FRIDAY, 17TH AUGUST, 2018 - CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, USA

Photos of Charleston:

 

Our delightful Southern Belle walking guide, Sue

 

Off we set for a great tour of this very pretty city…..

FRIDAY, 17TH AUGUST, 2018 - CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, USA

Photos of Charleston:

 

The progressive Circular United Church of Christ, Charleston 

Rear of the Church and its very ornate & interesting graveyard

FRIDAY, 17TH AUGUST, 2018 - CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, USA

Photos of Charleston:

Beautiful homes

False front door leading to balcony to take advantage of the sea breeze

FRIDAY, 17TH AUGUST, 2018 - CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, USA

Photos of Charleston, South Carolina:

 

Window shopping in Charleston

 

Yeah!!, an Apple Store… we needed more help with photos!

FRIDAY, 17TH AUGUST, 2018 - CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, USA

Photos of Charleston, South Carolina:

 

Lots of cobblestone streets :(  …… not good for the tyres!!

Gorgeous homes and horse drawn carriage 

FRIDAY, 17TH AUGUST, 2018 - CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, USA

Photos of Charleston, South Carolina:

Walking the boardwalk ending our walking tour

A cool and refreshing beer, back on the ship

FRIDAY, 17TH AUGUST, 2018 - CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, USA

After a very welcome/restful sea day yesterday, we docked at 9am, met our small group and headed off the ship to meet our 'walking tour' guide, Sue – a truly gorgeous 'Southern Belle', with a passion.  It was already very warm and about to get a whole lot warmer…. very hot!!  Fortunately, most of our walking was in the shade of the most beautiful residential buildings and it was a pleasure to listen to Sue proudly speaking about this style of architecture, as well as her life growing up just a few blocks away, and of course the history of Charleston.

The few streets we strolled through were immaculate – all beautiful and two/three-storeys, some with a very unique design.  These particular homes were originally built to allow more homes to have water views.  They are long and narrow with a "fake" front door, which actually leads to a covered porch with staircase to the floors/porches above.  This clever and practical design also combats heat and humidity by allowing air to flow through the home.

We went inside the Circular Congregational Church and were impressed with its dark wooden, boxed pews and also the very high pulpit which appeared to reach out to the congregation.  There was also a very expansive cemetery on the grounds with some very ornate headstones.  We went into the grounds of Nathaniel Russell House, which is a National Historic Landmark, and now a museum. The streets were clean and the traffic slowly passed us by – no noisy horns or sirens today, such a change to the bustling chaos of New York.

After close to 3 hours meandering, Sue left us at the City Markets which extended over 4 city blocks, and very up markets too – a lovely array of local product, including a whole range of items made out of seagrass to tempt us, and it was out of the sun, so the place to be.  We had an iced coffee at Bubba Gump – it wasn't on the menu but the barman didn't do a bad job of it – at least it didn't have half a carton of whipped cream on top – cold and wet, with that burst of caffeine which we were hanging out for.

Charleston is located on a peninsula formed by two rivers flowing into the Atlantic and protected from the open sea by surrounding islands, it has no tall buildings and it's almost like going back in time…. except for many of the high quality shops, and thank heavens, an Apple Store!!! 

Back to the ship for a change of shoes, quick cool down and a bite of late lunch and then we were off again into the steamy city, with that parcel still to post in hand.  We thought we had plenty of time to get to the post office as we were told it closed at 5pm, but we went to the wrong post office and it was already closed.   We didn't have time to get to the other one so the parcel returned to the ship, again!!  Now thinking our next port Miami will be on Sunday, we won't be able to post until Monday, in Key West.  Sorry Micky, don't think your pressie will arrive in time L

As often happens when visiting ports, the local people put on a Folkloric Show in the theatre, which is always very entertaining, as was this 5-piece "Bluegrass Showcase" band.  We give Charleston a 10 out of 10….  Just delightful J

TUESDAY, 14TH AUGUST, 2018 - NEW YORK, USA - DAY 1

Photos of New York - Day 1:

 

The shiny & new One World Trade Centre,

104 floors - truly magnificent!!!

 

Farewell 'Miss Liberty' - hope to return one day 

TUESDAY, 14TH AUGUST, 2018 - NEW YORK, DAY 1

Photos of New York - Day 1:

 

A quick stroll through the magnificent Central Park

TUESDAY, 14TH AUGUST, 2018 - NEW YORK, USA - DAY 1

Photos of New York - Day 1:

 

Restaurant 'Gigorno'

Farewell dinner with good mates & Miss Liberty just over there

TUESDAY, 14TH AUGUST, 2018 - NEW YORK, USA - DAY 1

 

 Photos of New York - Day 1:

Westfield's 'Oculus' retail complex and entry to subway

Inside 'Oculus' - so massive the people looked like ants

TUESDAY, 14TH AUGUST, 2018 - NEW YORK, USA - DAY 1

 

Photos of New York - Ground Zero Museum - Day 1:

 

 

The last column to be removed from the debris and the 'slurry wall' to the left 

 

These steps were used by many of the survivors on that tragic day

TUESDAY, 14TH AUGUST, 2018 - NEW YORK, DAY 1

Photos of New York - Day 1

Ground Zero Memorial Site - a rose is placed on each birthday

A wall of tiles representing every single life lost

TUESDAY, 14TH AUGUST, 2018 - NEW YORK, 2018 - DAY 1

An exciting couple of days ahead of us as we walk New York City ….  Our berth on the Hudson River was at Manhattan Terminal, next to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum and we had spectacular morning views from our balcony of 'Uptown'   Eager to get moving and with comfy shoes, we walked from the Terminal up 42^nd Street to Times Square.  It was abuzz with tourists, neon lights, noise and hustle & bustle – so colourful and exciting!!  We enjoyed an al fresco sit down and coffee at Juniors (but resisted their famous cheesecake). 

 

We walked through part of Broadway and then into the majestic Grand Central Station with its elegant marble from floor to ceiling, archways snaking their way to numerous platforms and the awesome Main Waiting Room which was festooned with sparking chandeliers on the domed ceiling.  An exciting place to be with familiar destinations all just a ticket ride away, and travellers scurrying in all directions.  Then we strolled through Rockefeller Centre, Saks on 5^th Avenue and up to Central Park, but we then needed to get back to the ship.

 

After lunch and a quick change of clothes, we met up with Ros & Arnold to tour  the  9/11 Museum & Memorial.   With our audio guides in hand, we spent a couple of hours walking around all the exhibits of the retrieved debris from that horrific inferno, as well as history of how the buildings were built.  The moving Memoriam Hall which included photos of every life lost, totalling 2,983 people, and heartbreaking stories from family and friends was extremely emotional…. a day in history, never to be forgotten, which sadly changed our world forever.

 

The new One World Trade Centre which soars skywards, is the tallest building in the western hemisphere (104 stories) is the 6^th tallest in the world, and is an shiny icon of the city skyline, with an elegant spiral to top it off.    

 

We then crossed the road and entered the unique, stunning white structure called the Oculus, owned by Westfields.   This underground mall took our breath away and the simplicity of this architecturally beautiful building was impressive to say the least.  It is filled with shops, restaurants, cinemas, etc., and was also our entry point to the stifling hot subway where we were on our way to Battery Point to meet up with our Table 84 dinner cruise mates at Gigorno.    Location, location - this delightful, covered but open air restaurant,  was perfect for our last meal together this trip and although there were a few sprinkles, we enjoyed a great pasta meal with the Statue of Liberty in the distance and finishing with farewells and hugs to six great friends, who were all off in different directions around the States.

 

Feeling quite exhausted, we cabbed it home with Joanne & Garry and fell into bed after the most brilliant day. 

 

WEDNESDAY, 15TH AUGUST, 2018 - NEW YORK, USA - DAY 2

Couple of funny pics from New York - Day 2:

 

Clever billboard

 

Teeny weeny cop car