The Bridge

According to the postcard, this bridge is named the Arthur J. Ravenel, Jr, Bridge. It opened in 2005, one year ahead of schedule (boy those bridge builders need to be working on the new bridge in Toledo). It reaches 1546 feet over the Cooper River. This bridge is North America's longest cable stay span. It replaced the John P. Grace Bridge (1929) and the Silas N. Pearman Bridge (1966). The new bridge has 8 lanes of traffic and a 12 foot shared pedestrian and bicycle lane which overlooks Charleston Harbor. Now why anyone would want to run or bike up this steep bridge is beyond me but we say many people doing just that! And yes they were IN SHAPE!

Gulah traditions

The slaves brought their natural trades and languages from the lands from which they were stolen. Today the Gulah tradition is kept alive by their descendants. Basket weaving is one trade. They sell their wares anywhere, along side the road from trucks, or along the road in three-sided shanties but roughly of wood, in the welcome center, or in a parking lot.

Storytelling is another craft that has remained alive. There were many tapes and books that could be purchased. I didn't buy any this time. I left that for another time.

More pictures are in the picture album Gulah Traditions.

A Place at the Beach - Windy HIll

See the photo album for more pictures!

We stayed at the hotel, now made into individual units, called A Place and the Beach, at Windy Hill. It was off of Windy Hill road ( of course). We were on the 5th floor facing the ocean. It was great! I got up every morning and looked out at the ocean the first thing. The red pants in the one photo is where our room was located. Wednesday of our vacation was hot - 93 degrees. Even the locals stayed out of the afternoon sun that day. Normal temps for that time of year is about 10 degrees cooler. I didn't mind - I jut stayed in the AC while Ken went golfing. The triangle picture is looking down between the railings from the 5th floor.

Myrtle Beach '06

Vacation was awesome! We came back with NO, I repeat NO stress!!! Ten years is just tooooooo long to wait for a vacation! I will put up a few picks today but I took over 1,000 pics and need to organize them. The ocean was too good for words. The weather was like stepping back into the first part of August. Charleston gives new meaning to the words "George Washington slept here." because he truly did sleep in a number of the houses we saw! Fort Sumpter was so different than St. Augistine in Florida. The flags really got to me. The fort flew a replica of all the flags that flew at the fort during it's history. Inside the museum, the unit flag and the first American flag were displayed in cases. It was like looking at a very old quilt. I was speechless. The carraige ride through the oldest part of Charleston was so interesting. The old history classes just came to life. it was hard to leave the area and we will be back again for another vacation.