thelma.  We'd parked our rig in David's & Thelma's yard in the past, but it is summer time and way too hot to be without air conditoning.  This time we parked our rig at Rocky's RV Park on the outskirts of Perry.

We've crammed as much as possible into the four days we've been here.

St. Mark's National Wildlife Refuge &  St. Mark's Lighthouse.

St. Mark's Lighthouse (1831)

Thelma, David & T enjoying the shade

Wakulla Springs State Park, Home of one of the largest and deepest freshwater springs in the world, 

Boated down the Wakulla River watching manatee, turtles, alligators and other wildlife.  What a relaxing day!

Glo enjoying the ride

T & David

Manatee 

St. George Island, 22 miles long and 1 mile wide.  Beautiful beaches!

Glo enjoying the breeze and the sunshine at St. George Island

St. George Island Lighthouse

Beautiful beach

Apalachicola FL, which claims to be the oyster capital of the world and once was the third largest port in the Gulf of Mexico.

Fort Coombs (1898)

David, Thelma, Glo & T 

T enjoying Apalachicola Bay

Lakeland FL

We arrived in Lakeland on Mother's Day.  We dropped Angie off at her home and setup for a two week stay.  Angie told us it was "hot, hot!" She wasn't kidding.  Hot ant humid!  Temps have been running in the low 90's with 90% humidity.  Give me good ole Phoenix heat any day!

While here, our chair tables bit the dust, so my engineering husband built new ones.

T cutting the table

finished table

On the 18th Angie and I went over to Orlando and enjoyed a hot air balloon ride[Unfortunately, I lost those pictures.] and then over to Mount Dora, a little town known for it's antique shops and quaint inns and such.  We had lunch at the Copacabana Cuban Cafe' and met the owner and had a little fun with him.  Great food!

Angie, Alberto & Glo

Lakeside Inn, in Mout Dora (1883)

May 19th, we had the privilege to welcome home war veterans.  An organization called "Honor Flight" transported almost 100 veterans to Washington, D. C. , and we were on the tarmac salute and cheer them when they returned home.  The organization and the town of Lakeland went all out, with a full band and everything for our heroes.  What a moving and emotional experience!

Honor Flight Network is a non-profit organization created solely to honor America's veterans for all their sacrifices. They transport our heroes to Washington, D.C. to visit and reflect at their memorials.  Top priority is given to the senior veterans - World War II survivors, along with those other veterans who may be terminally ill.

I got to meet a few of the veterans and had my picture taken with Terry Snead who served in the Navy during WWII

Glo with Terry Snead, WWII Navy Veteran

My being such a foodie, of course we dined at several restaurants.  My favorite was the Butterfly Bistro.  It is a quaint little place with a great atmosphere.  Chatting with the owner, Diana, was a pleasant experience.  It was fun to hear how the restaurant came about.

St. Augustine, FL

We arrived at St. Augustine on May 7th and had dinner at this great restaurant on St. Augustine Beach.  Friends had introduced us to it about 3 or 4 years ago.  The food was a good as we remembered at Mango Mango's.

Great Restaurant

We started our day at the St. Augustine Distillery taking a tour and ending sipping on a Florida Mule, similar to a Moscow Mule, a vodka and ginger drink.

T & Glo sipping a Florida Mule

They were having a the Romanza Festival of the Arts and we got to enjoy music in the park and see a parade through old town St. Augustine. We visited the City Gate and then visited a winery for a tour and a little wine tasting.

Music in the Park

Romanza Festival Parade

Angie @ City Gate

Sebastian Winery

Angie and I took T "home" and went back for an evening of Opera. What an wonderful ending to an awesome day!

Savannah, GA

Having been to Savannah many times in the past, we did something a little different this time around.

We visited The Railroad Museum.  T loved it!

T riding Hand Car

T & Glo enjoying the ride

Angie boarding the train

The Georgia State Railroad Museum is believed to be the largest and most complete Antebellum railroad repair facility still in existence in the world!
This National Historic Landmark site, formerly named the Roundhouse Railroad Museum, is the oldest and largest existing nineteenth-century railroad operations complex in the nation. Construction began in 1850. Thirteen of the original structures remain today. The Central of Georgia Railway handled freight, passengers, maintenance, and manufacturing at this single location.

After touring the Railroad museum, we dined at the Crystal Beer  Parlor, which was way off the beaten path.  We walked and walked and walked and were rewarded with a great meal and excellent beer.

The Crystal Beer Parlor opened in the early 1900's as The Gerken Family Grocery Store.  It was the first American eating establishment to serve alcohol after the repeal of Prohibition (Probably because the booze was already on the premises!)

T & Glo enjoying a drink at the bar

T, Angie & Glo @ Crystal Beer Parlor

Angie posed with Johnny Mercer

Angie & Johnny Mercer,
founder of Capital Records and Savannah native

Beaufort, SC

What a beautiful town!

Beaufort just celebrated its 300th anniversary in 2011. Explored by the Spanish, the French and the English, Beaufort has a rich history, beautiful antebellum homes, scenic views and friendly local charm. 

Many famous movies have been filmed here. To name just a few you'll recognize.

• The Great Santini
• The Big Chill
• Forest Gump
• Prince of Tides
• Something To Talk About

Beautiful antebellum homes.

Angie in front of Edward Barnell Geddes Dowling House

John Archibald Johnson House (1850)

1st African Bapstist Church (1885) 

Angel Oak
in front of the Edgar Fripp House (1853)

Arizona, Wedding, Charleston

April 9th, we flew to Arizona for a couple of weeks.  We enjoyed visiting friends and getting the annual doctors appointments out of the way.

I planned a quick "happy hour" for the brunch club and I was thrilled that everyone was able to make it.  I am so blessed to have friends who care enough to come out whenever I happen to come into town.

While there Cleo, T & I visited the Musical Instrument Museum.  It was amazing!  We were there 4 hours and didn't see it all. Though there are other musical instrument museums in the world, this one is the only one in the world that has displays for music from all over the world.  There were instruments I'd never heard of.  There is an area where you can play the instruments.  I had fun with the drums, though I don't remember what part of the world they were from.

Cleo & T

Glo & drums

Also while there, we had the opportunity to see our daughter-in-law, Kelly, compete in an NPC Bikini Competition in Mesa, AZ.  Kelly was awesome and she placed in the top 4 in two events.

Even more fun was spending a day with Sammy at the Build a Bear Workshop.  We didn't spoil her at all.

We got back to Florence/Darlington April 23rd, and hitched up the rig and headed to Charleston for my nephew, Daniel's, wedding.  He was married in the Citadel Chapel.  It was a beautiful wedding.  Unfortunately it was raining, but no matter Daniel and Rachel are married and we all had a wonderful time at the reception.

We stayed at the Charleston AFB RV Park.  My friend Angie flew in on Sunday and we spent the next 9 days touring Charleston.  I've been asked many times over the past 3 years, "Of all the places you've visited, what is your favorite place?"  Now I know.  Charleston, SC.  I've been there more times than I can count.  I've walked the historic district every time I've been there and yet I love it each and every time.  Angie had never been to Charleston so it was extra special for her.  We went on a harbor tour and though the sights were beautiful, it was windy and cold. I've posted several pictures of what we saw on the tour.

Glo & Angie , just before boarding the Harbor Tour

Ravenel Bridge- the 3rd longest cable stayed bridge in the Western Hemisphere
approximately 3 1/2 miles.

Fort Sumter-
First shots of civil war were fired here.

St. Michael’s Church is the oldest church edifice in the City of Charleston, standing on the site of the first Anglican Church built south of Virginia. In the 1680’s a small wooden church, the first in the new town of Charles Town, was built on this spot for the families of the Church of England, and named St. Philip’s. By 1727, the town had grown too large for the small church and a more spacious one was built of brick on Church Street, later destroyed by fire in 1835.

By 1751, St. Philip’s had again proved too small for the increasing population, and another church as authorized by the General Assembly of the Province, to be built on the old site and to be known as St. Michael’s. The cornerstone was laid in 1752 and in 1761 the church was opened for services. Except for the addition of the sacristy in 1883 on the southeast corner, the structure of the building has been little changed.

Angie & Glo having fun outside Page's Okra Grill, Mount Pleasant, SC

View while dining at Fleet Landing, Charleston, SC

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist- Built 1850

Hyman's Seafood

Tour around Charleston SC

Homes around The Battery

Homes around The Battery

On our last day in Charleston we toured Boone Hall, "America's most photographed plantation."  It was an amazing finish to a wonderful week in the Charleston area.

In 1743, the son of Major John Boone planted live oak trees, arranging them in two evenly spaced rows. This spectacular approach to his home symbolizes southern heritage and will take root in your memory for many years to come. It would take two centuries for the massive, moss-draped branches to meet overhead, forming today's natural corridor and a scene that NBC 

Boone Hall

Butterfly in The Garden

Angie & Glo - The Avenue of Oaks

Slave Quarters

One of the most interesting things about our visit to Boone Hall was the "Gullah Girl's" talk.  She taught us a bit about the Gullah history and traditions.

Glo & Angie with "The Gullah Girl"- Mary