Pics

These aren't all the pics but I did post some to FB and figured I would attach them here as well.
I would like to edit some of the bridge pics a bit more.

http://www.facebook.com/p.php?i=684640008&k=3YGTQYQ34YZM5GFGSB65SU

The drive home

From there I made my way back through Sullivan's Island. Talked myself out of stopping at Dunleavys for lunch. Meandered down through Isle of Palms and found myself on 526. I think it is important to use 526 either when approaching or leaving Charleston. It adds to the appeal of the whole city. There's more waterways. Oh there were four sailboats in a row making their way down the river as I made my way from Isle of Palms. If only I could have stopped my car to watch them for a bit. They were beautiful. It's just a nice additive to the whole thing.
From there the ride home always seems longer, more boring, worse radio and did I mention longer.... Oh well.
I was home by 4, took a nap, took a bath and settled back into being home.

Fort Moultrie instead...

While I was walking I figured what the heck. And I do like the occassional fort or two. What was interesting about this fort is part of it was updated for surveillance in WWII. And there were updated parts to it including a bunker you could go into.... I must admit walking around an old fort by myself was a little uneasy at times - especially the sqeaking steel door that slammed behind me as I made my way into the underground area. "The hatch" from Lost came to mind. Needless to say I didn't spend too much time down there.
It was just enough to take in some history.

Sullian's Island Lighthouse

The tourist channel in my hotel kept promoting the Sullivan's Island Lighthouse. You can't go inside but I thought it would be neat to get up close to it. I made it to Sullivan's Island. Just not to the lighthouse.
What I wanted to see --- it is triangular in shape and some other random facts...

The Walk

So I arrived a little before 9am and found what I assumed to be parking. It is a rather crowded and unmarked set-up. Go figure. And off I went. I clocked my walk with the car. I did about 3 1/2 miles. I didn't go all the way to the other side. Just to the second thingy - whatever it's called. I was scared I wouldn't be able to do it. But the approach on foot from Mount Pleasant is not as steep as the approach on the roadway. And there were all sorts of people out there. The ones with the hiking gear including backpacks they were a bit intimidating. I sure hope they were going on further say to Isle of Palms.... I met some women at the end of the walk and I walked back down with them. That made for a nice end to that jaunt...
I a kinda tired. I will have to post those pics later.

To the Bridge...

For those of you not in the know... The Bridge was a fond hobby of my father's. He tracked the progress of that bridge being built. They would swing over to check it out on the way through to wherever they were going. There web-site to track the progress.http://ravenelbridge.net/bridge.php
Specials on tv. He was all over it. Luckily it was finished before he got sick and he was able to see it complete. I think at the time they had not yet demolished the old bridge. http://oldcooperriverbridge.org/
Which was actually a neat site to see them both.
http://www.cooperriverbridge.org/
I tracked the progress as I was out there for business at least once each summer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Ravenel_Jr._Bridge
And this was the year I decided I would do the walk.

Wow, I was just out on the ravenel site. I had forgotten how cool the construction pictures were. Mine probably aren't that impressive. I truly don't think they do it as much justice as being there. Oh and seeing the bridge from the distance.... It is really neat.

Except I missed a turn

And ended up in downtown Charleston. No big deal. I had a map with me - it's a dad thing, possibly a mom thing too. I drove down to the aquarium with some bizaare hope that HEY maybe it would be open at that hour. Yeh - not so much. Then I headed through town to the Battery. NO ONE was out there. I like it when that happens. So I parked the car and went for a little walk.

Up Bright and Early

Well I thought with the miserable night's sleep once I got to sleep maybe I would be able to sleep in. HAH! When the alarm goes off a little before 5 2 days in a row it was inevitable that I didn't get much past 6:30 that third morning. So I got up, packed up all my stuff and my car (well rental car) and headed downstairs for breakfast... Saturday's guilty pleasure in preparation for the day ahead - Frosted Flakes. Wow they were tasty. I had some yogurt and coffee as well. I am always amazed at how many people gravitate towards the sausage and biscuits... Now there's healthy for you.
I guess it was a little around 8am by the time I hit the road. LA had shown me the day before where I needed to go to park for the bridge and that's where I headed.

Miserable Night's Sleep

Thank goodness I slept well the first 2 nights at the hotel. The last night was just miserable. I had a sore throat on Monday. I figured it was from talking all day to clients in a cold meeting room. Well I woke on Tuesday with the same sore throat. And by Wednesday when I woke up hacking etc etc I figured yep it is some sort of infection. The antibiotic kicked it pretty good the first day but I think the fumes got me the seond day and by that third night I just needed some rest in my own bed. Although I am still hacking today so who knows what it might be.

The Citadel and Folley Beach

After the meetings on Friday I met a friend at her new house in Charleston. WOW!!! I had seen pictures in the beginning when they first bought the house. The house I saw the other day is a whole new version of that house. Walls were knocked out, an addition in the back, new windows.... it was beautiful.
From there she took me on a tour of her neighborhood. Their front porch overlooks a plantation and around the back and through a park in The Citadel. I definitely had never been in this part of the city when I played tourist.
And while we were in the car we may as well hit the beach. We went out to Folley Beach. I haven't been there in years. There were lots of people laying out and having a good time. Even some swimmers - I figured they were either drunken college kids or Canadians (sorry friends). The water wasn't that warm. It was OK for the feet but not for the whole body.
It was a nice way to spend the evening and catch up with an old friend.
I was to go back to the client but the individuals I was to meet with cancelled.
So I just crashed at the hotel for the evening. No need to drive home 4 hours after being up since 5ish.

Noisy Oyster

After all the meetings on Thursday I wanted to go somewhere to eat to get something more local than the chains around the hotel. I knew I could drive close to the city or Mount Pleasant but I was just too tired. So the hotel staff suggested the Noisy Oyster and gave me a coupon. Ultimately the coupon did not work because I never ordered an entree. Instead I started with some steamed little necks followed by she crab soup and finished off with a pound (yes a pound) of shrimp. YUM!!!! And I got to sit outside all the while I ate.
Back to the hotel I went to catch an early bedtime as the second would be just as long.

Back from Charleston

Well really Moncks Corner.... It is the art of story telling. I stayed in North Charleston for work meetings in Moncks Corner. It is about a 30 minute drive at 5:30 am. I spent all day and then some at a plant for Thursday and Friday. I can't complain - the people are always nice and appreciative. I feel like a job well done. The fumes in the plant didn't do much for my sinuses but that's the only thing I could truly complain about.

Shell Inspiration

And less sandy than carrying them home in your pockets.

Last walk along the beach

Before heading home I decided to make a cardio objective for my walk on the beach. This time I went for close to an hour and took lots of pictures. What a nice way to clear your head.

Last evening

I meandered back from the aquarium and stopped back at the Market Common.

I stopped at the Warbird Park on the way in. Market Common is on an old air force base. Being my father's daughter, I did need to stop and take a look at the planes. Oh I didn't stop long. Just enough to take a picture and a moment's reflection.

I was headed back that way because I so wanted to check out the Tommy Bahama Cafe. http://www.tommybahama.com/TBG/Cafes/Find.jsp#states

I think you are right here next to the ocean. Why would you go to a glorified high end chain restaurant for island fair when you could go to a locals place. I know we went to Margaritaville earlier in the week so who am I to judge. But Tommy Bahama!? Of course I went in.

I was not disappointed. Those who know me can suspect I was on a mission and I achieved. Because what self-respecting pretend island bar wouldn't have an assortment of rum. And that they did. So I had a tall black-n-coke and some coconut shrimp.

http://www.goslingsrum.com/age_selector.asp

And while I was reflecting on various levels... I did stop by the Bermuda Gardens on the way back to the resort. I was thinking I would tour a model but it was closed for the day when I got there. Instead I drove around the new neighborhood and had a laugh at the names they chose for their streets. They were going for the Bermuda feel. Just the choices they made were rather remote locations instead of the obvious.

http://www.bermudagardens.com/

Ray Tank

You could touch the ray's from above as well. I still laugh at the petting tank in ATL where you can touch a star fish.

I even survived the SHARK tunnel

All by myself.... I must be all grown up now...

Really Ambitious

From the beach I got really ambitious and decided to head on over to the aquarium. Now I may be a little snobbish when it comes to aquariums... The aquariums in Atlanta, Baltimore and Boston are GREAT! I like BAMZ for it's location and indigenous nature. Charleston is nice too. This one... it's sponsored by Ripley's so I wasn't so shore (get it?). But I went anyways and that in conjunction with the walk on the beach was a wonderful end to my day...

Walk along the beach

Sure sitting on the beach is the ultimate in relaxation - if you disregard the occasional sand blasting in the wind. I consider walking along the beach therapeutic. So after some time by the pool - yes people were swimming there as well - it was supposedly heated - and a business call - I decided to wind down with a walk along the beach. I went for about a half hour - A nice lady in the parking lot gave me the remnant of her pay & display.

Sunday in the Sun

We had a nice big breakfast on Sunday. Haven't done that in a while.
Then we went window shopping - oh I did buy a bargain book at Barnes & Noble.
And then we hit the beach. What was with those people sitting practically on top of us? I think there was something wrong with them. And the ones in the water? It definitely wasn't ocean swimming warm. At least for me.
We went for a drive to find Ocean Annies later in the day. We got there and decided it was too windy and chilly outside to pretend we wanted to sit outside for a drink. Others were there but we got the impression they had probably been there QUITE SOME TIME!!!
We ended up eating closer to the resort.

"euro jumper"

At Broadway they had this "euro jumper" thing. I had done this before in Savannah and LOVED it! I wanted to do it again. However after our filling meal I opted not to jump around. We went back a few days later but it wasn't open at that time. I went once more but it got too cold while I was walking around the aquarium so opted NOT to do it.

Darn I really should have.

Instead we went to the arcade. Played some skeeball. Come on now - if you are near an arcade you need to stop and play some skeeball. Is it "Chasing Amy" that they go to play skeeball. I think it's one of those ViewAskew movies.

KP shared a ticket with me and I got a green army man. It reminded me of my Grandpop. He used to have some on this little ledge in the kitchen and would let us play with them. We also got some candy - OH and a good laugh at the site of our stumpy legs in the "arcade mirrors".

We walked around to do some shopping as well. Didn't buy anything but spent a good amount of time checking out the Georgia Peach coloured Kipling bags.

http://www.tooqt.com/

And then some Ben & Jerry's.

Broadway at the Beach

It is pretty much a tourist attraction for Myrtle. Previously I had not been impressed because it's not ON the beach. But in reality it isn't THAT far. And there is tonnes to do there.

http://www.broadwayatthebeach.com/

Again we got a little turned around on the way there. It was further north than we had realised. Don't worry most days we had some sort of - let me try my Blackberry to figure out where we are - moments.

Dinner was good - we sat outside at Margaritaville. I had some conch fritters (yummy:) an we split jerk chicken and a burger. Thankfully we did NOT sit inside... a hurricane hit in there! Just way to much sensory overload for me.

Dinner day one

I was able to check in when I arrived. I guess there wasn't large quantity of people checking out so the room was ready when I got there.
http://www.plantationresort.com/accommodations/presidential_villas.php
From there I took a little drive. As mentioned I got lost getting to the resort so I decided to back track and find out where I should have been. Well I should have been in Business 17 instead of Bypass 17. Turns out by the end of my stay I decided the convoluted Bypass 17 approach was a little faster - less lights etc etc.
I also took a drive down towards the ocean. All things are easier to find when you are near the coast. Drive east until you hit the water - turn left or right and you will find where you are going. OK - over the years we have learned you need a little more of a sense of direction than that (i.e. if you are in Ocean County turning right to get to Asbury Park will not work)
Once we figured out the lay of the land we headed out to dinner and walk around Broadway at the Beach.

The drive out

The drive to the beach wasn't too bad. One of the things I dislike about going out that way is that it is NOT in any way highway driving. You get on a highway near my house and the further south/east you go the more rural it becomes.
Luckily my ride wasn't too bad - some fog some drizzle. My friend came out later in the day and it was teaming down rain. We did both manage to get a little lost in the 3 hour drive.
The highlight of my drive? There were 2 yards that had more lawn tsatskes than I have seen in a long while. And the ONE had a life size blue M&M man standing in a gazebo in the front yard. I hope it was in preparation of Easter. But you never know.
I also realised the ride to Camden wasn't that bad. I may take that ride again when my mom is here and we can check out the oldest inland city in SC. There is some Revoluionary War stuff there as well.

Welcome to my little beach blog...

I am trying to get to the beach a few times this year.
So far I took a long weekend to Surfside Beach. It is just south of Myrtle Beach.
I haven't been to Myrtle in years and didn't have a foind memory of it.
I am happy to say I had a good time this time around and wouldn't mind going back.
I am sure it had lots to do with going in March and not the height of summer.