From a Me in Charleston to a We in Asheville

My last few weeks have been less a whirlwind than a quiet ebb-and-flow, comprised of lazy days and a transitioning from solo travelling to visiting friends. First was my week in Charleston, where I did little more than imagine myself living in every beautiful old house I walked by, flirt with a glorious-caffeinated-sweetness Starbucks Frappuccino habit, visit historical sites, make daily trips to Harris Teeter, and watch incredibly bad television (The Secret Life of the American Teenager is quite possibly the most nauseating show I’ve ever seen, and never failed to make me want to scrub myself with Lysol. No link for it).

Lovely hotel room at the Days Inn Historic Disctrict, Charleston

Special thanks to Charleston’s Days Inn Historic District hotel, which let me check in at 6am in the morning after my twelve-hour Amtrak from Washington. Charleston’s Old Slave Mart Museum is definitely worth a visit; it is a museum situated in what used to be a slave auction gallery in the 19th century and, while small, is packed with information. It certainly isn’t happy information, but it does lead one to wonder how people can fail to comprehend that their fellow humans are just as, well, human as themselves. I can’t help feeling this is still a pressing issue today, in regards to all manner of prejudices. (And not the ultimately-good Jane Austen kind, either.)

The Old Slave Mart Museum can also be a site of unintentional amusement if, in visiting before lunch when you’re a tad little bit hungry, you read a poster that says “Slave Labor and Systems” as “Slave Lobsters” and start imagining being given a manicure by singing crustaceans. Don’t ask me why singing. Probably because I’d just been listening to Sweeney Todd on my iPod.

All the pretty horses.

Then came Asheville, to which L.Methysta kindly drove so that we could spend a few days together. I do believe that lovely lass deserves some sort of crown for being the most talkative young lady in the world. Mighty entertaining, and I doff my figurative cap to her chatterbox skills.

I do so enjoy mugs of Rooibos tea that are bigger than my head.

Over rooibos tea and sandwiches at The Green Sage, where L.Methysta caught the eye of a young man lunching with his mother (a good catch, no?), over celebratory cocktails and beer after our entrance into the world of celebrity, and over Fruit2Day juices in our hotel room, I built memories bereft of Biltmore (alliteration is absolutely awesome) that have ensured Asheville exists as a site of happy in my memories.

L.Methysta and her super-strong cocktail, which was unfortunately made with the "wrong kind" of rum. Don't ask me what that kind was, though. My knowledge ends with chocolate.

Next up: the excitement of Jonesville, Lee County - home of the infamous Mr. Bottom.

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The Quote Game! Come one, come all!

It’s time for another game! This one is called “Quote Identifying Fun Times Yes Indeedy”. It goes a little like this…

Thomas Elfe Cabinetmaker's Home. Yes, this has no relevance to the game - I just wanted to squeeze in some pictures of Charleston architecture.

First, peruse the following four remarks:

A)     I wish you could smell out of my nose right now.

B)      Pin the tail on the Anti-Christ!

C)      I wouldn’t even know how to seduce a fish.

D)     Can-noooooooooo-li!! Can-noooooooooo-li!!! I’ma gonna lock you all in so we can get some can-noooooooooo-li!!!!

The lady in the bottom left is smiling at you, because she can tell this game will be the high point of your day.

Now, try to figure out who said what (this becomes even more wonderful when you realise I’m using pseudonyms for people again. I told you this was Fun Times Yes Indeedy!)

1)      The TV (yep, that’s as specific as I’m going to get)

2)      Me

3)      L.MiteMaster

4)      A.DrChocBacon

So, anyone going to be brave enough to actually write their guesses in the comments section? If you get it right and I’m seeing you in the near future, there may be chocolate in it for you. If you get it right but we’re currently in different countries?

Well, I guess you just get the glory of being the current winner of the quote game.

Answers to come (oh, this is an exciting blog, isn’t it? My my my).

And because playing games builds up an appetite: I present you with a plate of Chili's Quesadillas for your troubles.

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Glimpses of Charleston, Part Two

Charleston City Market. I feel a bit guilty because I told a lady there I'd go back at the end of the day to buy one of her drawings... and I didn't. I got distracted by the book shop down the street.

Oh no. Oh no no no no no. No. This is for the children? What are you doing to the children, America?

a) These look so questionable that I really would not feel comfortable seeing them in a child's mouth. b) No nitrites, preservatives or artificial flavours? You've convinced me! These ARE a good food choice, after all! c) I think I need a bucket.

The carriage house and slave quarters at the Aiken-Rhett House. I just like how I caught the sun beams. Also, definitely see this place if you're ever in Charleston. Great 45 minute self-guided audio tour, with lovely people working there.

Starbucks Coffee Frappuccino. Okay, so I completely boycotted Starbucks when it was in Australia, and now I feel sad inside. This was actually incredibly yummy. Americans knows their sweet treats inside out.

What was I just saying? Also, please cast your eye to the left of the middle shelf. Those are, indeed, frozen desserts where you microwave the ice cream portion. Methinks disaster lurks for the unconscientious eater.

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Glimpses of Charleston, Part One

My week in Charleston was a relatively quiet one, so I shall leave the photos to do the talking about my time there. I enjoyed it, though, and fell in love with Southern architecture. As a result, I may end up doing a photo post dedicated to little Southern homes… time will tell.

The little girl in me, the one who cried and was miserable for days after reading Gone With The Wind, died a little upon seeing Rhett Butler used to sell gimmicky t-shirts.

Don't kill the Moon Pie! What did it ever to do you? (Besides having a General Store that smelled of cat pee.)

Mmm, Cruncy Shrimp. The best kind of shrimp there is.

Even more than the Christmas decorations and blow-up Santa wafting in the breeze, I liked the little yellow fire hydrant right next door to Charleston's fire station.

St Philip's Church. Now, this is not where I attended a church service on Sunday, but let me tell you this: It is quite difficult to not lie to a pastor while also avoiding telling him that you came to the service as a form of cultural experience, rather than out of religious fervour...

Methinks I will stick to the chocolate, thanks all the same.

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It’s Not Eavesdropping If You Can’t Help It, Right?

One of definite positives of travelling alone (and forgetting that you own an iPod) is that you get to overhear amusing statements and conversations spill from the mouths of strangers around you…

• Mid-20s woman in the audience of The Nutcracker, during intermission: I like the ballet but it’s hard for me to sit still for so long.

Seriously, lady? The first half of the show was 40 minutes. I might have understood this from the six-year-old sitting next to her… although that six-year-old was also sitting next to me, and she was prone to chewing her chocolate chip cookies really loudly with her mouth open. During the performance.

I think I got the dud row.

• Woman talking to the shop assistant at a New-Age/Yoga store in Charleston: Let’s get down to the nit and the grit.

Isn’t the phrase “the nitty gritty”? Or did I just discover another point of linguistic difference between the US and Australia? Also, I was maybe going to relay more of this conversation, but decided not to on account of it including rather extensive (albeit hilarious) talk about candida.

• Museum worker talking to a tourist interested in Southern cuisine: My grandfather used to do his own slaughtering, and when I was a young girl I used to grab the chitlins before they’d been cleaned and swing them around to watch the poop fly out. I’ve never been able to eat chitlins, I guess because of that. But I hear they taste good.

I think I’ll pass on them too, thanks all the same.

From chocolate reviews to, um, intestines and candida? I think I need more sleep.

I indeed have the hearing on an owl. (Barred Owl by Alexander Mody, Youth Photographer of the Year in the Nature's Best Photography Awards. National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC)

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