South Carolina Aquarium

The South Carolina Aquarium is located at the edge of the historic district of Charleston and right on the harbor - with a great view of the Ravenel Bridge. My favorites of the many pictures I took are in the slide show below. The maps behind water (1) and on the floor (10) provided orientation to the area. Alligators (4) and pelicans (5) were both animals we saw elsewhere during our vacation. I had never seen the underside of rays (6) like I did at this aquarium and it was all because there is a ‘feed the rays’ exhibit and they rays are very good at positioning themselves along the glass of the tank to get the food! Have you ever watched a tank of jelly fish (8)? I found it intriguing and soothing in equal measure; they seem so graceful and relaxed.

Charleston Tea Plantation

In late April, I visited the Charleston Tea Plantation - enjoying the beverage samples in the gift shop and the tour on a trolley around the place. I enjoyed the sign that pointed out how far this tea plantation is from the major tea production centers of the world. Growing tea requires warm and moist conditions - not found in the US in many places. Wadmalaw Island is one of the few places where is it possible. The plantation may be a little out of the way from other attractions around Charleston but it is a pleasant drive on a road bordered with large trees….and it is a unique experience.

The location and the flatness of this plantation make it usual for a tea plantation. The flatness here allows for automation that is not possible in mountainous terrain where tea is grown elsewhere. The one-of-a-kind machine shown below clips the new growth from the top of the bushes and collects the cuttings as it rolls down the rows of tea bushes 8-10 times a season.

The processing of the leaves into black, oolong and green tea is done on the plantation too. The factory can be viewed from two sides via big windows and filmed vignettes explain how the equipment operates to produce tea.

A factoid: Once tea bushes are established, they grow so densely that few weeds grow. 

Calla Lilies

Calla lilies have all kinds of curves - the spiral as the bud opens, a flaring trumpet around a tight yellow ovoid, gentle waves and curls. Was it serendipity that three of the places I went around Charleston showcased different colors of the flowers? 

The white was blooming at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens.

The pink was in Boone Hall Plantation’s garden.

The yellow was in a first floor window box in downtown Charleston.

Charleston in April

I visited Charleston SC at the end of this past April. Walking around the old downtown part of the city was quite a treat. I enjoyed the architecture of the churches and houses - 

• Majestic buildings on the aptly named ‘Church’ street,
• The early 1800s vintage Nathanial Russell House with ironwork above the front door like many of the buildings in the downtown area of Charleston and the plantation homes outside the city as well,
• The diverse and overflowing window-boxes that add color just about everywhere, and  
• The tile-clad coal burning fire places and colonial vintage kitchen of the Heyward-Washington House. 

The houses use every bit of ground not covered by building of sidewalk as garden area and the climate lends itself to a lushness that is quite appealing. It was an enjoyable and educational vacation destination.

On the Road

I have been on the road quite a lot the past few weeks. There were some long stretches where I was driving and kept myself focused on that activity rather than noticing too much of the scenery. This blog is about the times I was not driving and the road itself drew my attention.

There was an unpaved road of an oak allee. In the 1860s, the trees would not have been as massive but the road would have been like this - a white, sandy track near Charleston, South Carolina. I saw it on a tram tour. It is just a road to nowhere now since the plantation house is gone.

I posted about the Ravenel Bridge a few days ago. This picture shows the approach to the bridge and the graceful arc the bridge makes between the supports. The traffic moved at highway speeds the 10 or so times we crossed the bridge. Is the beauty and uniqueness of the bridge distracting enough to cause accidents? I didn’t see any but was glad I was not driving.

On foot in Charleston, we walked along tourist clogged sidewalks on Church Street. This was a place where being on foot was better than being in a car. The palm trees and window boxes added color to the brick and ironwork of the buildings. And sometimes the street pavement was cobblestones rather than asphalt!

The bridge and tunnel between Norfolk and Hampton, Virginia was another opportunity to photograph the road from a passenger seat. The choppy water under the bridge sometimes formed white foam against the pillars of the bridge. The tile in the tunnel reflected the red tail lights.

And now I am home again - for a little while.

Ravenel (New Cooper River) Bridge - Charleston, South Carolina

The Ravenel (New Cooper River) Bridge is between Mount Pleasant and Charleston, South Carolina. We drove across it at least 8 times while we were in the area a few weeks ago. It is a landmark from so many vantage points around Charleston!

I took pictures from Patriots Point - from the parking lot,

from deck of the USS Yorktown air craft carrier

and from the picnic area -

and the South Carolina Aquarium

and even Charles Towne Landing.

I was not driving so was able take pictures from the front passenger seat as we drove across. The slide show below are my favorites.