Because we were driving directly to Savannah from
Montgomery, and had quite a few stops to make on the way, we got an early start
and headed for Tuskegee, which of course was founded by former slave Booker T.
Washington. The campus is super
beautiful, with lots of trees and red brick buildings. We got to see the gravesites for both Booker
T. Washington and for George Washington Carver.
We tried to learn more about Carver and Tuskegee at the Carver Museum,
but despite directions and a map and a blue dot on our iphone telling us we
were standing in front of it, it was not to be found. I mean, we were at an information center,
which we’re fairly certain was it, but it didn't say anything about a
museum. Additionally, it should have
been open, given the hours posted on the door, but I guess it was implied that
it precluded Sundays. We definitely learned that things are not open on Sundays in Alabama.
Shortly after leaving Tuskegee, we headed into Georgia, where we lost our final hour as we officially entered East Coast Time. We took a slight detour up to Warm Springs to check out FDR's vacation home/museum. Unfortunately, we again couldn't locate the house where the map said it was, which was extremely frustrating, especially since we were sort of on a time crunch because there were lots of things to see and do. Eventually we did see the entrance to the house, but we were so annoyed with everything being closed, and since we were running behind schedule, we said "screw it" and went on to our next stop. KR and I managed not to get into any fights or anything throughout our trip, but this day, day 11, was as close as we got. We (okay, probably especially me) got super frustrated, but not at each other, just in general. Since I'm a total planner, I occasionally get annoyed when my plans don't go, well, as planned. :) But we (okay, I) got over it, and we moved on. ...to Juliette!
If you haven't seen the movie Fried Green Tomatoes, then stop reading this post right now and do yourself a favor and watch it. (In fact, Katie had never seen it, so we watched it during some down time in New Orleans to prep her for this visit. I think that's pretty much the only movie we watched all trip). It's such a great, classic movie. And one that I grew up loving and watching on the reg. So anyway, Fried Green Tomatoes the movie (not the book) was filmed in a small town in Georgia called Juliette, and it was amazing, because as soon as we drove up, everything looked familiar, because I had seen it in the movie a billion times. There were lots of cute shops, and from what we gathered, the town owes the movie A LOT. It was basically dying until the film crew showed up and put it on the map as a tourist trap. Needless to say, KR and I stopped in the Whistle Stop Cafe for some delicious fried green tomatoes.
Sign with the bullet hole from the original FGT's movie sign for the Whistle Stop Cafe. Amazing!!
Fried Green Tomatoes and Sweet Tea! Hello Georgia!
I was super excited to see Savannah because, since I was a kid, I've always wanted to check it out. I may have idealized it over the years, so I was extra glad it didn't disappoint. Also, I think after eleven days of making our way through the middle of the country, it was refreshing to be back in a coastal region. It was as if the ocean breeze was "a breath of fresh air" and was revitalizing our journey (cheee-eese!). After checking into the hotel and becoming besties with Gregory, the bell hop/valet (who, when I tried to help him unload our luggage - I mean, come on, we've got the loading and unloading process down pat after so many days on the road - told me that he understands that I'm an independent woman, but I need to let him handle the luggage!) we hit the road looking for food. Per Gregory's suggestion, we hit up the Pirates' House, which it turns out is one of the oldest buildings in Savannah, was a bar where all the pirates used to hang out/live, and is also, supposedly, haunted. Their menu boasts stories of non-ghost-story-believing-patrons turning into believers after brushes with the haunting, but friendly, pirate ghosts, in addition to a finger-licking-good fried chicken dinner. On our way to the Pirates' House, we strolled around Savannah's waterfront, admired the famous Spanish moss-covered Oaks and took a picture with the statue of Florence Martus, the "crazy girl who did all the waving," aka, who, for fifty years greeted every ship entering Savannah harbor in the vain hope her boyfriend would be on board.
After such a long, ridiculous day of ups and downs, KR and I were exhausted. We headed back to the hotel to rest up for another day of sightseeing around Savannah.
The next morning, we got up and spent some time strolling around town. We grabbed some coffee and yummy breakfast at Goose Feathers. Then we hit up Chippewa Square where we commandeered a random bench, and pretended it was the one Forest Gump sat on, waiting for his bus, and telling his story. (The actual bench used in the movie is in the visitor's center, which we didn't visit). Then we crossed the street and took a tour of the birthplace/house of Juliet Gordon Low, who introduced the Girl Scouts to America in 1912. Not only was it a beautiful old home, it was fun to hear the stories (like the one about her rough-and-tumble mother sliding down these crazy steep, curved banisters while recovering from a heart attack!) and to pay homage to the Girl Scout's 100 year anniversary. After that, we spent some time shopping in the bajillion super cute stores while admiring the many parks, mix of old and new buildings, and searching for peach cobbler, made with Georgia peaches (which we never did find). Finally, we made our way to Bonaventure Cemetery, made famous in the movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. It was, hands down, the MOST beautiful cemetery I've ever seen, and if I had any plans to get buried, I'd save up to buy a final resting place there. The only thing we didn't get to see was the "girl feeding birds" statues that graced the cover of the Midnight...movie, because it was moved to a museum where it wouldn't get ruined.
From the cemetery, we headed up to Charleston. We were going to swing out to Hilton Head first, but we kept hearing warnings on the radio of like super intense thunder storms, high winds, and tornado or hurricane warnings, so we decided heading straight for the coast was maybe a bad idea. Besides, who wants to chill out on the beach in the rain?!?! The rain did get a little bad as we were leaving Savannah, but it was mostly fine. Also, just before we left Savannah, we bought some peaches from a roadside vendor, because I had a hankering to try some good 'ol Georgia peaches. Post-purchase, we found out they were South Carolina peaches, and since we didn't eat them on the spot (there was bird crap or something on some of them), they sat in the car too long and went bad. wa-wa. Oh the perils of road travel. On to Charleston!!
-ENCM
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