Rachel and spring have both arrived. It was sunny and 65 today, with warmer weather coming tomorrow in Charleston and Savannah after that.
Today, we explored this beautiful southern city, highly recommended by everyone we know who have visited here. We had a morning historical walking tour with a lovely y’all-speaking tour guide named Salley. We had lunch at Fleet Landing outside on the harbor, where Brian and Tina sent us to get she-crab soup. Then a visit to 6 private homes and gardens, open to the public for the Charleston Preservation Society. Finally, a Gullah (the African-English dialect of the slaves, half of whom arrived in the United States through Charleston) gospel concert in a church. Then more seafood for dinner.
The 1920’s dance the Charleston originated here, so the song of the day is “The Charleston” by James P. Johnson, from the musical “Running Wild”. Also, Charleston was the hometown of Dubose Heyward, the author of the book “Porgy and Bess”, who turned it into an opera with those Jewish New Yorkers George and Ira Gershwin.
Charleston harbor with Fort Sumter 
My travelling companion for 5 days 
Beautiful gardens 
Old houses along the harbor 
Houses on a cobblestone street 
Houses and gardens 
An unexpected decoration 
Kohala Kadush Beth Elohim synagogue
Mark's cross-country trip 