My family just spent the better part of a week in Charleston, S.C., a lovable little city that superbly balances its depth of historical significance with modern, sophisticated sensibilities. Its restaurant and nightclub scene is unparalleled for a town of this size, and a youthful energy pulsates in the shops, on the streets and almost everywhere you venture in this gracious oasis of the Old South.
For much of my life Charleston has been a second home. When I was a kid, my parents took my brothers and me to South Carolina's coastal Lowcountry to vacation. Later, Guitar Dad spent quality time here with friends and to play gigs in the vicinity.
Fortunately for me, one of my brothers lives with his wife and kids in leafy Mount Pleasant, a suburbanized burg just across the river from Charleston. Our extended family occasionally congregates during the holidays at their home, and our gatherings are among the most special, meaningful experiences of my life. My recent visit not only included considerable down time with the people I love most, but an excursion to Pearlz (an exceptional oyster bar), a delicious meal at Fleet Landing (an easygoing waterfront eatery) and a stroll through downtown's historic district, whose stately homes and buildings are stunning for their architectural beauty as well as their sheer age. Some were built before the Revolutionary War, and many more before the 1840s.
Another highlight of the trip was tromping around Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island with the kids in tow. This well-preserved compound first defended Charleston Harbor in 1776 and, as its structure evolved, provided protection for the fair citizenry through the Civil War and subsequent world wars.
Charleston has withstood its share of calamities over the years, among them earthquakes, hurricanes, fires and Yankee bombardment. But its gentle soul has only grown richer and more alluring.
To read more of Guitar Dad's travel narratives, click here.
1 Comment
Guitar Wife
12/30/2008 06:20:31 am
This is one of your most heartfelt, superbly written posts, Guitar Dad. Well done!
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