Monday, March 28, 2011

Eating our way around Savannah

Up early with a hearty breakfast and an appointment at Camping World. We have figured out that our converter is working only part of the time. It has a tiny fan that you can only hear when it is very quiet. A couple of nights ago when we were very close to another vehicle at Lake Harmony I heard their fan and realized I had not been hearing ours. So that is why it could test as working when we had the auxiliary battery replaced in Ft Meyers and yet still not be working at times. It would stop working when it overheated. We are customer #7 and our problem is fixed rather quickly as they have a converter in stock and agreed that the fan was the problem. Although they said it was just a coincidence that we started having the problem after we hit that pothole at speed on the freeway in Louisiana.
We now have a print map of the Savannah greater downtown area and see why the navigator wanted us up on the freeway. So we take the freeway back to Oglethorpe Tours and buy a $5 apiece ticket for parking and bus rides to selected locations. We hop on to go to check out the reservation situation at Paula Deens restaurant, Lady & Sons. The reservation lady says that lunch is all reserved and that people line up as early as 630AM for lunch reservations. So William asks what about dinner and she says she has spots left for 5PM and 8PM. We choose 5. Off to find a place for a light lunch.
But wait that is the place where Oglethorpe, the founder of the Georgia Colony, landed and this bench is where he pitched his tent. Must have a picture of William as Oglethorpe.
Down the elevator to River Street, where we wander along looking at menus and in the doors of various restaurants. A little old lady comes up to us and says if you want a good lunch you should go to Huey's. So on her recommendation we try it and have a great lunch. I have a fried green tomato muffuletta with a side of red beans and rice. William had one half regular muffuletta with fries. We sat in the window with a great view of the water. I later told the waitress about the old lady shilling for the restaurant and she was quite amused.
We hop on the shuttle bus again for the Andrew Low house. They are having a huge group tour by reservation at 3pm. We will visit the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist and the Colonial Park Cemetery while we wait for the 330 tour.
The cathedral is really gorgeous. It burnt to the ground in 1898, but the bishop vowed to rebuild. It took until 1920 before the cathedral could be consecrated. In those days a church could be used for services, but not consecrated until it was debt free. The baptismal font was carved in Italy. The stations of the cross were carved in Bavaria. The stained glass was from Innsbruck, Austria. With murals of saints and slender columns decorated with gold leaf it rivals European cathedrals except in size.
We take a walk through the cemetery looking for the famous Borden's of Savannah. We didn't find any, but we didn't look too hard.
It is time for our tour at the Andrew Low house. If you have time for only one house tour in Savannah, this is the one to take. The home went directly from the family to the historical society that cares for it. The furnishings are all priceless antiques. The formal garden is as it was in the 1850's. William touches the lucky lion.
We hop on the shuttle again for the trip to Lady & Sons. We are early so we stop at the Paula Deen Shop for souvenirs. I'm not telling what we bought.
The street is full of 5PM reservations. The reservation person is miked up and calls out names and gives you a card for first, second or third floor seats. We are called near the last and go up to the third floor. The place is busy but efficient. I like the high faux windows with mirror panes. We decide to order regular menu items rather than the buffet. William's drink is a mint julep with lots of mint and mine was a pear/honey martini. I ordered Steak and Pie. William had Crab Stuffed Shrimp. Then we shared a piece of pecan pie with whipped cream. We lumbered out and were glad that it was still light as we had quite a ways to walk in a mist. No shuttle busses after 530.
A quick trip through Savannah on the surface streets. The section that looked scary in the rain is just poor.
We arrive back at Red Gate to find that our spot had been given away? WTF? A 40+ foot RV with pop outs on our pad.
We call and get "You left, we thought you were gone." We had paid for 3 nights and certainly could not leave a chair or anything with rain threatening.
We get put on a dirt pad. I hope it does not rain or we will be in a puddle.

1 comment:

robbin said...

Taking good care of yourselves, I see. I love the South. So beautiful. You're missing (or not missing) huge storms here. Your place must be covered in snow. So enjoy as much as you can back there, as you are not missing much here. :>)