April 30, 2010 — I'm no world traveler, but Charleston is, without a doubt, the most charming city I've ever visited. It is a law in Charleston that no building over 80 years old, within the original township boundaries, can be structually changed. They can be modernized and upgraded, but walls, fireplaces, staircases, etc., must remain as they were originally built. I think this is a wonderful law. It forces the recycling of old buildings, rather than just tearing them down to be replaced by concrete, glass, and steel. Even the streets, as confusing as they are, must remain exactly as they were originally laid out. The result is beautiful beyond words. When in downtown Charleston, a person will feel she has stepped back in time. Even the smell of the city, except for the exhaust of cars, busses and trucks, is reminescent of 100 years ago... jasmine, horses, magnolia, food cooking, the sea air... history you can smell. I've never experienced that before.

I enjoyed a pure Southern dinner at 82 Queen, a very upscale restaurant near my hotel. She-crab soup, heirloom tomatoes that tasted fresh from the vine, stewed tomatoes and okra, red beans and rice, and roasted chicken, seasoned with herbs and spices I couldn't identify.

May 1, 2010 — After visiting the market (whooo, the prices!!! spent way too much money), I walked through Anson, one of Charleston's boroughs. Beautiful old homes with immaculate gardens, almost everyone of them with a historical plaque on the outside describing who originally built it. The aquarium was firstclass with an amazing array of animals and fish... alligator, huge sea turtles, snakes (the diamond back rattler is protected in SC) owls, eagles, otters, sharks, jellyfish... all idigenous to SC. Quick water-taxi ride to USS Yorktown with its WWII vintage aircraft and the Apollo 8 space capsule. I could not believe how small the capsule was... to think three men trusted it to bring them safely from space!! There is a Medal of Honor Museum on the carrier, with the names of recipients going all the way back to the Civil War. The ship itself was a huge community with a bakery, a butchery, hospital, sewing room, and FOUR dental clinics (dental health must be a problem at sea). What was most telling were the bunks hanging from the ceiling, each scrawled with a message from the sailors who slept there... "Janie, I miss you," "MOM" in a heart, "keep all who sleep here safe, Dear Lord." But, the highlight of the tour was seeing the USS Clagamore, a WWII submarine. Forget what is seen in the movies! Tremendously cramped spaces, so small there was no way to move without bumping into someone. Our guide, who served on the sub, said it had as many as 90 men on it when in service. Where in the world did they put them all? For enlisted men, there was no place to sit, except on a bunk, the one toilet, or at mess. The purser's office was the size of a modern closet, the captain's quarters maybe a walk-in closet.

Dinner at A.W. Schucks, appetizer of fried green tomatoes, buffalo shrimp (much better than wings!), and shrimp stuffed with crabmeat, wrapped in bacon and deep fried; grilled shrimp and asparagus with a dill sauce; and a sangria made with peach brandy, pineapple juice, and rose wine — I want the recipe!!

May 2, 2010 — As we approached Ft. Sumter by boat, it's difficult to understand why, other than it's strategic location, that this small fort was so crucial to both sides of the Civil War. It is only upon landing that I learned that what I see of the battlement walls is only 1/3 of the original structure. The Union Army completely demolished the fort and when I see the actual weaponry used, it's easy to see how — 18-inch cannonballs fired from a mile away. Built to defend against foreign force, it was vulnerable from the mainland with it's powder room on that side. It was excavated and resurrected for the Spanish American War. What I was surprised to learn is that in the first battle of the Civil War, not a single person was killed.

The dolphin tour was given by a man who has lived in, and dedicated his life to protecting, the marshlands. He knew every waterway, every bird and fish. Looking into the eyes of a dolphin is like looking into the eyes of a faithful dog... interested, eager to interact. Saw an old shipwreck, history unknown, but was probably the ship of a rumrunner, which were prevalent in the area. My guide dropped me off at Morris Island where I collected shells and saw the lighthouse from a distance. The erosion of the land has caused it to become unusable and there are efforts being made to save it. Morris Island is the site of the Civil War battle depicted in the movie, "Glory," and my guide told me human remains are still sometimes found. I didn't find any, thank God, but did find some very nice shells and sand dollars and saw a jellyfish.

My only disappointment was the tour of Old City Jail. The building is certainly spooky looking and, when the guide told us that it had no modernization throughout it's use until 1939 when the government forced it's closure, I realized that it would not be a good place to find yourself. It was built and used for punishment, pure and simple. No windows, only bars that let in all types of weather. No toilets, only a bucket. No running water, at all. No light at night, given that streetlights would not have been installed outside. It's supposed to be haunted, but I found it more gruesome than scary. So hellish that the guide told us of prisoners actually beating their heads against the wall to escape by death. I would think anyone who managed to leave the jail, still sane after incarceration, would leave Charleston as quickly as possible. Hard to reconcile such brutality in such a charming city.

May 3, 2010 — The Old Exchange, the oldest building in Charleston, started as an outpost building in 1618, and was completed in 1780. It was originally built to house goods coming into port. All the guides were dressed in period clothing, and on alternate days, tell the story from the American and British viewpoint. I happened to luck into a day when it was from the American one. I stood in the room, on the anniversary of the day, that George Washington danced at a ball held in his honor after Charleston ratified the Constitution of the United States, the 7th state to do so. Then, when the British regained Charleston, it served as a dungeon for "traitors of the Crown." Stede Bonnet, a co-hort of the pirate Blackbeard, was kept there before being hanged at the Battery. Extremely interesting tour and a "must-see" for anyone visiting Charleston. At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, Charleston had its own "Tea Party," and made it one better than the "Boston Tea Party." They stole the tea, but didn't dump it into the ocean. They stored it and then sold it back to the British occupation forces. Interestingly, there was an English family on the tour with me. At one point, the guide said, "the Revolutionary War," to which the tourist father said, in a low voice, "the Colonial Rebellion."

Lunch at Poogan's Porch and the best meal I had in Charleston — pan-fried (or chicken-fried, as I was taught) steak that would make you want to stand up and slap your mama, fresh green beans seasoned in lemon butter, mashed potatoes and gravy, and a pecan pie to die for!!

Barely made it to the Schooner Pride in time for my sail. The tour guide even called me to make sure I was on my way!! Got to work the sails! I can see why people enjoy sailing. Such fun, with the captain yelling, "Prepare to jibe," and the crew answering. We sailed around Pinkney Castle, located on a small peninsula, in ruins now and is a bird sanctuary. On the return to port, the mates raised the Jolly Roger and fired a mock cannon at The Customs House.

Three words in closing — best vacation ever!!