Amelia Island is still beautiful and the touristy pirate town of Fernandina is still alive and well. We traveled the length of that barrier island, checked out the town and our favorite "junk" shop. I got to buy something this time! 50% off of course! But now it is time to head north to Georgia and our path leads us to yet another island. Blythe Island doesn't seem like an island because there are no rolling waves, crashing on sandy beaches. Salt marshes and ribbons of waterways wandered thru them. We've been to Brunswick Georgia on past ventures but we've found more to explore. H found the restored old courthouse that was partially hidden by all the palms, magnolia trees and azalea bushes that were in full bloom. Over one of the many tall graceful bridges was St Simon Island. The town square was dotted with eclectic shops,a lovely park with yet another mammoth live oak with outstretched limbs. a fishing pier and lighthouse standing guard like a tall toy soldier.
The further north we head , the colder it gets. Charleston North Carolina was no exception! Our trusty little heater is working harder and longer into each day! H found a PA campground just outside of town and the heater was turned on right away. Lake Aire Campground does have a small U shaped lake/pond. The place also comes with a batch of nosy Muscovy Ducks that make the rounds of the campers at least twice a day. We found out they like bread crusts and crackers but not chopped peanuts from McDonalds!
I can't remember if we've been to Charleston in the last 5 years but there is SO much to see that repeat trips are always welcome. This time we even stopped at the Visitors Welcome Center and took the free trolley downtown to the Historic Old Towne. We walked the waterfront park and pier and then headed back in a few blocks because the wind coming off the open water was COLD! It was so neat to walk the old stone streets and to peer thru the wrought iron gates into the impeccably groomed inner courtyards, full of blooming azaleas and manicured hedges. The houses sat right next to the street with their layers and layers of full length porches that faced the waterfront. All had heavy doors at the street side end of the first floor porch, making the house seem much wider than it actually was! We quietly stepped inside St Michael's Episcopal Church, built in 1761 and is the oldest in the city. We found the Old City Market, a 3 block long collection of low brick buildings that now house various venders and craft folks. It smells like horses because right outside is the lineup of horses and buggies that take folks on tours of the city!
As old and historic as Charleston is - Myrtle Beach is the opposite! The term used for MB is 'The Grand Strand" because it is 60 miles of beautiful beaches and tall grand hotels and fancy resorts. MB claims a boardwalk that wanders over and thru small sand dunes covered with seaoats and other grasses, and passes by an assortment of T-shirt shops and tourist stores. Several blocks over is the line up of seafood buffets - one after the other with their coupons and their fake gaudy sharks and oversized crabs hanging from their brightly painted roofs! A few weeks back it was Bike Week in Daytona - - it is Spring Break in MB! The beaches were full of scantily clad teens trying to have fun in the barely 50 degree weather! H spotted 2 brave (crazy?) girls wading out in the breaking waves in their tiny little attires! What do yah think?
Our home for 2 nights was the Briarcliffe RV Resort - another PA selection. It was gated - but the gate was left open for most of the day. It had a new clubhouse and pool that sat right next to the Intercoastal Waterway. There was cable but no wifi! This park was selected because it was the closest campground to my high school classmate Sue - and she came to spend the day with me! A girls day out - shopping and lunch! Greasy gooey yummy big hamburgers along with monster onion rings and sweet potato fries! We should have ordered just the burgers so the rings and fries came home with me and was our supper that evening. I must admit - they were better fresh!
Time again to move on north - NORTH CAROLINA. Weather reports are showing cold and rain ahead of us. Can't move too far or too fast!
