My Traveling Buddy

I haven't written much of a trip report of Savannah, but I can't just skip over the rest of my trip without mentioning how much fun it was to have my friend Kristy come along with me.

Long story short, she was stuck with a ticket to Georgia that she needed to use, and since I was already coming for the wedding alone, we had the idea for her to join me.

As it turned out, it was a brilliant plan, because we both had way more fun than we would have alone, and we got to bum around Savannah together, and she went to the wedding with me (thank you Jenny!).

We rented a suite with a couple from Wyoming who were friends of the groom, and all of us were in a larger house built in 1789, and aside from the tilted floors, you wouldn't know you were in an ancient home just because of the comforts.

Plus, there was a full kitchen where we could stock up on the requisite coffee and a few beers for the fridge. Our trip to the grocery store rendered our first of several meetings with the locals, who offered us their discount card because we didn't have one for the grocery chain we were in. The gentleman then asked where we were from and in that slower-than usual easily spoken charm that only Georgians can muster, said "Welcome to Savannah, ma'am."

On Friday when we walked around town a bunch, we headed towards Forsyth Park, the largest park in Savannah, where we saw another bride getting her pictures done, and then a bunch of ladies asked Kristy to take their picture. We toured the Andrew Lowe house (where Robert E. Lee stayed for a couple of months while he was ill), and saw some stunning cathedrals.

Saturday was the wedding, along with a cruise on the Savannah River. Afterwards some of the friends/family that rented the house with us hung out on the back porch and talked late into the wee hours.

Sunday, Kristi and I went to the coast, where the weather had turned into a cold rainy day. We ditched Tybee Island after a quick trip to the water's edge and back (I put my hand in the Atlantic so I can say I touched it). We figured if we want a cold, wet, rainy day at the coast, we can do that anytime in Washington in Oregon.
We decided instead to head up to Macon to the Hay House, one of the few surviving Antebellum (pre-Civil War era) homes that are open to the public. About two hours Northwest of Savannah on the way to Atlanta, we drove through (sorry Georgians) some of the most boring scenery on the planet to Macon, which thankfully had some hills to it so we could actually see something besides: "Look! More trees!"

The Hay House (pictured here) was one of THE most spectacular homes I've seen in the United States certainly. It's palacial space (7 floors from basement to sun turret thing on top) was in the tens of thousands of square feet. While they are working on the home, much of it remains right down to the dents in the oak floors in the ballroom where all the ladies of the era danced.
Between the beautiful parks with all their fountains, statues and places for people to relax, and the gracious mansions, and wonderful hospitality, we had a beautiful visit, a great time hanging out, and pulled a few stunts that created a few stories only Kristy and I will be able to wink-wink about later.

Suffice to say, no one was arrested, and what happens in Savannah, stays in Savannah.

At least that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.