30. Apr, 2016

30. Apr, 2016

30. Apr, 2016

MONDAY 03-11-08 

Rosina popped in to Wal-Mart first thing this morning to check out buses as she’d spotted one passing at the bottom of the road earlier. Our luck was in – the staff will permit us to leave the RV parked here all day, allowing us to catch the number 17 bus to downtown Savannah for a fare of just $1 each. www.savannahvisit.com 

We arrived in town at around 09:45 with our first stop being the Visitor’s Center just by the bus stop. A very helpful member of staff marked a map with the places we were asking about, and as soon as I mentioned ‘Forrest Gump’ his pen put an asterisk on Chippewa Square where the scene with him sitting on a bench seat with a box of chocolates telling an elderly couple sat there with him "Mama said 'Life is like a box of chocolates - you never know what your gonna get", was filmed, so I suppose I wasn’t the first person ever to ask. 

We made our way there first and took a few photographs of the park, followed by Colonial Park Cemetery where, at the end of the Civil War a number of Union soldiers were camped awaiting orders to return north. It was winter time and in order to keep warm they opened up the vaults, lit fires in them and sheltered from the cold. As an act of mischief they also moved headstones around making it difficult for relatives to identify family graves as well as altering inscriptions. 

The city is made up of numerous squares many of which have parks in the middle planted with large mature trees. The problem with this is that much of the area was dark and shaded. I can imagine residents longing for autumn so that the leaves would fall and they could enjoy some bright sunshine. 

From there we wandered down towards the river area which was very nice. River Street itself reminded me of Cornish fishing villages but without the pasties. This for us was probably the nicest part of the city, we could imagine its cobbled quayside having horses and carts on it loading and unloading from sailing boats, and the trading and bartering which would have gone on at the wharfs. 

The day had started cloudy and had remained so, but there was also a cool breeze which went with it. We had planned to visit Savannah for two days but felt we could see all we wanted to in just one. It was charming though not as intimate as Charleston. It was nice, but not that nice, with lots of the usual touristy art galleries, restaurants and souvenir shops. 

We caught the 15:15 bus back to Wal-Mart which gives some indication of our feelings about Savannah. Luckily we were getting free accommodation thanks to Wal-Mart, lunch in town had cost just $10 and our evening meal was something hot and ready from the supermarket costing about another $10, washed down of course with lashings of wine, so it had been a fairly cheap day. 

Tomorrow is Presidential Election Day which should be interesting. Having endured the seemingly never ending Obama v Clinton contest back home it will be nice to be here for the climax. Who will win? My money’s on Obama for a landslide victory. This election will test many Americans prejudices which until now they may not have even realised they had. I think he offers something new and fresh and after 8 years of George Dubbya, Lord knows these people are looking for change. 

The final observation goes to an elderly lady, one half of a very nice couple we got chatting to back at the Peak of Otter Campground in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Her thinking was that McCain was old and would probably die in office which would mean that Sarah Palin, the Vice President would become President, and she was a woman, and as Margaret Thatcher was a woman and was good for us, Palin would be good for them........... Blue-rinse logic for you. Some people just shouldn't be allowed to vote. 

Tomorrow we make our way south to Florida trying to work out a schedule around the ‘Endeavour’ shuttle launch on 14th rather than the 10th which our plans were based on. Hopefully the sun will be shining there. 

LOCATION TONIGHT: Wal-Mart Super, 6000 Ogeechee Rd, Savannah, GA 31419.

30. Apr, 2016

30. Apr, 2016