The
blog is written after I return to my room and 83 photos are imported into the
computer. It takes some time to figure out how to get them to import into the
Dropbox cloud and not onto the hard drive, but I think the photos ended up in
both. It’s slowing this computer down. I edit a few of the photos and put them
on Facebook, respond to a couple of emails then it is time to head off to an
adventure.
Josh
is at the front desk. I remember him from the 2013 trip. He remembers me from
my walking stick and says he’s the driver today and says it’ll be about 15
minutes and he’ll come get me in the waiting area of the lobby. There I talk
with an elderly woman on her way to the hospital.
The
Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) is a huge place and people come
from miles around. The VA Hospital is also nearby. Many people needing
outpatient care and families of those with serious issues often stay at the
hotel and make use of the free shuttle service.
The
first stop is the hospital where the older lady gets out. Another lady is
picked up. At the next stop, the other passengers get out. Josh talks to
everyone by first name. This southern hospitality is refreshing and after a
short ride, strangers have learned something of one another and we depart with
a feeling of camaraderie.
Josh
drops me off at a stop and points out land marks so I can find my way back to
the pick-up place. I head off down the street toward the carriage vendors.
Almost everyone passing smiles and says hello. I approach the Palmetto Tours
ticket booth as Josh had given me a discount coupon. The guy says the next tour
is at 1 p.m. It’s just before noon. I don’t want to wait an hour and I
certainly don’t want to shop and have to be carrying anything on the tour.
I
cross the street and seek out the carriage company I traveled with in 2013.
There are a few people waiting and I recognize the driver from before, Janice.
They honor the competitor’s discount coupon. I chat with the ticket lady and
Janice and take pictures. I take the front seat and a woman with a 3-year-old
daughter sit behind me. (Oh, great, now I have to listen to a kid!)
Soon
we are off. Janet stands up and alternates between guiding Ralph, the big
French Percheron, and facing the passengers to explain how the tours work. The
horses wear special rubber shoes while working. They also have normal shoes,
but the rubber shoes, which look to be an inch thick, help protect the “boys’ ”
(this company only has male horses) hooves and joints from the hard surface of
the streets. The rubber shoes are removed when the horse is off duty. All the
horses get breaks between tours.
There
are five carriage tour companies and the city devised a plan to regulate the
tours so there isn’t overcrowding of any particular area or route. Most of
these streets also get heavy vehicle traffic and everyone needs to work
together.
So,
around the corner, at another corner, is a little ticket house with a bingo
machine. The ball that pops up designates the route for that carriage. There
are no choices. You get what comes up. That means, should you take another
carriage ride, it is possible to get the same route. This system divides the
city into three zones, keeps the carriage companies from bunching up in one
area, and only 20 carriages are allowed out at a time. Each driver must provide
their name and license number, the tour company, and horse’s name to the
attendant every time they go out. The carriages also carry little weighted
flags and although the horse wears a diaper, if he urinates, the driver drops a
flag and calls in “Radiator leak on” such and such a street and a cleanup
company goes out to take care of it.
I
couldn’t remember the 2013 route, but not long into this trip, I realize that
it is the same. No big deal because it is still enjoyable. Janice explains the old
city layout and her stories often have a humorous side. I alternate between
taking notes and snapping photos. Sometimes I just hold the camera up and snap
away. It’s not easy to manipulate camera, notebook, and pen as the carriage
jerks along.
There
are aspects of the city that are beautiful. The little courtyards between
homes, some with fancy gates and fences and various vegetation, are gorgeous.
Many of the homes look skinny. They are called a Charleston Single House which
means they are one room across with porches on either side depending on which
way the wind blows. (Allowing the breezes to cool the porches and flow through
the house through open windows and doors are important during the hot summers.)
The first floor is usually two windows and a door across and three windows across
on the upper floors. Some are painted pretty colors, but all must follow
particular guidelines.
This
has to do with the 75 Year Rule which dictates that any place 75 years or older
cannot be taken down or changed on the outside and nothing can be built higher
than the church steeples. Of course, there have been exceptions here and there.
Anything can be done on the inside, however.
A
favorite sign read: Please block driveway. Tow truck drivers like your
business.
The
tour was enjoyable and for a bit, we followed the Ashley River which is
beautiful. By the end of the tour, the sun had gone behind heavy clouds and it was
cold. I was glad I’d worn a sweater and coat and had a blanket over my lap.
Janice chatted about writing with me for a few minutes after everyone else left
then I headed off to check out the market.
The
market is a row of long brick building open on both ends where artisans set up
to sell their wares. Some are regulars with the same spots and others are come
as they may. I pick up a couple of things for Karen and Evan as a thank you for
taking care of Pele and watching the house for me. For myself, I buy a pair of
purple leather with fur trim fingerless gloves. (I couldn’t resist the purple.)
Many of the vendors are sweet grass basket weavers, but there are also jewelry
counters, scarves and fiber arts, food, photos, wood turning, and more.
I
arrive at the pick-up point at 1:50 p.m. I couldn’t quite remember when Josh
said he’d be back. I must have just missed him. I don’t dare leave in case he
comes. I stand there well over an hour as people come and go on school buses
and trolleys. My back and feet hurt so horribly!
The shuttle finally shows up at 3:45 and the
driver isn’t Josh. The woman is at first grumpy due to her other clients making
her late. After awhile she warms up to me and we have a nice chat. We stop at
the MUSC and pick up the woman whom I’d talked to earlier.
I am
hungry and quickly drop coat and sweater in the room and head up to happy hour.
I get out notebook and pens. Derek brings over a mai tai and I get out notebook
and pens. Soon two elderly gents arrive and sit at the table behind me. The
clouds over the city are amazing and I take quite a few pictures. Comments are
made about where it might be raining.
“Look at the rainbow!” Meckie comes running
over. I grab the camera again and get up to get different angles.
“It’s
a double rainbow on the left,” someone else calls out. The rainbows disappear
into the cloud cover, but what we can see of them is beautiful and they stretch
from near the southern tip of the peninsula to past the bridge over the Ashley
River.
I
end up turning around and chatting with the two older gentlemen behind me. They
tell me about the city and point out landmarks. We have the best conversation!
It’s
time for dinner so I move a few tables down to the restaurant side. Nicole is
the waitress. I order the special of roast beef, garlic mashed potato and green
beans. It’s delicious. She also works the front desk in the lobby. I’m her only
customer so we chat for quite awhile. She explains that although this is a
Holiday Inn, it is independently owned and not part of the chain. It’s
interesting hearing about the hotel industry and how they have a lot of guests
who have appointments at the MUSC or VA Hospitals or have family hospitalized
there.
It’s
surprising to hear that many of the guests never venture up to the restaurant.
What a shame. Even if someone doesn’t want to enjoy a meal, the views are so
amazing and can lend some comfort for those going through a stressful time.
The
evening was so enjoyable. This was the happiest day of travel, yet! The people
on this journey have been so friendly and I couldn’t be happier.
The
meal finished, I head back to the room. My back is aching. I check in back home
and watch a couple of home shows on TV before crawling into bed.
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