Charleston Library

Tuesday 30th May
Went on a trolleybus tour of Wilmington, but it wasn’t very good. There was only one bus, it went to its own timetable, ignoring the plan, it tore around and there was no commentary. Glad it was free because I wouldn’t have wanted to pay for it. I felt a bit queasy and didn’t want to walk around so instead we jumped in the car and headed for Charleston.

Charleston is a beautiful, historic, colonial town with lots of wooden clapperboard houses. We are staying in the Thomas Lamboll House, a 300 year old wooden clapperboard house with an amazing veranda on the ground floor and a first floor piazza from our room in the centre of the historic district. It is so incredibly hot, we are absolutely melting. Unfortunately our room wasn’t ready when we arrived, but it was soon done and we settled in. We are here for 3 days and are looking forward to that. We walked to the waterfront where there was a lovely park with lots of ancient oak trees with twisted limbs spreading out over the grass. The park was patrolled by a tourism enforcement officer who made a guy take down a hammock he had slung up in the trees – one of the rules is no hammocks in the park. The tree lined streets had old flagstones that were lifting due to tree roots, but the overall effect was one of great beauty. Some of the streetlights were still gas lights, it was very strange seeing flames flickering behind the glass of the lanterns it felt like an old street in London. We had been recommended to go to Poogan’s Porch for dinner. The food was delicious and we were pleased we had taken the advice. Poogan was an previous pet for its grave was by the front path.Read more