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Wedding and the South
  • Eileen Joll
  • Jeff Joll
Apr – May 2025

Wedding and the South

A 22-day adventure by Eileen & Jeff Read more
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  • Trip start
    April 12, 2025
    Wedding and the South
    1

    St. Louis

    April 12 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    We traveled to St Louis and spent two nights with Josh and Liz. We had some things to drop off (including a bike) and got to spend some time with them. Saturday evening we ate our way around their neighborhood indulging in fried pickles, chicken, and Venezuelan barbecue. Sunday we went to the Missouri Botanical Gardens where all of the spring flowers were in bloom. It was a very pretty day and the gardens were beautiful. Next we went to the St Louis Cardinals baseball game. St Louis won! We followed the game with a beer at a brewery near the park then came home where Josh cooked a delicious dinner. We ended the evening with a walk to the neighborhood ice cream place.Read more

  • Wedding and the South
    Clinton Presidential Library

    Little Rock, Arkansas

    April 14 in the United States ⋅ 🌩️ 23 °C

    We spent a couple of nights in Little Rock camping at an Army Corp of Engineers campground with a campsite on the Arkansas River. We went to the Clinton Presidential Library - nice but not overly impressive. However, there is a replica of the oval office and directly above it is a residence for Bill and Hilary for when they are in town. After that we went to Little Rock Central High School where the national guard was deployed to allow 9 African Americans attend school there during the desegregation time. The school is a functioning school but you are allowed on the front grounds. Next we went to Riverfront Park where there is an impressive sculpture garden. After a beer at the Lost Forty Brewery we went back to the campground.Read more

  • Wedding and the South

    Austin, TX

    April 16 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C

    The main reason for this trip - the wedding of Jacque and Jordan!!!! We got there Wednesday evening so we could help with preparations on Thursday and Friday. The rest of the family got there at various times on Thursday and Friday. We all stayed in a great air BNB about three minutes from Jacque's house. Jordan's family was about 10 minutes away. The wedding was immediate families only in their backyard. Jacque, ever the planner, was so organized. Friday evening was a families getting to know you night with Franklin barbecue - the best! It was a very casual evening at their house with lots of conversations, playing with kids, and pre celebrating. Jordan has a great family. Saturday, Jacque, Jodi, and Mom went for hair and makeup and the guys from both families played laser tag! (Selina and Liz tried out the popcorn maker!) And then it was wedding time. It was a beautiful service officiated by Jodi, followed by a taco dinner, some dancing, and an after party at a nearby bar. We were supposed to go to brunch on Sunday, but there was so much leftover food, we had breakfast nachos at Jacques, compliments of Josh and Selina. Jodi and Jim headed to the airport first, followed by Jason and Selina (though their flight was delayed). Josh and Liz weren't flying out until Mon morning so we took the opportunity to meet up with and have dinner with Liz's parents who we had never met and who live in Texas. It was great to finally get to meet these wonderful people. After dropping off Josh and Liz we headed to college station, the start of our extended trip home. The wedding was beautiful, and family time is precious, but it all goes by so fast!Read more

  • Wedding and the South
    George H Bush Presidential Library

    College Station, TX

    April 21 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    After spending the night at Rocky Creek Campground on Somerville lake, we went to the Herbert H Bush Presidential Library. The grounds are beautiful and the library was very informative. We definitely learned new things about this president. This was a short tourist day as we then started the journey to Atlanta, GA. We spent the night in a hotel.Read more

  • Wedding and the South

    Atlanta, GA - day 1

    April 23 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    We spent two days in the city of Atlanta. The first day we went to the World of Coca-Cola, an interactive museum on everything you wanted to know about Coca-Cola which was started in Atlanta. We got to sample come coke products from around the world. Some of them were very different from what we are used to. The Coca-Cola world is next to Olympic Park, a large green space that was a gathering place for the Olympics of 1996. This space is beautiful and well maintained. Next we got lunch at Ted's Montana Grill (owned by Ted Turner). Jeff had a bison burger and claims it was the best burger he has ever eaten. We then walked to the state capital. This is more in the center of town and there were many more homeless people in this area . The capital was simple and had some of the state's history on display. We walked back past an area called the underground. At one time this was a hopping place with multiple floors of entertainment space. Now it is mostly boarded up. Back at Olympic Park we enjoyed a cup of coffee while watching a water show and then took a ride on the large ferris wheel overlooking the city.Read more

  • Wedding and the South
    Jimmy Carter Presidential LibraryMartin Luther King's childhood home

    Atlanta - day 2

    April 24 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Today we went to the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library. We are getting to know our presidents on this trip! It was a very nice library. Carter was such a peaceful, humble man, and far more intelligent than I ever knew. His legacy continues today through the Jimmy Carter foundation that still strives for peace and equality in the world. Next we went to the Martin Luther King memorial Park. We saw his childhood home and toured the Ebeneezer Baptist Church where he and his father preached and where much of the initial planning for his cause started. The area is a historic area and the houses are maintained as they were in the era. After all of that history, we earned a beer at the Outrun Brewing Co not far from the campground.Read more

  • Wedding and the South
    On top of Stone Mountain
    Savannah Riverwalk

    Savannah, GA - day 1

    April 25 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    We have spent the last three nights at Stone Mountain Park. It is an outdoor resort of sorts with outdoor activities, a lake, and plenty of touristic things to do. There is a mountain in the middle that has been carved out with images of some prominent Georgia people. You can take a tram to the top of the mountain or you can hike a mile up to it. We have done so much riding in the car and standing while touring, we needed a little activity so we hiked The beginning of the hike was a pretty gradual assent but the top got much steeper. At one point the park had added hand rails to help you get up. We were awarded great views from the top of the mountain, though it was a little hazy. On a clear day you can see a very long distance. Back down the way we came and then back on the car to drive to Savannah. Along the way we came across a roadside stand selling boiled peanuts. We had to try them. They are very soft, almost like beans, but also very addicting. We got to Savannah late afternoon and checked into the RV park we were staying at. We decided to go to the riverfront area in Savannah. It is known for shops and restaurants along the river. We knew this would be open in the evening. There were some crafters selling their wares in an open market. A sax player caught our attention and told us about echo square. It is a square marked by bricks in a small sitting area. When you stand on the square you can hear an echo but anyone else in the area cannot. Also if you and another person stand an equal distance from each other around the square you can both hear the echo. If one person moves one step away, there is no echo. No one can really explain the science behind it or whether it was a planned or an accidental thing created by the architect. We ate at the Broken Keel, a traditional southern food restaurant in a very old building. Jeff had a fried green tomatoes sandwich and I had delicious catfish. We walked around the area a little more but then headed back. The bugs were biting near the water - we were told they were sand mites - and they were biting even more at the campsite. They were super small and came through our netting. Not the best nights sleep!Read more

  • Wedding and the South

    Savannah, Day 2

    April 26 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    We started the day with a free walking tour of the historic district of Savannah. Free walking tours are one of our favorite things to do in new places. They aren't really free, but you tip at the end accordingly. They are very popular in European cities, but not so much here. Daniel helped to start the free tours here in Savannah after visiting in Europe. He grew up in Savannah and was very knowledgeable about the city. The city was started by a man named Oglethorpe from England. He sailed here under the leadership of one of the King Georges, hence the name Georgia. The area was set up like those in England, that of communities with a church at one end, housing along the sides, and civic or commerce buildings at the other end, all around a common space. There were originally 24 communities but now there are 22. Each common space has become a park so there is plenty of green space in the historic district filled with great old oak trees. Before Savannah became a tourist area, land was pretty cheap and hotels started moving in. People didn't like the look and an ordinance was passed that all new builds had to look like the era of the old buildings, so everything looks old and very well maintained. After our tour with Daniel we walked around Forsyth Park, the largest community park made up of over 30 acres. Students from the Savannah College of Art and Design were having a chalk draw festival throughout the park. They all were good but some of them were very talented! We toured the Juliet Lowe House. Juliet Lowe was the founder of the girl scouts. We passed an old graveyard on our tour so we went back to walk through it. There are about 600 headstones there, but about 9000 bodies. Many were buried in mass graves during disease times. No one has been buried there since 1835. We headed over to the market district which is a more lively entertainment area with restaurants, shops, and tourist things like escape rooms, etc. Along the way we picked up a beer at the Little Crown, a very small pub. Savannah is an open container city and they card everyone no matter how old you look! There was some live music happening at an Irish pub but in the open air. We got some pizza and enjoyed the showRead more

  • Wedding and the South

    Charleston, SC - day 1

    April 27 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    We drove to Charleston and arrived Sunday afternoon. We walked around the historic town and got the lay of the town. We found the waterfront park and the famous Pineapple fountain. Many of the must see things were closed either because it was Sunday or because of events but we did tour the old exchange and provost jail . This building has been many things over the years between the revolutionary war, through slave trading, and then the civil war. We window shopped along King St and then went to the Rusty Bull for a beer. Unfortunately their kitchen was closed but the worker directed us to the Big Gun Burger shop. It was definitely a locals place with good burgers, beer, and great conversations. The bartender was awesome. Walking around a little more we ended up at Jeni's ice cream - the best ice cream I ever had! The brumbleberry was too die for!! Tonight we decided to splurge and stay at a hotel in town- the Emiline.Read more

  • Wedding and the South
    Painted RowSt John's Church CemeteryChurch of the HuguenotsBig tourist things to doNathaniel Russel House

    Charleston - day 2

    April 28 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    After a relaxed morning at the hotel we packed up, loaded the car, and then went to breakfast at Poogan 's Porch. Jeff's tomato omelette and my chicken and waffles were definitely highlights of Southern cooking!!! We walked around the french quarter taking in the old churches including a church of the huguenots (French Protestants). We toured the Dock theater, the oldest theater troop in the country, and still performing in a very old building that was once a hotel. Next we hit up the slave trade museum where slaves were separated from their families and traded. We moved southward to the fancier, richer, neighborhood of historic mansions called South of Broad. There we saw rainbow row - a row of brightly colored houses. Some say they were painted this way so the drunk sailors could find the right house. For whatever the reason, the houses are quite colorful and well maintained for being as old as they are. We toured the Nathaniel Russel House, a rich man who made much of his money in slave trading. Grabbing a coffee for the road, we got the car and headed to James Island county park to camp.Read more

  • Wedding and the South

    Charleston - day 3

    April 29 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    Officially we were west of the city of Charleston and in James Island. We camped at the county park. They have a regular RV park, but many places on the south do not allow you to camp in your car unless it is RV certified. Can't find a reason why, but we cannot sleep in our van like we usually do. This is not the first place this was the rule. So we tented and all of the sites were walk in which means you park in the field or parking lot and carry your stuff to your site. Fortunately our site was not very far and the sites are pretty nice. This park had a lake, large (5 mile) walking track around it, outdoor adventure area, and splash zone for kids. After cooking breakfast at our camp, we got ready to go to Folly Beach. Folly Beach is a cute little beach town with a pier, restaurants, and the usual souvenir shops. We walked on the beach, took a swim - the water was remarkably warmer than expected - had a drink at the pier, then took another walk on the beach again. It was a perfect relaxing day after so many days of touring or driving. On our way back we stopped at Cuco's raw seafood restaurant. You pick the fresh fish that you want and they cook it to your liking. I had a crab cake and Jeff had swordfish. Back at camp we enjoyed a fire before retiring for the night.Read more

  • Wedding and the South
    Very tall treesHmmm, what chewed this?We heard lots of woodpeckers"knees"

    Congaree National Park

    April 30 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    We arrived at Congaree National Park around 3:00. After seeing the exhibits in the visitor center and getting a hiking trail map, we set out on a hike. Congaree has a boardwalk that is an easy hike and gives you a great feel for the nature of the park. Part of it is closed for reconstruction. We took the boardwalk trail for a bit and then got on the Weston lake trail, taking a little detour to Wise Lake, a very beautiful, peaceful place. Back on the Weston trail we hiked as far as we could go before we had to turn around and go back. Normally this trail would connect with the boardwalk again making a loop. All in all we went about 6 miles. Congaree is a park that's will look different every time one visits depending on rain. Being a lowland, the area floods easily from the Congaree river. It floods 8 - 10 times a year mostly in the winter season and the water can rise up to 10 feet. Because of all of the water, the ground if very fertile for the trees that are there. The most notable trees are cypress, tupelo, loblolly pines, and sweetgum. The average height of these trees is 130 ft high. They are very impressive. The cypress and tupelo trees have massive bases and the cypress have 'knees" surrounding the tree. These are roots from the trees that grow up out of the ground. They look like trees that have been cut down. No one really knows their purpose but it is believed that they add extra support for the trees. The fox squirrels like these trees and the area as there are a lot of them! We headed to the campground in the park. There are only 12 walk-in tent sites here with no camping in your cars. We set up our tent and made some grilled ham and cheese sandwiches for dinner.Read more

  • Wedding and the South
    SnakeTall trees!

    Congaree National Park - day 2

    May 1 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    After breakfast we set out for another hike, this one starting at another point in the park. We followed the Kingsnake trail. This trail is known for birdwatching and while we weren't looking for them, we heard plenty of them. This is not as popular a trail so it was very quiet and peaceful. We walked past groves of the same trees with intermittent areas of standing water and crossing over the Cedar Creek. In one of those holes of water we saw as raccoon swimming from tree to tree. We also got a glimpse of a snake, lizards, a frog, beautiful white bird flying, as well as other birds. One can only imagine the number of insects and critters that live in this habitat. If this area was flooded, there would not be a path and the giant bases of the trees and the knee would not be seen giving it a completely different view. The water rises about 10 feet when it floods. We hiked to the Weston lake and then back, a total of about 10 miles. It is possible to canoe or kayak the creek that runs through the park or the river that runs on the edge of the park. You need to bring your own, rent them outside of the park, or plan on taking a tour with a third party outfitter. Definitely something we would do next time, especially if there was some flooding.Read more

  • Wedding and the South
    Great Britain Embassy
    A Shakespeare performanceCosta RicaChina Embassy

    Washington DC

    May 2 in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    We added the more so before heading home and that to visit Jason and Selina in DC. Well, just Jason since Selina was unfortunately out of town. They live in Alexandria VA, a very cute walking town. Friday evening we took a walk around town and found another Jeni's ice cream. I didn't know it was a chain! Saturday we went into DC and headed to the embassy area. The embassy's were having an open house, where you can walk through parts of the embassy and many of them have music, dancing, and/or food samplings. There were 64 embassy's open this weekend (more next weekend) and we got to about 7 or 8. Great Britain is the most impressive (and massive) embassy. Even without touring the insides, it was fun to just walk past and see the embassy buildings. This is an area em we haven't been to before. Later we settled in at Jason's house and enjoyed watching the Kentucky Derby and catching up on life. Love visiting my kids!!!Read more

    Trip end
    May 3, 2025
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