Day 71, Hollywood, SC (Charleston)

Drove to Wadmalaw Island about 15 miles south of Charleston to the Charleston Tea Plantation, home of American Classic Tea, the only tea plantation in North America.  All tea in the US except the American Classic Tea brand is imported.  We toured the 127 acres of tea plants in an old Philadelphia Trolley car which they bought on eBay.   The plantation began in 1960 by Bill Hall who resides on the farm.  Hall, an expert tea taster, actually spent 4 years in England formally training to be a tea taster.  There is also a tour of the processing plant with a 15 minute film of the process.  We are in harvest season and the tea is harvested Sunday through Thursday and processed Monday through Friday.  Our luck we visited on Saturday when every one rested except the tour guides and gift shop attendants.  The visit includes all the tea you can drink, both hot or iced.  Several different flavors of each to choose from.  I went for the iced tea which now that we are back in the southern heat was good and refreshing.  Rosemary went for the hot tea except on the trolley where we both brought iced tea along since the trolley has no a/c.  This place was a must for the tea fanatic Rosemary is.  She was so excited I considered taking her right back to the coach but the next planned stop, a winery and distillery won out.  At the Irvin House Vineyards, about 15 minutes from the tea plantation, we sampled 5 wines made from 4 different varieties of the muscadine grape.  Let’s just say not my cup of tea.  The next building over is the Firefly Distillery.  Sampled 6 different spirits, some good, some not.  I did buy a bottle of sweet tea vodka which was quite good and refreshing.  Now I have my own tea when Rosemary has hers - 3 times a day!  For those concerned about me drinking and driving, we planned on eating lunch and pausing enough after drinking before driving on.   We had packed a lunch and although picnic tables and live music were present, we ate in the car with the a/c on.  On the way back to Charleston, we made a 4/10th mile detour to Angel Oak Park where the Angel Oak tree stands.  The tree is more than 400 years old and its canopy covers 17,000 square feet.  Dinner at Hyman’s Seafood in downtown.  Fried green tomato appetizer, she crab soup, shrimp and grit cakes smothered in an alfredo sauce with Palmetto Amber Ale.  Rosemary had grouper stuffed with crab.  Food was good but service a little lacking.  Only a couple more days until we are home.  It’s a good thing cause if I keep eating like this, my “baby bump” will soon look like I’m ready to deliver!

Day 70, Hollywood, SC (Charleston)

Drove into downtown Charleston for a ½ hour boat ride to Fort Sumter National Monument.  A museum is located at the dock site telling the history of the Fort which, of course, was where the first shots of the Civil War were fired.  The Fort itself is missing the top levels which were destroyed by the Union trying to take back the Fort.  According to Southerners, after the nearly 600 day siege of the Fort, the Fort was not surrendered but merely evacuated in February, 1865.  Only the lower level remains but it is a must see in my book.  The ranger spoke for about 30 minutes at the Fort further informing of its history.  Back to land and we toured the Calhoun Mansion.  A beautiful three story house still lived in by the attorney owner who has been collecting Victorian items among other things since he was age 9 and which are throughout the house.  No photos allowed inside so you must go there when you visit Charleston.  After a walk around town including East Battery Street along the water, dinner at S.N.O.B. (Slightly North of Broad).  I had the Maverick Shrimp & Grits which were made with “Geechie Boy” yellow grits.  Very good but not quite as good as Savannah’s on Day 1.  Rosemary did not have chicken but another fowl, the Pan Seared Duck Breast with yellow squash & goat cheese custard, asparagus, blueberry compote and honey thyme reduction.  Hers was excellent.  My dinner was accompanied by Palmetto Amber Ale by the Charleston Brewery, a very good, medium hoppy, rich amber ale.

Day 69, Hollywood, SC (Charleston)

Departed the Charlotte Walmart which was the noisiest place we have encountered.  It was next to a highway and an airport.  I thought the highway may have been the Charlotte Motor Speedway as we heard several races going on.  The good news was the road noise drowned out the airport completely.  After a 90 minute drive we visited Columbia, SC.  Toured the State Capitol which has six gold stars on the outside marking cannon ball hits from General Sherman’s Union troops.  Ate lunch at O-Bok Korean Restaurant, the first payment to Rosemary for the BBQ.  However, I enjoyed it as much as she did.  With full bellies, we headed to Charleston, SC, about a 2 hour drive and checked into Lake Aire RV Park in Hollywood, 12 miles southwest of Charleston.  About 5 minutes prior to arriving at the campground, our front shade dropped a few inches on the driver side.  Fortunately it did not drop further which may have obstructed the view  while driving.  After checking into the campground, I effected repair which hopefully will hold until we return home.  The shade is attached at four points and only one point failed so the shade cannot come down to impair driving.