Charleston

Visiting: Kelly – a friend from CCS Costa Rica

Thursday – Since the journey from Pittsburgh to Charleston is approximately 10 hours, I decided it best to split up the drive as opposed to making it all in one trip. My friend Johnny lives in Roanoke, Virginia, and was kind enough to let me stay with him on Thursday night. He, his girlfriend, and I had dinner at Cheddar’s, and then spent the rest of the evening playing old-school Mario Kart. Talk about bringing out the inner kid in yourself. :)

Friday – Spent the morning in Roanoke with Johnny. He showed me around the local grocery store, pointing out little things here and there that were “different than in PA”. We grabbed some lunch at Macado’s – a restaurant that reminded me very much of Friday’s. Chicken quesadillas for me, a burger for him. I left Roanoke around 1:00 and drove south to Charleston. Thanks to traffic around Raleigh, I didn’t get in until about 8. Quickly changed, met Kelly’s roommate, Jen, and was immediately handed a glass of white wine. Brian (Kelly’s bf) and Robin (Brian’s roommate—a German kid) showed up a few minutes later, beer in hand. We girls shared the rest of the wine while the boys drank their Shock Top. We then headed to a Reggae Fest in the park, where people of all different ages were gathered to enjoy the music. The concert took place in a big, open field…with the stage up front, food & beer tents lining the back, and crowds of people settled onto blankets and lawn chairs in between. Luckily, some of Kel’s friends/coworkers were already there, and we were able to find ourselves a spot close to them. Us girls then set off in search of something to drink, and while in line for beer, saw a kid behind us wearing an Imperial shirt! He was tall with shaggy blonde hair – the exact image of a surfer dude. I guess it only makes sense, then, that he was sporting a Costa Rica tee. Of course, Kel and I got pictures with him. Spent the evening chatting with new friends, listening to the music, and dancing through the crowds. I even found myself making out with Robin at one point – my first German! Quite an embarrassing story, actually – the cops eventually came over to us and said “Ok lovebirds, time to get a move on.” Insert pink cheeks here.

After the concert, our little group then headed to a bar called The Roost, located close by in Avondale, right next to the fire department. They were super crowded – like to the point where you just hafta shove people out of your way to get through – and had a shitty band playing some current pop song. I ordered my fair share of whiskey and waters. We

danced and I totally checked out a hot guy from across the bar. No such luck. Once it got to be too late for us to handle, we paid our bills and headed on home.

Saturday – Well hello, hangover. Kel and I made omelets for breakfast, while she kept telling me how much a champ I was for drinking all that whiskey. The food helped to settle my stomach, and I was just beginning to think that I’d be alright .... untillll we got outside. Oh, the heat did not help that hangover one. bit. Kel and I spent the morning at the farmer’s market, and I definitely thought I was going to die. Bought water. Chugged water. Sat in the grass with Jen & her friend – again, trying so hard not to die. Though we had talked about checking out the Central Market that morning, Kel and I decided to skip it, opting for the beach instead. We drove over to Sullivan’s Island and met up with Will, a friend of Kel’s. He was part of a large group of people hanging out on the beach, though the only person we met was Patrick. Patrick, with beautiful blue eyes and a scruffy beard. Also, from Portland, Maine. I could handle that.

With the sun beating down, the four of us decided to make a break for the water. And oh, was it beautiful. Like swimming in

bathwater. We bobbed around for a bit, letting the waves crash over us and chatting about totally random things (Vaguely remember something about dolphin sex?). The water was so refreshing that my body forgot for the time being that it was supposed to be hungover. We then headed back to our towels to dry off, though that only lasted about 10 minutes before the boys announced that they were going into town to find food. Considering my state, I decided that it might not be a bad idea to get some food into my belly, and so Kelly and I said that we would join them. Home Town BBQ was the name of the place, and it was packed. We were lucky enough to snag a table just outside the front door from a group that was leaving. Though the weather was beautiful, the heat and crowdedness of the place were still not helping the dying feeling that my body was going through. Bummer. The boys ordered “Game Changers” – a smoothie/rum concoction that we saw everyone drinking – while Kel and I had water. We also ordered chicken nachos to share, and I think I had one bite before I felt it coming back up. Yeah, I was a disgusting mess. Which is a shame because Will and Pat are super cool, and despite feeling like shit (on my end), we were really getting along well.

At the end of the meal, we went our separate ways, but promised the boys that we would go out with them later on that night. I was determined to, no matter how I felt. Once we got back to the apartment, Kel changed into her bathing suit and headed for the pool. While walking out the door with her phone, she told me that the boys wanted to come over for an afternoon swim. My plan had been to shower and nap my hangover away, but let’s just say this – it’s amazing what throwing up can do for ya. I did still shower, yes – and after getting dressed, headed downstairs to join my friends.

We met an interesting guy named Alex, who was hanging out in one of the lounge chairs, waiting for his nephew. He was a broad guy about our age, with dark hair and a cigarette in hand. He told me that he didn’t actually live in the complex, but that the back gate was broken – and therefore, open to anyone who knew that it was there. Well okay then. He talked to us about working in New England as a cars salesman, being a twin, losing weight (something Will and I know all about!), and coming clean outta rehab. Though we never actually saw his sister and nephew turn up, they must have because he later bid us farewell and left out the back door. Will, Pat, Kelly, and I then spent the rest of the afternoon chilling in (or, in my case, on the ledge of) the pool – stealing rafts from young children (cough*cough*Kelly*cough*cough) and discussing our plans for the rest of the evening. The boys were heading to a house party, which they invited us to – but Kel and I weren’t too sure about being a part of that.

She and I ended up at Craft Conundrum – a small, local brewery that was celebrating their 1 year anniversary with music, games, and cake. Brian and some other friends of theirs were around, as well. Though I was certainly feeling better than I had been all day, I ordered myself a mild cider, just to be safe. Also, I was driving. We had fun for a good while, listening to the music and playing “Cards Against Humanity” with the others. At some point, Will texted Kelly that their party was lame, and so we started making plans to meet up with him and Pat. After saying our goodbyes to people at CC, we drove into town to an area that reminded me very much of South Side. Lots of people, lots of bars & clubs. With the help of Will on the phone, we were able to find him (Pat had already headed to another place with some other friends) in the madness of bar-crawlers. He hopped into my back seat and pointed us in the direction of the nearest parking garage. I almost ran over some bastard in the crosswalk who was moving WAY too slow – considering that those of us in the car were turning in front of some fast-moving traffic. Swear to God, he even turned to stare at me, as if he clearly knew that he was in my way. Which made me yell even more. Will said I was gonna get myself arrested. Welp, that’s northern road rage for ya.

After finally getting ourselves parked, the three of us walked down the street past a few places, until we ended up in a local dive bar called Aces(? I believe.). Spotted Pat and his friends across the bar. Ordered myself a Yuengling, loving the fact that you can get it in the south! After the bartender handed me my beer, I went and stood next to Pat, who, at this point, had not spotted us yet. At least, neither Kelly nor I. He and Will are pretty tall, whereas Kelly and I are not. He turned to Will and

went, “Where are the girls?!” before looking down and realizing that I was literally standing right next to him. We laughed and hugged and took some selfies. Also witnessed some drunk dumbasses dancing on the table before getting yelled at by security. Lots of people around. Definitely a dive bar. I’m definitely getting old. At some point, someone announced that they were hungry, and the rest of us agreed. Hell, I’m always hungry. We finished our drinks and went in search of food. Ended up at a fairly quiet restaurant/bar a few blocks down, where we ordered breakfast at 1am. That’s the best time for it, right? Pat and Kelly also ordered Moscow Mules, while Will had a whiskey sour. I tell you, the four of us must have the most interesting conversations ever when we’re together. I don’t know how we got there, but we somehow ended up on the topic of drugs (which is odd, because it’s not like any of us are druggies)…with Will pulling out a dollar bill and showing us the proper technique of snorting pepper. Except that he didn’t, actually – because that would fucking hurt. Somehow that conversation then turned into butt sex…and really, I have no idea. It was awkward and hilarious all at the same time. The boys were pretty hell-bent on assuring us that butt sex is something that people actually enjoy doing…but Kelly and I, for the life of us, could not figure it out. Oh, we laughed so hard that night. When our food arrived, it was obvious right off the bat that my bacon/egg/cheese sandwich was, in fact, missing the bacon. How does that even happen?! After Will charmingly (because that’s what he is – charming) let the waitress know, she brought us out an entire plate full of the meat. Ok, then…I’ll take it. So we sat, ate bacon, and chatted about random things until they kicked out us. Dropped the boys back off at their house party, said our goodbyes, and headed home to bed.

Sunday – Per Jen’s suggestion, Kelly and I got brunch at Saffron – a cute little restaurant / bakery in town. French toast with fruit for me; an omelet and hash browns for Kel. After brunch, we headed to the market in search of a bracelet for me. The Central Market in Charleston is a long, covered stretch of sidewalk that runs perpendicular to the main street, and people just line up one either side with tables full of their goods to sell. Half of the market is air-conditioned; the other half is not. While most Southerners are accustomed to the super heat, us two Northern girls were quite happy to get into the A/C portion of the fair and never leave. Though we saw lots of cool things – artwork, t-shirts, Southern hats, hand-woven baskets that cost $150 a piece – I had no luck in the jewelry department. I did, however, buy myself a wooden, sand dollar-shaped ornament that says Charleston on it. I currently have it hanging on my wall, but when Christmas gets here, it will be at the center of my tree. :)

Every second Sunday of the month, King Street (lined with major stores and little shops) hosts a festival-type

event in which they close off the entire street for a couple of hours, and every store has their own type of sale going on. They open their doors and bring tents out onto the sidewalks to try and lure people inside. Kel even won a prize – a Charleston postcard, woohoo! – at the Candle Shop just by answering one of their trivia questions correctly. Though we ventured into a bunch of different shops, we didn’t buy much. Second Sunday is also an opportunity for local musicians to come out and play – quite literally. We saw a bunch of different ensembles performing along the street, and even stopped at one point to watch a group of young adults sing and dance along. Only in the south. :) I finally found myself a Lokai bracelet (something I had never seen before but have since then been told is becoming very popular) in one of the more retro stores, and although it was a bit more expensive than I wanted, the concept of the water and dirt is pretty cool.

Kel and I then walked back to the car, passing by the pineapple fountain. I don’t know if it’s really a Charleston staple or not, but basically – it’s a fountain that’s shaped like a pineapple. Oh, and I also got myself some delicious chocolate hazelnut gelato. Yum. We made crockpot chicken tacos for dinner with Jen, and spent the night relaxing, packing (on my part), and getting ready for Monday.

Monday – Savannah was not originally on my list of places to visit. My mom and sister had been there once before, years ago, to visit the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace with Girl Scouts; however, that was a trip I missed due to Band Camp. Everyone says that Savannah is gorgeous – a “must see” if you get the chance. Initially, I had planned on driving straight home from South Carolina to get back for work – but when my supervisor texted me to say that she didn’t have any hours to spare, I was in less of a hurry to get myself back to Cranberry. Savannah is only two hours south of Charleston, and considering that I had a car – it seemed silly not to make the extra trip. I made myself a hotel reservation last minute, and set out south on Monday morning, instead of north. Before leaving, Charleston, however, I made a quick stop to see the Angel Oak – considered by some to be “the God of all Oak Trees.” Though there’s some speculation of its actual age, the estimate is somewhere between 500 and 600 years old. Standing at a height of 65 feet, the Angel Oak covers an area of 17,200 square feet. (Thank you, angeloaktree.com.) But enough of what the internet can tell you – here’s what I can tell

you. The Angel Oak is majestic. It has branches stretching out in every direction, hanging in the air above your head while also weaving down along the ground at your feet. And the branches are thick – so much so that you could walk across them like a balance beam if you wanted. Which you can’t, because there are signs all over the place that read “DO NOT CLIMB ON TREE”. I took lots of photos – though as I’ve come to find with many of my other adventures, pictures do not do enough justice. Once I felt that I had seen my share of the tree, and once the bug attacks started getting on my nerves, I climbed back into my little red Cobalt and continued on my way to Georgia.