Jens is encouraging me to write some of the blog entries – although I am quite happy to 
let him do the writing and me take the photos, which is what I am more comfortable with.
As a photographer, I am having an amazing week with all the wonderful sites we have seen this week – trying to capture all the beautiful colorful, historic homes, with their amazing flower window boxes and iron fences and gates. Yesterday, Jens and I went back to downtown 
Charleston and took one of the horse-drawn carriage tours. We had a delightful tour guide from West Virginia named Maggie. We rode in her 12-person carriage pulled by two mules, Uber and Lyft. I learned that a mule is the offspring of a male donkey and female horse – different than a 
hinny, which is the offspring of male horse and female donkey. Maggie told us the very fascinating history of Charleston. For example, Charleston’s homes display beautiful colorful flower baskets filled with fragrant flowers, and the reason, she explained, was that the fragrant flowers mask the otherwise not so pleasant odors that waft in from the streets when the windows are open during the hot summers. Not only are there beautiful window boxes, but the Jasmine is in bloom everywhere and smells amazing. Practical and beautiful! As we finished our tour, Maggie serenaded us with her beautiful voice and a stanza of “Amazing Grace.”
The other fun thing for me as a photographer has been to capture some of the wildlife – no not the possum, snake or armadillo we ran over with our bikes. Wednesday, we visited Charles Towne Landing – where a group of English settlers landed in 1670 and established what would become the birthplace of the Carolina colony. While we strolled through the beautiful groves of huge oak trees, we watched an alligator swim across one of the ponds. I had never seen an alligator in the wild. So exciting!! To top that off, we saw several more alligators at Cypress Gardens as we toured by boat through the cypress trees which have grown tall in the swamp.
We also took a harbor tour out to Fort Sumter, where I learned that the Civil War was ignited – the slave owners in the South were fearful of the change coming from the newly elected President Lincoln – who was not even on the ballot in the south. Besides the tour of the fort, we watched several large container ships sail into the harbor.
It has been a very fascinating and beautiful week – I am looking forward to many more adventures as we begin crossing this wonderful country of ours.
Shelly
Wow!! Your gator shot is wonderful Shel. I’m excited to see the US through your lense.
Sounds like a wonderful trip so far and its just the beginning!
I still cannot believe that I got sick this week and had to cancel getting together for dinner! I think I jinxed myself when we were talking the night before! I would never have taken the chance of getting one of you 2 sick!! I’m so excited to share in your GREAT adventure! Safe travels to you both!!
Thank you – this time let’s not make it 40 years before we talk again – I hope you are feeling better.
Jens n Shelly, love the posts and the photos! Keeping you in my thoughts n prayers for safe travel and abundant adventures!
I love these descriptions of where you are and who you meet. You did a great commercial for Charleston. Their tourism department will undoubtedly thank you! Safe travels.
I have already learned so much from your post Shelly!!
The mules/donkeys and the window flower boxes……I had no clue.
Thanks for sharing your travels. Looking forward to the next post.