Charleston Walking Tour

We blacked all light out the room with the blinds and curtains, and put on some white noise to ensure a full night's sleep. When we did get up, we got to appreciate the full character of our hotel in the light of day. We had a very light breakfast, since we had an early lunch reservation. With some coffee in us, we made a brief appearance at the hotel gym (complete with two peloton bikes), before getting ready for the day and heading out for lunch.

We arrived a few minutes early, so we spent a little time walking around and generally enjoying some sunshine and the abundance of green foliage. Lunch was at The Obstinate Daughter, where we each had one of the specials, and an it's-almost-noon beer.

The main event of the day was a walking tour of Charleston. Some of the highlights included:
* The Miracles of the Mills house - The historical house survived major fires, shelling during the war and a 7.3 magnitude earthquake. Ultimately, it finally succumbed to a termite infestation.

Another major stop was Dock street theater in the French quarter. We got to pop inside, and our guide shared some information about the significance of the Kings crest hung above the stage (the wealthy planter-class would only attend plays held at theaters sanctioned by King Charles. Many notable people were affiliated with the theater, including John Wilkes Booth's alcoholic father, Junius Booth. He famously beat another man with a fire poker, and had to be locked in a room (where a friend snuck him alcohol via a straw through the door's keyhole).

We saw the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon, one of the sites where the U.S. constitution was ratified (just around the corner from where slaves were being sold...). The dungeon in the basement was previously used to hold enemies of the king.

As we walked around, we saw plenty of "houses of negotiated affection". We made a stop at rainbow row, a cluster pastel-colored Georgian style homes, before walking down to The Battery to look out at fort Sumter to hear about naval battles against the British naval fleet and the start of the civil war.

When the tour concluded, we walked around just a bit more, before it was cheese and wine hour at the hotel.

Dinner was shortly after, at Leon's Oyster Shop (kind of reminded me of Parson's Chicken in Chicago). We had a half dozen oysters each, and a fried platter of clam strips, catfish, shrimp, and hush puppies.Read more