Weekend in Savannah

SAVANNAH

Only 20 days before we board the Norwegian Jade bound for the UK.  We need to start packing.  However, we chose to take a weekend trip to Savannah, GA primarily for a the Stampin' Up! Onstage Local event at the Savannah International Visitors and Trade Center.

Terry, Kay, and Kathy met Cindy, Danetta, and Leanne at the convention center and had a fantastic day seeing the new products, making cards and winning prize patrols.

Friday night, our friends, Jeff and Kathy Bishop, Chuck and I met Ron and Kay Barker in Darien for the Blessing of the Fleet 2017 weekend celebration.

 Kay's niece, Teresa Lathem had a hand crafted jewelry booth at the festival.  I got a beautiful dragonfly necklace that she made from an old spoon.
 Teresa is truly an artist!  We also ate coconut shrimp and alligator tail on a stick.  

Chuck bought carpenter bee traps from Tony Gonzalez (tonygonz88@att.net). Tony, UH1 helicopter pilot, Vietnam. Thanks, Tony.

The evening ended listening and moving to the beat of the Swinging Medallions.

 We would have stayed longer, but Onstage Savannah began early Saturday morning.

After Onstage, Kathy, Jeff, Chuck and I stopped for a lovely dinner at Love's Seafood Restaurant.

 The restaurant sits on the banks of the Ogeechee River and features freshly caught fish.  We weren't sure that we would be able to eat there because a wedding was taking place, but we we were able to eat outside on the deck and enjoy the gorgeous weather and good food.  I had the shrimp and grits and Chuck had the all-you-can-eat catfish with all the fixings.  He stopped at five pieces of catfish.  All this delicious food for $36 plus tip.  While were were eating, we noticed a wedding taking place along the Ogeechee behind the restaurant. While the wedding party was having photographs taken, 3 vultures landed in the dead moss-covered tree above the loving couple. We didn't manage to get a photo of those ominous onlookers.  We hope that those vultures were not a sign of things to come.

Sunday morning, Jeff and Kathy headed home while Chuck and I decided to go into Savannah.  I neglected to mention that while the ladies were attending Onstage, the guys took in the sights in Savannah.  The took the Old Savannah Tour and enjoyed their day immensely.  Chuck and I took the same tour.  It was so interesting and informative.  The weather was perfect.  There is so much to see and do in Savannah and the city is beautiful with many tree covered parks and squares.  SCAD, Savannah College or Art and Design, is located in Savannah and has a student population of 12,000.  Savannah is also home to the second largest port on the east coast and employs 36,000 people.

 Juliet Gordon Low founded the Girl Scouts in Savannah.

 Also, a fact that we found very interesting was that John and Charles Wesley were invited to come to Savannah by James Oglethorpe. John Wesley was the minister in the Anglican Church established by Oglethorpe for the new colony, but wasn't very successful and returned to England after 2 years.  He and his brother, Charles, later founded the Methodist Church.

We also learned that General Nathaniel Greene, second in command to George Washington, was awarded a plantation along the Savannah River for his loyalty.  His wife, however, did not want their children to be educated in Savannah.  She wanted the children to have a "northern" education.  After General Greene's death, she and the children returned to Savannah and brought along a tutor for the children.  This tutor observed how the process for harvesting cotton was tedious and nonproductive.  He designed and built the cotton gin.  That tutor's name was Eli Whitney.

Old Savannah Tours is definitely valuable fodder for trivia.

 I just hope that Jim has some questions about Savannah this week.  We just might know the answers. One of the other great things that Old Savannah Tours has are the historical characters that board the bus at various locations and give a personal history of the city. This was a great tour, with knowledgeable guides and lots of fun. We give it 2 thumbs up.

We finished our day in Savannah with lunch at Paula Deen's restaurant The Lady and Sons.

Lots and lots of delicious butter in and on everything.  I had the crab cake with asparagus, fried collard greens, and couscous.

 Chuck had the buffet with fried chicken, BBQ pork and chicken, black-eyed peas, sweet potatoes, and mac and cheese.

 We shared a piece of key lime pie for dessert. Now it's time to head home.