Savannah

The trip from Columbia to Savannah was uneventful except for sitting beside a guy who, after introducing himself and the usual how d'ye dos replied that he was great cause he'd just got out of gaol and would be even better if he could have a cup of coffee but he had no money so could I spare some!

I arrived in Savannah to find that there was an outdoor movie being screened in the park just near my accommodation so a pleasant evening was spent that way. Many of the audience had brought their dogs along for the evening and there were a couple of scenes in the movie with barking and howling dogs. When this occurred, the entire dog population of the audeince went into a frenzy. It rather added to the atmosphere!

Today dawned overcast and rainy which didn't bother me too much but in the same park as last night's movie the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) students were having their annual sidewalk chalk drawing competition. I am sure some of them didn't appreciate the rain much! The effect of the water was to make the art more like watercolour painting than chalk drawing but there were still many beautiful peices of art.

In the afternoon I took the obligatory tourist historic trolley tour which, like most tours was well worth it. Savannah's historic area, with it's grand southern architecture and live oaks draped in Spanish moss is the most charming historic town I have yet seen. There are 22 small park areas or squares throughout the old town so along with all the beautiful houses and gardens it is also very green and full of outdoor spaces. One of these parks is where Forest Gump sat on the bench to tell his tale. Incidentally that bench is now in the historic museum (don't really see what's too historic about it)!

I learned also that SCAD is the largest art college in the USA but does not have a campus as such. Much of what is taught involves the college buying random buildings and having students redesign or renovate them as study projects which can then be either sold or kept for college use. In the historic district I imagine this involves learning a lot about restorations and period architecture, but there are also rundown motels that have been converted into dormitories and the old cotton warehouses have been turned into classrooms. A clever scheme as students get practical design experience and Savannah's dilapidated buildings get a facelift!

Another interesting piece of trivia is that during Savannah's very early years there was prohibition of alcohol, slavery, Roman Catholics and lawyers! (the slavery one fell by the wayside when they found they could not compete with South Carolina's plantations.)

Enough Savannah secrets for now. I am sure I'll discover many more over the next few days. They tell me this is the most haunted city in America...