Day 15: Georgia & South Carolina

I had a very productivfe and satisfying day. The weather was perfect and I was in some big cities which gave me some very dense photographic material. Only another day and a half left of the trip but I'm ready to settle down and put my life back in order. I'm sure the dogs look forward to their usual routine as well. Lots of photos for ya today!

As if the one-way streets didn't slow me down enough in Savannah, there was also a homecoming parade for Savannah State College which blocked off several roads. I was glad to have a good map to steer around all the various back ways to get what I needed but still it took more time than I would've liked. There are worse places to get jammed up though - it's a beautiful and interesting town. In addition to the marching bands, hand-shaking politicians, cars with waving beauty pageant winners, there were also lots of fun-loving Shriners.



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The old Globe Shoe store is a beauty:







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Just a couple doors down is another old shoe store with yet more great terrazzo. Some day I'm going to go down all the Main Streets in the U.S. and shoot just this. Maybe start a new flickr ID "terrazzonut"?



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So I've gotta mention/show the Spanish Moss -- okay, so it's an epiphyte and all that but it's so beautiful:



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I can't decide if this is cute or disgusting. Tybee Island has one of those art project things around town with differently decorated sea turtles. Here's this guy indulging in a banana split at the Sugar Shack:



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and another sea turtle pirate at the Crab Shack with a sleeping friend. It was a really busy place with mobs of people walking by and making noise. But this guy was just so used to it I guess.






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Speaking of snoozing, here's one of my roadside pals asleep at the wheel. It's usually Grip in my lap on these trips, alternating between watching scenery, sleeping, and nipping at big trucks that go by. Nik usually only takes this spot when he's freezing (after swimming in cold water). But today I guess he found a sunny patch & couldn't resist. He falls asleep in the most uncomfortable looking positions and held this one for quite awhile.



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This old Texaco is on the road between Savannah and Charleston. It looks like a fake set-up to me but it could be real I guess since it's at a major fork in the road.



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This is how they do Halloween in South Carolina I guess, the Palmetto State:



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I had never been to Charleston before and it's drop dead gorgeous. I'm coming back someday just to start a new Flickr ID and/or website called "really-old-buildings". Here are some examples:







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I told myself I'd stop shooting these Montgomery-Ward buildings but this is perhaps the most nicely preserved one I've seen:



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There are lots of brick-walled courtyards which sometimes give you a glimpse of what's on the other side:



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The buses are done up like street cars:



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And lastly, let me leave you with this delightful discovery in Charleston. You've all seen those giant inflated eagles and Uncle Sams on the roofs of car dealership but here's a unique touch. I'm told there really is a Mama and that she's in her 80s. I only missed meeting her by a few minutes and would've loved to get a posed shot with her underneath her likeness. Damn!