“South Carolina is too small for a republic and too large for an insane asylum.” – James Petigru.
After due process (and good amount of dragging our heels) Someone and I decided not to do our usual summer holiday trip to Canada. We enjoy Canada; I feel bad not to see the shows and our chums. I’ve been more aware lately how the years are going by more quick than ever yet my bucket list remains almost untouched. So – this summer we will do something about it. We will do something new and adventuresome. We are going to the faraway Kingdom of South Carolina. This trip has several exciting elements:
1- Like a lot of Americans I have the goal of ‘visiting every state”. I don’t have many left; maybe 5-6. South Carolina is one of them. I can check it off the list.
2 – I will visit a tea plantation. Yes, you read that right. I’ve longed to see one but traveling to India or China to see a proper tea garden is costly and time consuming. It turns out there is an actual one in South Carolina. I don’t know if it is ‘proper’ or any good, but it is a tea plantation. Later in life, lord willing, I may see another and compare them.
3 – Fort Sumpter. I am crackers for history, and Fort Sumpter is where the American civil war commenced. I just hope the surrounding natives aren’t too disagreeable about two Midwesterners (and gay ones at that ) showing up to see the sights, particularly one with some knowledge of history. Do I hold my tongue if I hear something wrong and outrageous?
but best of all:
4- I wont’ have any expectations. This is more noteworthy than it sounds. Nearly every one of my holidays is carefully researched ahead of time and the itinerary is pre-arranged, often to great detail. (I am mostly Swiss-German; I daresay it is in the blood). This trip will be a bit impromptu. I also don’t plan on making it jam-packed; I hope it is rather leisurely. Oh, I will do some research of course. I bet Charlestown and Savannah have local distilleries. Isn’t this the place for moonshine?
Local tea and bourbon and lots of seafood – it all sounds good to me.
Spo-fans are invited and encouraged to leave in the comment section any suggestions and tips.
37 comments
June 23, 2017 at 12:38 AM
mitchellismoving
Haven’t been to South Carolina since the ’70s.
June 23, 2017 at 8:18 AM
Urspo
I wonder if they still wear bell-bottoms there
June 23, 2017 at 3:37 AM
anne marie in philly
my friends bob and carlos live in SC; bob writes the blog “I should be laughing”. check out his blog!
June 23, 2017 at 8:18 AM
Urspo
yes I will go have a look-see
June 23, 2017 at 3:43 AM
JR~
Check out the Brookgreen Gardens
June 23, 2017 at 8:18 AM
Urspo
thank you for the tip!
June 23, 2017 at 4:28 AM
Freckles
The palm tree and crescent moon is very reminiscent of Saudi Arabia.
June 23, 2017 at 8:19 AM
Urspo
I haven’t starting researching the history of the land. “what’s the story behind the flag” is one of my curiosties
June 23, 2017 at 4:42 AM
David
Take a horse drawn tour in Charleston, relax and enjoy. It can be hard to tell a southern gentleman from a gay gentlemen, you will encounter at least a few of both in Charleston and or Savannah. It takes longer to drive from Charleston to Savannah than you think it will. I have had some wonderful getaways in Savannah over the years.
June 23, 2017 at 8:19 AM
Urspo
Aye sir; we are going to both towns for a look-see.
June 23, 2017 at 4:49 AM
Steven
Check out Myrtle Beach and while in Charleston, check out the City Market along with all of the history Charleston offers. Wait until you see all of the roadside stands throughout SC where people are selling woven sweetgrass baskets.
June 23, 2017 at 8:20 AM
Urspo
I shall !
June 23, 2017 at 12:24 PM
JR~
RE: woven sweetgrass baskets: YES!
June 23, 2017 at 5:45 AM
Ron
Visit Greenville. You’ll be amazed with what they did to the old mill in downtown, rapids running right through a huge park right in the center of this very cosmopolitan town. While you’re there say “Hi!” To my youngest brother John who is the care pastor at the Calvary Baptist Church. He has all my good aspects and none of the bad. He’s also very big 6’6″, hard to miss.
June 23, 2017 at 8:20 AM
Urspo
Apparently the Tiptons are all well over four feet.
June 23, 2017 at 6:33 AM
Willym
We are going to miss you guys but it’s a big wide wonderful world out there with so many places to go, people to say hi to, and things to see. Oh god I’m sounding soooo Walt Disney. Have an incredible trip and I want – nay I demand – lots of Spo-Reflections on what you do and what you see.
Big hugs.
June 23, 2017 at 8:21 AM
Urspo
SC sounds a bit ‘Disney” to me so far.
I vow to get to PEI again
June 23, 2017 at 6:50 AM
sluggy
Bless Yer Heart, going to SC in August. The weather will be a bit like home for you but a WET heat. lolz Moonshine is more a mountain area thing, TN, VA, WV though they do have their 1st legal moonshine distillery in Anderson SC.
If in Columbia go here….http://www.bourboncolumbia.com/#welcome ….for bourbon.
See the Angel Tree on John’s Island, God’s Acre in Blackville, near Gaffney go see the Peach water tower, the historic Huguenot Church in Charleston.
Check out Castle Pinckney nearby if you do Fort Sumter.
Go tour the Sea Islands, read some Pat Conroy and have a shrimp burger in St. Helena.
I hear this place https://hopsewee.com/ has a real nice Full Afternoon Southern Tea and you can tour the plantation house too(former historic rice plantation). Since you like working with your hands you can take a sweetgrass basket weaving lesson there too on Thursdays.
Most of the above is on my list when I get back to SC, but it won’t be in the Summer heat. 😉
I’d say to also eat some low country food(lots of shrimp)and make sure to have a pimento cheese sandwich of some sort.
Avoid Myrtle Beach at all costs unless you like tacky and too many tourists.
Have a great time and start practicing your “y’all” now. 😉
June 23, 2017 at 8:22 AM
Urspo
Bless your heart for such a detailed response! It is always a pleasure to hear from you. Other than Bless your heart I have no intention of developing an ersatz Southern twang.
June 23, 2017 at 7:11 AM
mcpersonalspace54
South Carolina is a unique state. Make sure you visit Charleston, it is a great city. And the weather…it will be humid!
June 23, 2017 at 8:53 AM
Urspo
My main reservation is the humidity. Here is AZ we get chest pains and wither like limp rags when humidity gets over 10%…..
June 23, 2017 at 9:42 AM
itsmyhusbandandme
I can’t help with South Carolina only South London.
JP
June 23, 2017 at 9:45 AM
Urspo
Oh to see South London! Someday someday ! Not only for the sights but to meet you two remarkable fellows.
June 23, 2017 at 1:54 PM
Calvin
Word of advice to the advice Dr.. It’s “The War of Northern Aggression” while in the South,especially with the Jr. League Ladies who run all of Charleston. While a lovely city visually, I found the natives very snobby and off putting, Bless their hearts. The food was fab and visit Ben Silver for proper Men’s clothing at appropriate prices. The horse tour is worth doing..
June 24, 2017 at 5:43 AM
Urspo
Ben Silver! I used to buy out a catalog of theirs. thanks for the tip.
June 23, 2017 at 3:31 PM
truthspew
One thing I strongly dislike about the southern U.S. is that it’s largely flat as all hell. I like the hills of New England.
June 24, 2017 at 5:42 AM
Urspo
flat will feel odd, yes; humidity will feel bad.
June 24, 2017 at 7:53 AM
CHARLES THOMAS
There are a lot of great things to see in Charleston, and the food is also very very good. There is a distillery near the tea plantation, and also a wonderful historic tree (the Angel Oak).
June 24, 2017 at 8:08 AM
Urspo
Is this THE Charles Thomas the famous cellist and childhood pal?
June 24, 2017 at 7:57 AM
Old Lurker
I would be afraid to visit the Carolinas (but I would be afraid to visit Arizona too). It is nice that you are changing things up, but Canada will miss you.
June 24, 2017 at 8:08 AM
Urspo
I will miss Canada too – next time! I have some mild trepidation to see SC but probably only because it is ‘a new and strange land’ for me.
June 27, 2017 at 12:56 PM
kwjoe
If you go to Savannah, check out this distillery https://ghostcoastdistillery.com/
July 3, 2017 at 9:30 AM
Urspo
I thank you very much for this link! and for stopping by and commenting.
July 3, 2017 at 9:21 AM
Charlotte Keys
I don’t think you will enjoy the weather on the coast that time of year. It’s very hot and humid. Don’t mean to be a downer! I grew up in NW S. Carolina and love the coast. I’d give Myrtle Beach a miss, but Brookgreen Gardens, beautiful beaches, Charleston make up for a lot. The flag: crescent & colors are based on Revolutionary war uniforms of local troops; the palmetto for the palmetto logs that stopped British cannon fire at Ft. Sumter. I think it’s one of the loveliest flags out there, though I left the state 40 years ago!
July 3, 2017 at 9:30 AM
Urspo
lol
thank you for the tips
“the humidity” seems to be the primary matter but I grew up in MI at the lakeside, I know what humidity is like. I think we will survive – and have a good time.
Thank you for the flag information!
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