weekly
update 8/4/2013
I
think I'm getting more and more boring as the summer goes on. I
generally only go to the pool, and then spend the rest of the day in
my a/c condo, reading, or watching TV, or playing on the computer.
That's about all I ever do any more, so there's not a lot to write.
But,
on Wednesday, I decided to check off a really big item on my summer
bucket list: I drove to Augusta. I had looked online the day before
for a B&B, and found something called the Queen Inn that looked
as if it might be within walking distance of all the places I wanted
to visit, so with reservation in hand, I headed out. Since no one
ever calls me, and I never call anyone, I didn't take my phone.
That's a big mistake, and I know that now. Not only would I be
stranded if something went wrong with the car, but I had no way to
contact the B&B when I was running late. I got a late start, I
ran into trouble following the directions I'd printed from Google
maps, it was raining cats & dogs and that made it more difficult
for me to find my way. I had said that I would be in Augusta at
noon; I got there about 2. And the door to the Inn was locked!
There was a sign that said I should call this number for entrance,
but since I didn't have my phone, that wasn't helpful. I have never
been to place that did not have someone on site, or have someone
waiting for my arrival. I was dripping wet, I was tired, I was mad,
and I had no place to stay. I was ready to turn around and drive
back to Savannah.
I
went to the Visitor Center and they allowed me to use their phone to
call the B&B, which went to voicemail. I think the kind ladies
at the center felt sorry for me, and they suggested the historic
Partridge Inn. As they were calling about availability there, the
Queen Anne called me back, but I told them to forget it and not
charge my credit card (we'll see if that happens!). I went to the
PI, and they gave me a very nice, big, king-bed room with a covered
balcony overlooking the street and downtown Augusta in the distance.
It was too far to walk to the historic district, but by that time,
most museums and venues were closed anyway. I did drive back to get
something to eat - a wonderful burger at a place called Farm Haus
burgers (it's actually similar to Five Guys, but it's fine for a
single woman alone who doesn't want to spend a lot of money). Back
at the Inn, I relaxed for a while, then enjoyed glass of wine in the
bar, then went to bed.
Thursday,
I got up and checked out and headed back to the city center. I had
calmed down quite a bit and was ready to see the sites I'd come to
visit. I'm not that interested in golf (which worked out well,
because except for the Masters Tournament, peons who are not among
the 400 members of the Augusta National Golf Club can't get in even
to look), but I do love history. I briefly stopped at Springfield
Village Park and Springfield Baptist Church in the historic black
section of the city, then went back to the Visitor Center where the
Augusta History Museum is located. That was quite interesting,
although parts of it were not unlike many other museums I've seen - a
railroad car, some Civil War stuff, exhibits about civil rights, blah
blah blah. I enjoyed the displays that were unique to Augusta. The
Woodrow Wilson boyhood home was a short walk from the museum &
visitor center, so I headed there next. Thomas Woodrow Wilson was
not born in Augusta, but he lived there for longer than at any other
place in his life, beginning when he was 1. His father was the minister at the Presbyterian
Church for 10 years while Tommy was young. It was at the time of the
Civil War, and although Augusta escaped much of the destruction of
the war, Tommy remembers wounded soldiers being brought in by the
railroad car-full to be cared for at the Church which had been turned
into a hospital. It was suggested that it was this experience that
formed his stance about staying out of WWI at all costs, because he
had witnessed what war could do to people as a child in Augusta. The
house museum is well set up, and there are many photos of Wilson's
family throughout, and the docent could tell interesting stories of
everyone in the pictures. There was also many furniture pieces and
other items that belonged to the Wilsons. Perhaps because of my
experiences with DH, I really enjoyed this tour. The forecast was
for rain all day, but it was actually sunny and hot. After the
Wilson Museum, I walked around to some of the churches and historic
markers in the area, and then went to the River Walk. There are two
levels to the walk: one at the top of the levee that was created to
prevent damage in the city if the Savannah River would flood, and one
along the river bank itself. It was pretty hot, but the walk was shaded
and lovely. By the time I got back to my car, which I had left at
the visitor center parking lot, it was getting late, and I still
wanted to the Sacred Heart Cultural Center because I'd read how
lovely it is. I drove to that site, and was not disappointed.
Formerly a Catholic Church, it closed in the 1970's with the
attendance declining and the merger with another nearby church. It
had sat vacant for more than a decade and was threatened with
demolition, when it was purchased and reopened as the cultural center
in 1987. Now it houses the offices of Arts Council, the ballet
company, a local theater group, and other local organizations. It is
available for weddings, meetings, concerts as well as other private
and public events. The inside still has the feeling of being in a
church, with magnificent stained glass windows, wonderful carvings, a
huge altar, and a massive pipe organ. There was also a very nice
lady in the gift shop who gave me more information about the building
because there is no guided tour - just a brochure with some
explanations.
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| Ty Cobb, the Georgia Peach, in the museum |
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| the historic marker at the Wilson boyhood home site |
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| lovely stained glass & wood carvings in the Sacred heart cultural center |
By
this time, I'd seen just about everything I came to see (I didn't see
the James Brown statue that I'd wanted to) and it was almost time to
head back to Savannah. I went to an British pub for a late lunch /
early dinner. I had bangers and mash, and a Guinness, and thus
fortified, I put the top down on the car, and began to struggle to
see if I could find my way back with less difficulty than I had when
I drove to Augusta. On the road for only about 30 minutes, I had to
pull over and put the top up again, as it began to rain & the
skies looked ominous. I took a different route back than I had going
up, using a good ol' road map, not the google maps directions that
had me going to Augusta on rte 67, which abruptly ended and left me
without knowing which way to head next at some place called Millen.
But this time I had less trouble. Almost back, I saw a wonderful
rainbow, so I guess all the rain held at least a small surprise for
me.
Saturday
night, I went with Anne & Kay to see the Savannah Children's
Theater production of 42 Street. Anne's stepson, Alex, had
the lead. I've never had trouble getting a ticket at the last minute
before, so when Anne offered to pick one up for me ahead of time, I
told her not to bother in case I couldn't make it Saturday. Well,
how would I know this would be the only time I've ever seen it sold
out? Luckily, I was put on a “waiting list” in case will calls
were not picked up, and I was able to see the musical. Alex, as well
as everyone in the cast (and the
prop
people, stage hands, costumes, lighting, sound, orchestra, etc) did
another outstanding job! SCT is one of my very favorite things to do
here.
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| Anne & Alex |
