So, it’s Saturday and we just returned from brunch at a way cool coffee bistro called The Daily that we discovered on our 6-miler on Friday. The Neuske’s BaconLT and a peaches and Greek yogurt bowl did not disappoint! And I love their Marzocco retro espresso machine, released in 2007 to commemorate the company’s 80th anniversary.
Charleston is an incredible town. 300+ years of important history, with a varied mix of cultures, ages, and socio-economies. In two blocks you can transition from dilapidated tenement housing to a $700 per night hotel room. In our Elliotborough Cannonborough neighborhood we’ve been struck by the friendliest passersby and stoop-sitters, and have never once felt unwelcome.
The last three days have been a whirlwind, the highlights being our visits to Fort Sumter and the International African American Museum, and then Friday night’s fireworks viewing from the highest venue in the city. Here’s a bit about each of those, and then a few details on the extraordinary deliciousness that’s come our way.
Wednesday and Fort Sumter
The weather here in Charleston is at times claustrophobic. We step out the door of our AirBnB and the high-80’s heat and 90+% humidity can hit you like a steamed mattress. But after a few hundred steps a cooler breeze will trickle through gaps between buildings and waft along the skin, easing things a bit. Doesn’t take long, though, for the pores to start sweating. Our destination was a 9:30am boarding of the ferry to Fort Sumter with an iced coffee stop at Starbucks on the way.
The half-hour voyage through Charleston Harbor was accompanied by an informative commentary by Park Ranger Gary Alexander, who proved to be the wisdom-wealthiest of the staff. He advised us that the harbor was actually an estuary formed by the junction of the Ashley, Cooper, and Wando Rivers, the coastlines of which are dotted with ruins of various military sites with Fort Sumter at the strategic center, situated as it is in the center of the harbor’s mouth. If you’re interested, here’s his full ferry commentary, both coming and going to the Fort.
The Fort itself is somewhat underwhelming, a mere remnant of its former glory, and requires no more than the provided single hour to survey. On the other hand, seeing in person the actual 1860’s powder-scorched Union cannons and crumbled brick walls, knowing that a single shot fired from Fort Johnson right over there began the whole Civil War . . . yeah, it’s kinda mind-blowing. 30 years to build Fort Sumter, and basically two long days – the first in April of 1861 and then in September of 1863 – to reduce it to rubble. And both battles an embarrassment for the U.S. Army.
We’re glad we booked the tour. Ranger Gary made the hour of boat time and the blistering heat at the fort more than worth it. And if you want a full hour exposure to the history of Fort Sumter, check out this podcast featuring Ranger Gary on the Mike Bates show.
Thursday and the International African American Museum
Another blazing morning stroll, again stopping at Starbucks for iced Americanos, brought us a couple blocks south of Liberty Square and the Fort Sumter ferry to the International African American Museum. Tickets were $14.50 each ($22.50 for you non-seniors) and a quick review of a few websites informed us that 2 to 2.5 hours would suffice for our visit. Uhh, not even close. Our own tour lasted three and a half hours, and though we made a valiant effort in information absorption, another five to ten twenty hours would have been necessary. I felt the same way I did at the Washington D.C. Mall museums, barely scratching the surface of all the factoids within.
The museum itself is gorgeous, well-conceived and configured, with separate sections focused on the origins of African Americans and their routes to America, the experiences and contributions of African Americans in the United States, the interconnectedness of the Atlantic world through the lens of the African Diaspora, the history of rice cultivation in South Carolina and its impact on the region, the history, culture, and traditions of the Gullah Geechee people of the South Carolina and Georgia coasts, and the Center for Family History, providing resources for visitors to trace their ancestry and explore their family history. Most impressive (and frankly, overwhelming) is the chronological timeline of Africans in America, tracing the early slave trade through modern times, with individual factoid plaques and representative photos and documents displaying the details. Dates, names, places, business and government entities, historical records. Every component is explicitly worthy of attention.
And all things considered, unfortunately, Charleston itself is revealed as devastatingly complicit in much of the dark history of early America, serving as a major port for the transatlantic slave trade and a hub for the domestic slave trade, as well as the birthplace of the South’s Secession, and the start of the Civil War.
And all things considered, unfortunately, Charleston itself is revealed as devastatingly complicit in much of the dark history of early America, serving as a major port for the transatlantic slave trade and a hub for the domestic slave trade, as well as the birthplace of the South’s Secession, and the start of the Civil War. Shockingly, stunningly, approximately 40% of all enslaved Africans brought to the United States arrived through Charleston.
Shockingly, stunningly, approximately 40% of all enslaved Africans brought to the United States arrived through Charleston. Perhaps the most poignant image for us was this slave auction notice published in the Charleston newspaper, indifferently placed beside a sales ad for an 8-year old carriage horse.
If you find yourself in Charleston, you’d do well to make the effort.
Shockingly, stunningly, approximately 40% of all enslaved Africans brought to the United States arrived through Charleston. Perhaps the most poignant image for us was this slave auction notice published in the Charleston newspaper, indifferently placed beside a sales ad for an 8-year old carriage horse.
If you find yourself in Charleston, you’d do well to make the effort.
Friday and Independence Day Fireworks
We had learned from several friendly locals that the best place to view the Fourth’s fireworks displays would be along the crowd-heavy waterfront or at elevation atop one of several downtown rooftop lounges, the best of these being the Dewberry Hotel’s Citrus Club, 8 floors high with a 270-degree wraparound patio. First come first served with a 2-hour time limit up top and priority for hotel guests.
Well, duh.
We arrived plenty early, endeared ourselves to the lovely elevator hostess (name withheld to protect her honor), ordered cocktails and snacks in the ground floor lobby bar, put our names on the list at 7:20pm (the Patriot Point fireworks show was scheduled for 9:20 = 2 hours), crossed our fingers and toes, then waited. I checked in again at 7:45 and then 8:00, and learned that the list of hotel guests was long and she doubted that any non-guests would make it to the roof. Then she glanced around, lowered her voice, and whispered, “Unless you and your wife wouldn’t mind sitting inside up there for a while until the show starts.” And I swear she winked.
Okay, so we figured the pyrotechnic show launched from the USS Yorktown would be pretty great, and it was, but what thoroughly and unexpectedly awed us was the two dozen other mini-shows popping off all over the barrier islands surrounding Charleston Harbor. Everywhere we looked there was another dazzling brocade, crossette, or chrysanthemum. (Yeah, I had to look those up. Here’s a whole list.)
Foodie Stuff
Now, here’s a quick – yeah, right – rundown of our food and beverage highlights of the past few days. And believe me, even if we had another week here, we’d just only be getting started.
After Fort Sumter on Wednesday we stopped at Charleston Beerworks for a flight of drafts (they serve 40) and a bite. The Cuban was decent. (Nothing like yours, Graeme!) And the beers were okay. What made the stop memorable, however, was an engaging conversation with retired naval officer Eric from Washington, D.C., tagging along with his wife in town for business. Great guy, cool stories, and it’s he who turned us on to the Citrus Club for our Friday night fireworks. Thanks again, new friend, for the good counsel.
One of the more frequently recommended restaurants in northern downtown Charleston is Chubby Fish, a mere five blocks from our lodging. A simple corner location in our mostly residential neighborhood, and always with a line outside. No reservations, per long established policy, but at 5pm when they open, those immediately wishing to be seated can do so, and others can choose a preferred time later, assuming an average dine time of 90 minutes-ish. We were 20th in a queue that reached 60 people by the 5 o’clock opening, and we opted to delay be seated until 6:30 for a place at the bar overlooking the active kitchen. We filled the next hour at the exquisitely cozy Roseline Wine Bar, a block from our AirBnB. Maddie took good care of us during our wait, as she did again this evening.
Chubby Fish was a complete and utter wow! Sitting at the bar we watched the chef crew craft their culinary creations, from lengths of marrowed bone with shrimp tempura to grilled oysters with crab fat curry. We began with what proved to be our favorites: snapper ceviche with avocado, cucumber, served bruschetta-style on thin focaccia, followed by spring greens with citrus wedges, peaches, and melon. Charred lamb ribs romesco followed our cauliflower cacio e pepe, and we finished with grilled wreckfish risotto. And we were too stuffed for dessert. Five stars!
Post-museum on Thursday we stopped at the quaint bookstore and eatery Philosophers and Fools, a couple of blocks from our place. A half mini-wheel of local cheese, stonewheat crackers, and gherkins, quenched with local sour beers. Lovely place, made even better by the 1-cent Swedish fish. That’s right, a penny a piece. We bought a quarter’s worth to go.
And Friday – pre-fireworks at the Citrus Club – we enjoyed Felix, a Parisian-inspired restaurant & cocktail bar on King Street. As usual, we sat at the bar, where Eric served Nancy a Pora Pora with mezcal, tequila, fresh lime juice, pomegranate molasses, and hellfire bitters, while I partook in La Brise D’été with bourbon, fresh lemon juice, local honey, watermelon shrub, and averna. Both extraordinary.
For food, we went with the Lobster Deviled Eggs (chive, espelette, dijon, lobster, brown butter crumb), Roasted Beet Mélange (tri-color beets, herbed chèvre, toasted pistachios, micro arugula), and the Raclette Burger (double short rib-brisket blended patties, caramelized onion, dijonnaise, raclette, local bakery sesame bun, house cut pommes frites). C’est magnifique!
Saturday Change of Pace
And that brings us to yesterday’s transition day. We navigated stormy skies and sporadic rain to grab that aforementioned BLT lunch at The Daily, then Ubered to CHS airport to pick up the rental car that’ll motor us to Asheville and Pennsylvania. Then we crawled through Ta few local breweries, and finished the day one last time at Roseline. Thanks again, Maddie, for being such an awesome host.
Today we’ll hoof our way around Charleston one last morning, use the afternoon to prep for tomorrow’s travels, then dine tonight at the renowned Vern’s just down the road. Looking forward to it
We’ll be in touch.
Drank a Punk IPA on the top of a hotel in Bangkok!
Indeed, they are everywhere!
I would still be walking from the Firenze train station to your first airbnb!!!!
I’m sooo sorry you had to suffer through the gelato tastings to find the One. Somebody had to do it!
I totally agree about the sangiovese grape. One of my favorite wines is a Super Tuscan. Mainly made with indigenous grapes blended with non-indigenous vines like Cab Sauv and merlot. One of the top wines in the world! And a bargain price.
In Nancy and your honor, I made a Tuscan chicken dish the other day. Except it didn’t look like the food you pictured….and didn’t taste like it, I’m sure!
Enjoying your trip with you!
Hey Jim, love that you’re following along, and appreciate your comments. The Tuscan wines are truly a joy, though we did enjoy a Puglian red this evening while in Vieste. Awesome town. You’d love it!! A festival tonight with music or comedy every night a stone’s throw away.
Ah, the Pantheon, one of my favorite buildings, especially considering its age.
Yes, we’ll be back in Florence in Wednesday and Thursday next week. We’ll tour the Pantheon then.
Okay! I will have the house tagliere board for two! For myself! And 2 glasses of wine??? You can’t fool me.
Just read an article about the area where Nancy’s family lived. An area known for its unique buildings with a purpose to evade taxes!
Trullo buildings in Alberobello! Also, now B and B’s. May your safe journeys continue!
Ahh, the Trulli of Alberobello. We won’t be lodging in one, but plan to spend a morning or afternoon visiting Alberobello. Thanks again for your comments, Jim. We head to Montecino and Montepulciano today. Puglia in a week.
We loved Dublin (actually ALL of Ireland!) but didn’t have enough time there.
The library was amazing as well as the Book of Kells but I see the books are all gone! Must be renovating.
Big fan of Jamie…..sooo jealous!
Totally agree on Guinness tour.
They’re restoring (un-dusting) the books in the library at Trinity College; only about 10% on display. It’ll be a several-year project.
Glenn, not surprisingly your lilting eloquence embellishes the accompanying pictorial fare and invites one to pour a wee dram with which to enjoy both!
My hope has been to capture the spirit and flavor of the places and people we encounter on our journey. I’m glad you’re enjoying it.
Wow, that all sounds so lovely, except for the driving part! That would make me so nervous.
I’m really not trying to dominate the comment section but………
Where you are brings back sooo many memories of Derry (wife, not place!). She, also, was my navigator and her job was to pick the ivy off the passenger side mirror because I was so close to those damned rock walls avoiding a lorry coming at me @ 100Km/hr on a 1 & 1/2 lane road!
We went to Connemara National Park, climbed up most of the way, and went to visit the great love story that Kylemore Abbey represents.
The walled garden was amazing, too.
I have watched the very perplexing movie “The Banshees of Inisherin”
I agree, Galway is awesome!! We did indeed have a brew or two @ Monroe’s!
Keep your comments coming, my friend. We love having you along for the ride.
I love vicariously eating and sight-seeing with you two! And I’m glad I’m not splitting the bill!
Asheville and the Blue ridge Parkway were the some of the highlights on my trips around there. We, also, skipped the Biltmore tour. $50-head to see someone else’s ostentatiousness!
And I now have to put Curate on my list…..love me some Spanish tapas!
No doubt, our joy of good food has us reevaluating the dining budget! 😉
Have been hearing a lot lately about Charleston’s foodie scene!!!
I want a raclette burger and order me the trout with crawfish at Vern’s!
And be careful driving out there. Might get a little wet!
Stepping out of Vern’s last night it was dumping!! Thankfully they loaned us an umbrella for the short walk home, but with sandals . . . pretty sloppy. And yes, both of those food items were incredible.
Excellent post! I love how the architecture helps avoid the taxman… brilliant!
What a fun day!!! And then, to a Spanish restaurant serving some of my favorite tapas and vino!!
A new post after just 24 hours? You spoil us, and set a high bar for the detailed story-telling of your adventures! If the rest of your trip is half as enjoyable as your first day out to be, you’re in for a treat. Love you both and enjoy the humidity (and everything else, of course).
Hola to you two!!
A word of caution, kinda. Watch out for Travis Decker in Leavenworth!
Not that I have vast knowledge for packing for long trips, I would think taking along some “tradeable” clothing you can bargain with! Like a nice BBB shirt in exchange for a nice Italian sweater! And save room for souvenirs and fun stuff! No one will care if you wear the same shirt three days in a row, except Nancy!!
Also, I can partner with you about losing family. It certainly speeds up as we get older.
Yeah, definitely one of the downsides of aging!
What a great surprise it was to have you and Nancy swing by Green Lake, looking forward to hosting you both in Tucson next year! I had forgotten to mention during our conversation that there are two new Matador restaurants in S. Carolina if you are feeling nostalgic. Thanks again and safe travels, already excited to follow along!
Thanks for the heads up re. the Matadors. I see it’s actually a restaurant with a separate “Mezcaleria by Matador” next door. It’s 1.5 miles from our AirBnB. We’ll definitely go there. Glad to know you’ll be following along on our travels. Take care.
Wow! I bet you’re both getting excited for your continuing adventures. Love reading about them. We miss you guys!
So excited! Already loving our “vacationing” in our hometown, and chomping at the bit to truly hit the road. Miss you two, as well. Glad you’re following along. Hope your summer’s starting off great.
Whooohoo! You’re on your way! 👏🏼🌟
Looks like you two are loving and living life well. Love the narratives and the photos
Thanks, Sandy. Yes, life’s awesome.
(And Kirkland is just so cool, as I’m sure you remember.)
We love Kirkland, especially Isarn Thai 🤤🤤🤤 One of my favorite Thai restaurants! It looks like your adventures are off to a great start. Enjoy your time with family and friends!
Thanks, Kelsey. Isarn Thai is one of our daughter Kylene’s favorites, as well.
Hope you and Scott are enjoying your early summer.
Godspeed my friends. See you soon, hopefully it will involve libations and excellent conversation. Miss you guys!
So very excited for you two and looking forward to being on your adventure with you! I must be on your roster twice as I received 2 email notifications. Enjoy every minute and I hope to see you at one of your visits to BB!
Jealous…can’t wait to see and hear all about it
Bon voyage, and we’ll see you in Asheville!
I could not be more excited for you both! Have an amazing time in WA (wish I was joining for graduation) and on your stateside portion of this adventure. Can’t wait to see you in the Burgh in a few months. Cheers to new adventures!
Thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge and experience, Best of luck Glenn and Nancy. Safe travels🙏🌺
Thanks, Al. Glad you’ll be following our adventure.
OMG this sounds absolutely amazing!!!!!!
Thanks, Lisa. See you soon!
Hello Nancy and Glenn!
What an exercise in travel planning and what a tremendously exciting and interesting journey it will be.
From reading your update, I’m not clear on the exact date you will be departing the US and/or Mexico and when you are scheduled to return. Could you confirm, please.
Are you going to be measured for your dress Gordon kilt while in Edinburgh?
Looking forward to ‘sharing ‘ your adventure.
Love, Angela
Safe travel and dr8nk a few for me!
Thanks, Michele. See you at the shop in a couple of weeks.
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I think I already signed up but…maybe not? Anyway, should be signed up now
You’re golden.
Add me to mailing list pls!
You’re good to go.