SOUTH CAROLINA (2): Charleston, Colbert, Shark teeth, and Forrest Gump

Dolphins in Beaufort high tide!

 

After the jaw-dropping plantation tour (SC Part 1), I headed into the city of Charleston and right through their historic downtown area. I stopped in front of a large building with beautiful railings that led up to a Confederate museum. On the bottom floor of this building was a tunnel carved right through the center that opened up underneath into an old city market.

 

City market built 1788-1804



 

Now, I've always been one who loves anything with a bit of mystery behind it. So naturally, I had to explore this underground city market. The market was built between 1788-1804 and was used to sell fish, vegetables, beef and various other foods.

As I walked inside there were people selling the usual tourist items: southern cook books, shirts, magnets, postcards, boardgames, etc. There were also homemade weaved baskets (click for pic) and flowers made of sweet grass and strips of palm leaf. I found out from a man in the process of making these items that they were a traditional African weave that slaves made to carry anything from food to flowers.

After my excursion through the market, I happened to stop at a barbeque-style restaurant called Sticky Fingers. As I was ordering, I happened to look over and see a large painting of Stephen Colbert. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, for anyone that has been living under a rock. I asked my server about it because it looked familiar. He proceeded to tell me that it was the portrait that hung over the mantel on the show. It was auctioned off for over $50,000 to the previous owner of the restaurant. Of course it was signed (it had better be for $50,000!). So, I took a picture with the portrait!

Excuse the poor quality (phone picture)

The next day I crossed the bridge over to Folly Island. It was a sunshiny 75 degree day at the beach. I tanned, relaxed...and took pictures of my toes.

Next on the agenda... beautiful Beaufort! My mom got me in touch with her cousin and his family that happened to live here. The last time I had seen them was almost 11 years ago. I had only planned on staying with them one night, but I had so much fun with them I stayed the whole weekend! They were great hosts and I enjoyed meeting another side of the family. My mom's cousin, Mark, his wife Leslie and his son Shane showed me around their quaint town.

 

We explored an old church and graveyard in the downtown area.

We went on their boat at high tide through the grassy marshland and saw rusty shrimping boats, large-winged blue herons, pelicans diving for a meal, white egrats atop docks looking like statues, bait fish jumping out of the water all around us, and a group of dolphins that swam up near the boat taunting my slow photographing skills.

 

 

 

Mark's son Shane is 15 and a great photographer. He became my photography buddy! We were constantly taking pictures of everything around us. I'm glad I wasn't the only one that looked like a tourist!

We also went to a state park on Fripp Island, which also happens to be a backdrop for a scene of the movie Forest Gump. The island served as a very convincing Vietnam scene for the movie. The state park has nothing but tall and small palms covering the landscape. I felt like I was in a jungle when I first entered into it.

Along the beach, I just so happened to find 4 shark teeth!

Overall, I had some amazing experiences in South Carolina! It's funny, I had orginally wanted to go to Tennessee instead because I didn't really think there would be much to see in South Carolina. How wrong I always am!

~Kelsey P.~


P.S.
Thank you Suda family for showing me around! xoxo