heading to Charleston

just a quick stop at our favorite one-night-stand:  South of the Border.  It's so tacky you can't help but laugh - and the campground is actually very nice!  what a surprise.

This was the perfect preparation for a visit to the elegant and genteel City of Charleston.

Can't believe that we've skipped over this stop on every trip to South Carolina (we get caught in the fabulous beach and go NOWHERE!).  This time we planned time to explore Charleston at leisure - and have loved our visit so far.   It is really a beautiful city with so much to see

 Loved this old, moldy cemetery   -

 and "rainbow row" of fancy painted in-town homes.

and the ever-present Palmetto palm does lend
a feeling of the tropics.  The weather has been
perfect....

As we walked we noticed that the houses started getting LARGER as we walked toward The Battery.

One house was more amazing then the next!

 There were "construction" permits everywhere -
pity the poor homeowner who has to perpetually maintain these mammoth homes!  It has to be endless!



Local realty offices had lots of homes to offer in the $1M to $9M range.

Probably not a likely match for us!  Especially since Fred has sworn off all renovations!

We left the Battery and wandered through the
 French Quarter  - smaller homes, but still amazing!


The city is famous for its wrought iron work - much of it is very old, and hand forged - and it's everywhere.

 Tiny courtyards - beautifully landscaped -  yards that run from one house right up to the wall of the next.


This is  a   "single" - with a door on the street, that
 opens onto a small foyer area and the classic southern side porch.  It's a style repeated over and over - in all sizes -  modest to massive.  The door looks like a normal "house" door, except there's no "house" behind it - just porch.

The Dash Trolley was a great way to hop around town - best of all it's free!


And in our travels we stumbled across "Hank's"  -  and couldn't resist taking this photo to share with our Portland / camping friends who love Charleston and seafood.... Hank & Cheryl!

And, there's lots more to explore!  I'll be back soon