Today was cool (low 40's) and rainy. Not ideal for a walking city. We found out about the CAT Shuttle - a free service operated by the city transportation system. There is a stop located right out front of our hotel, and also a stop right near one of our selected destinations for the day, so it was determined that this would be our mode of transport today. But then, we realized that our first destination was just 2 blocks down the road, so we decided to walk there first.
We made our way down MLK Jr. Blvd. trying to obey the traffic laws. Not an easy task when the crossing lights allow about 2 seconds before the hand starts flashing to tell you to stay where you are. The nice thing is that drivers in Savannah are used to pedestrians and are generally very courteous. We turned off the sidewalk into the lovely, but very wet, gardens of the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum. The museum is housed in the Scarbrough House, designed and built by architect William Jay, and the former home of William Scarbrough. Check their website for more information . . .
This was very interesting for the adults and my son; not so much for my daughter. As a Girl Scout, she was looking forward to visiting the Juliette Gordon Low birthplace house. Because of the rain, we decided to keep moving, so we walked a couple of blocks to the City Market. Here is a nice collection of shops, restaurants and artists studios. Also, this is the place to pick up one of those carriages you can see all over the historic district (not on a rainy day, however). We ate lunch at the Cafe at City Market, purchased discount tickets for the house tour, then set out for the closest CAT Shuttle stop. We waited, checked the time, moved to another stop, waited some more, checked the time again, waited some more . . . never did see that shuttle. The walk to the Wayne-Gordon house was not that far, but it wasn't fun in the rain. We enjoyed our tour of this large old house, purchased the requisite Girl Scout patches and postcards, and set out in the rain to head back to the hotel.
It seems a shame to stay holed up in a hotel room, but we were all wet and a bit miserable, and eating what was left of last night's pizza sounded pretty good. Add a couple of cups of hot chocolate, and a bag of popcorn, and you've got a fine rainy night dinner.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Savannah, GA
Day 1
Have you ever seen photos of someplace or seen it in a movie, and decided that you just had to go there one day? That was Savannah for me. I had really no idea what I was going to do when I got there, but I wanted to go - if for no other reason than just to see it.
So here I am. Thanks to the generosity of my mom's employer, we're here for a long weekend. The first thing not to do in this city is stay at the Econo-Lodge on Oglethorpe Avenue. We thought we had found a basic bargain hotel in the historic district. It was advertised as newly renovated, and although it is just a basic hotel, we would only be sleeping there . . . right? Well, we rolled into town at 2:30 in the morning after driving from Richmond, checked into our room, and immediately decided we had made a mistake. The carpet was torn, the furniture was broken, and they had used a strong air "freshener" to cover up the odor of urine that permeated the room. At that hour, the only thing to do was get some sleep. After checking for bedbugs (we didn't see any signs of them), we climbed into bed and attempted to sleep.
Fast forward to morning, where we quickly shower and dress and move our stuff OUT! We did ask to see another room, but that one was worse. All the same odors from the first room, plus stale cigarette smoke. Now, directly across Oglethorpe is a very nice Hampton Inn, and with the help of manager Jim and front desk attendant Robbin, we relocated our base of operations. This place I would highly recommend to anyone. Not only do the rooms not smell, but the beds are quite comfortable, and the staff are friendly and helpful. There is a nice dining area, and a sitting room with a TV and fireplace. Breakfast, internet access, and newspaper are included in the price. Oh, and when the weather allows, they have a nice outdoor pool, too.
Now, for those people who said "Why would you go to Savannah?", I say why not? It is a beautiful city, with loads of things to see and do, places to eat, places to photograph or draw, history to learn about; you name it, I think you can find it here. We opted for a trolley tour with Old Savannah Tours, taking advantage of the all-day on and off option. You get to ride around and see the whole historic district and listen to the narrative, then ride again and hop off at the places you want to explore. We found that riding several times was interesting, because each driver kind of took their own route (basically the same, but still different) and included different tid-bits in their chatter.
We hopped off to get lunch at the Pirates' House. They have a nice southern buffet, or you can order off the menu. We chose the buffet - great fried chicken (not the standard buffet oven-fried stuff) with a honey-pecan sauce, pulled pork barbecue, fried fish, mac & cheese, squash casserole (absolutely delicious!), veggies - very good! Make sure you save room for dessert. We didn't know there was any, until the server appeared with four plates of the yummy stuff. Homemade banana pudding and 7-layer bars were the featured treat the day we visited. We were very happy that our hotel room has a fridge; it would have been a terrible shame to have to waste those goodies.
Our next stop was the Colonial Park Cemetery where Union forces camped during the Civil War. The grave markers were inconveniently in the way, so they simply moved them. Many of these are lined up along the wall, the locations of the graves they originally marked long forgotten. From there we wandered over to the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. This is one of those places that some people may pass up as not interesting or exciting enough. However, it really is beautiful inside, and worth checking out. One word of caution - don't get down on the floor to take pictures. The pictures are OK, the floor isn't.
At this point, we were all completely exhausted, so back on the trolley we went for the ride back to our hotel. It was decided that pizza delivery would be an excellent choice for dinner. Vinnie Van Go Go's came highly recommended by the hotel staff, the menu looked good, and the prices were reasonable. Delivery took about an hour - not bad for a Friday night - and our pizza and calzone were excellent. Again happy about our in-room fridge, we wrapped up our left-overs to enjoy later, crawled into those big, comfy beds, and crashed!
Have you ever seen photos of someplace or seen it in a movie, and decided that you just had to go there one day? That was Savannah for me. I had really no idea what I was going to do when I got there, but I wanted to go - if for no other reason than just to see it.
So here I am. Thanks to the generosity of my mom's employer, we're here for a long weekend. The first thing not to do in this city is stay at the Econo-Lodge on Oglethorpe Avenue. We thought we had found a basic bargain hotel in the historic district. It was advertised as newly renovated, and although it is just a basic hotel, we would only be sleeping there . . . right? Well, we rolled into town at 2:30 in the morning after driving from Richmond, checked into our room, and immediately decided we had made a mistake. The carpet was torn, the furniture was broken, and they had used a strong air "freshener" to cover up the odor of urine that permeated the room. At that hour, the only thing to do was get some sleep. After checking for bedbugs (we didn't see any signs of them), we climbed into bed and attempted to sleep.
Fast forward to morning, where we quickly shower and dress and move our stuff OUT! We did ask to see another room, but that one was worse. All the same odors from the first room, plus stale cigarette smoke. Now, directly across Oglethorpe is a very nice Hampton Inn, and with the help of manager Jim and front desk attendant Robbin, we relocated our base of operations. This place I would highly recommend to anyone. Not only do the rooms not smell, but the beds are quite comfortable, and the staff are friendly and helpful. There is a nice dining area, and a sitting room with a TV and fireplace. Breakfast, internet access, and newspaper are included in the price. Oh, and when the weather allows, they have a nice outdoor pool, too.
Now, for those people who said "Why would you go to Savannah?", I say why not? It is a beautiful city, with loads of things to see and do, places to eat, places to photograph or draw, history to learn about; you name it, I think you can find it here. We opted for a trolley tour with Old Savannah Tours, taking advantage of the all-day on and off option. You get to ride around and see the whole historic district and listen to the narrative, then ride again and hop off at the places you want to explore. We found that riding several times was interesting, because each driver kind of took their own route (basically the same, but still different) and included different tid-bits in their chatter.
We hopped off to get lunch at the Pirates' House. They have a nice southern buffet, or you can order off the menu. We chose the buffet - great fried chicken (not the standard buffet oven-fried stuff) with a honey-pecan sauce, pulled pork barbecue, fried fish, mac & cheese, squash casserole (absolutely delicious!), veggies - very good! Make sure you save room for dessert. We didn't know there was any, until the server appeared with four plates of the yummy stuff. Homemade banana pudding and 7-layer bars were the featured treat the day we visited. We were very happy that our hotel room has a fridge; it would have been a terrible shame to have to waste those goodies.
Our next stop was the Colonial Park Cemetery where Union forces camped during the Civil War. The grave markers were inconveniently in the way, so they simply moved them. Many of these are lined up along the wall, the locations of the graves they originally marked long forgotten. From there we wandered over to the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. This is one of those places that some people may pass up as not interesting or exciting enough. However, it really is beautiful inside, and worth checking out. One word of caution - don't get down on the floor to take pictures. The pictures are OK, the floor isn't.
At this point, we were all completely exhausted, so back on the trolley we went for the ride back to our hotel. It was decided that pizza delivery would be an excellent choice for dinner. Vinnie Van Go Go's came highly recommended by the hotel staff, the menu looked good, and the prices were reasonable. Delivery took about an hour - not bad for a Friday night - and our pizza and calzone were excellent. Again happy about our in-room fridge, we wrapped up our left-overs to enjoy later, crawled into those big, comfy beds, and crashed!
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Apologies
Well, we had very good intentions of posting news, comments, and up-to-date photos every day of our short visit in Bali. But, as anyone who has been to Bali knows, Bali time takes over and the schedule just gets a little out of shape.
Posting photos has been a challenge. I'm not sure what the problem is, as some work and others don't. It doesn't seem to be a size issue, so I'm at a loss. I will keep trying to include photos, and those that don't work will get posted elsewhere (address to be announced).
So anyhow, bookmark us if you haven't already, and please be patient. I have a LOT of things to do right now, and sometimes I get some sleep. Thanks for reading!
Posting photos has been a challenge. I'm not sure what the problem is, as some work and others don't. It doesn't seem to be a size issue, so I'm at a loss. I will keep trying to include photos, and those that don't work will get posted elsewhere (address to be announced).
So anyhow, bookmark us if you haven't already, and please be patient. I have a LOT of things to do right now, and sometimes I get some sleep. Thanks for reading!
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Wednesday, 23 November
We had been trying to locate our friend Nina, who was recently married to a man from France. I had been in contact with her by email, so I knew she was around, but nobody that I asked seemed to know where I might find her. Finally I sat down and sent her another email. It seemed really strange to sit in an internet cafe in Ubud and send email to someone in the same village! Her reply came quickly and it turned out she was living right down the street. We had been walking past her twice a day and didn't even know it. On the way to get dinner Tuesday night, the kids and I stopped in to say hi. During our brief visit, Nina invited us to come swim with her, and Wednesday was the day.
We got a bit of a late start, because Macaela was dragging her feet on getting her schoolwork done, but we packed our swim stuff and headed down the road. Of course we visited for a while and caught up on what everybody had been up to, then headed out back to see the monkey and the pool. The monkey was quite a hit with the kids, but the pool called and they were ready. We were joined in the pool by Nina's husband Remi. Remi is one of those lucky people who has found a way to make a living in Bali. He works in Canada and France from his computer. Oh, I wish! Well, anyway, Jake had a blast with Remi tossing him in the pool, and Macaela used flippers to zoom around. We spent most of the day swimming and visiting, and then headed home and slept like logs.
Since then, Nina and Remi have become the very proud parents of a beautiful baby girl.
We got a bit of a late start, because Macaela was dragging her feet on getting her schoolwork done, but we packed our swim stuff and headed down the road. Of course we visited for a while and caught up on what everybody had been up to, then headed out back to see the monkey and the pool. The monkey was quite a hit with the kids, but the pool called and they were ready. We were joined in the pool by Nina's husband Remi. Remi is one of those lucky people who has found a way to make a living in Bali. He works in Canada and France from his computer. Oh, I wish! Well, anyway, Jake had a blast with Remi tossing him in the pool, and Macaela used flippers to zoom around. We spent most of the day swimming and visiting, and then headed home and slept like logs.
Since then, Nina and Remi have become the very proud parents of a beautiful baby girl.
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Tuesday, 22 November
Today was the day we had set aside to travel to Candi Kuning. We always enjoy the buffet lunch at Pacung Indah when we visit Pura Ulun Danu, but this time we headed up there for a very special reason. We went to see Cracker's Bar & Crappatorium, the newest attraction at the Candi Kuning market. When you drive into the market, go straight back to the far left corner. There you will find a stall where you can purchase T-shirts and fabric shopping bags made by bombing widows. Next to that is a stall selling delicious pastries and other baked goods. Then you come to the "Crappatorium." The Crappatorium is the newest and best pay toilet in Bali. It is a bit pricey at Rp 5000 (about $0.50) compared to Rp 2000 to use the toilet in the Ubud market, but OH the difference!! I have heard other people say that toilets in the markets are the absolute worst, and I know I try never to use them except in extreme emergency. This one is the exception - clean, well lit, toilet paper, soap, and western-style fixtures. And it has beautiful sinks. I paid a visit to the men's side as well to check out the facilities and they are just as nice. So, if you find yourself in this part of the world and in need of a toilet, don't balk at the price. You'll have to pay someone, and it might as well be a pleasant experience. Also keep in mind that you are helping to support the Balinese people.
Oh yes, the bar! I almost forgot. Beyond the toilets is an open courtyard with orchids and other plants on the walls, and beyond that is Cracker's Bar. The bar is open for business with large comfortable bar stools, and elegantly simple decor. We had a pleasant chat with Ni Nyoman Suratini, who was on a rotation from Pacung Indah. She explained to us that all of the staff at the restaurant should be able to work at the bar and the shop as well, and that everyone is being cross-trained. The service at the restaurant is always impeccable, so you can expect the same at the bar and grill. The grill is under construction above the toilets, and I'm looking forward to taking a meal there on my next visit. Of course, then I have to choose between the grill or the buffet. Hmmm . . .
Oh yes, the bar! I almost forgot. Beyond the toilets is an open courtyard with orchids and other plants on the walls, and beyond that is Cracker's Bar. The bar is open for business with large comfortable bar stools, and elegantly simple decor. We had a pleasant chat with Ni Nyoman Suratini, who was on a rotation from Pacung Indah. She explained to us that all of the staff at the restaurant should be able to work at the bar and the shop as well, and that everyone is being cross-trained. The service at the restaurant is always impeccable, so you can expect the same at the bar and grill. The grill is under construction above the toilets, and I'm looking forward to taking a meal there on my next visit. Of course, then I have to choose between the grill or the buffet. Hmmm . . .
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Monday, 21 November
We wanted to buy Made a new pair of glasses. He said Denpasar would be the best place to go, and that while we were there, we could shop for fabric. We said that sounded great, and it was determined that we would go on Monday. So, after breakfast and a little shopping, we set out for Denpasar. Along the way, we did the usual ogling out the window at the wonderfully interesting shops we were passing - mostly furniture, but we also saw a bakery with a beautiful selection of birthday cakes in the window, puppies and fish for sale (not in the bakery), floral shops, and many other things I had never seen in Bali before.
While Made had his eyes examined, we all looked at frames and watched TV. Jake helped Made choose just the right frames, and they look great. The total cost for the exam, frames and lenses was Rp 600,000 ($60) and they would be ready in an hour. The children informed me that they were lapar (hungry) and that it was time for makan siang (lunch), so we told Made and he said he knew a good place. He took us to Tiara Dewata. This is a Bali shopping mall with a food court, kiddie rides, and a swimming pool. Lace and I ate at the dim sum stand; we both got noodles with meat, vegetables, mushrooms, crispy fried noodles and broth for $1 each (total meal with tax $2.20). Made helped the kids with their lunch decision and they ended up with pizza and sate ayam (chicken) with white rice. He also bought a plate of Balinese treats for all of us to try. After they finished lunch, Made took the kids to ride the carousel and play in the ball room.
After all that excitement, we headed back to get Made's glasses and then on to the fabric shopping. Although Lace keeps saying I went crazy, I say we exercised quite a bit of self control in not buying a piece of every fabric we liked. Cotton batik in all variety of colors and patterns cost Rp 15,000 per meter, and rayon batik was only 13,000. I think in all we bought about 50 meters. What are we going to do with it all? Ummm . . .
While Made had his eyes examined, we all looked at frames and watched TV. Jake helped Made choose just the right frames, and they look great. The total cost for the exam, frames and lenses was Rp 600,000 ($60) and they would be ready in an hour. The children informed me that they were lapar (hungry) and that it was time for makan siang (lunch), so we told Made and he said he knew a good place. He took us to Tiara Dewata. This is a Bali shopping mall with a food court, kiddie rides, and a swimming pool. Lace and I ate at the dim sum stand; we both got noodles with meat, vegetables, mushrooms, crispy fried noodles and broth for $1 each (total meal with tax $2.20). Made helped the kids with their lunch decision and they ended up with pizza and sate ayam (chicken) with white rice. He also bought a plate of Balinese treats for all of us to try. After they finished lunch, Made took the kids to ride the carousel and play in the ball room.
After all that excitement, we headed back to get Made's glasses and then on to the fabric shopping. Although Lace keeps saying I went crazy, I say we exercised quite a bit of self control in not buying a piece of every fabric we liked. Cotton batik in all variety of colors and patterns cost Rp 15,000 per meter, and rayon batik was only 13,000. I think in all we bought about 50 meters. What are we going to do with it all? Ummm . . .
Rainy Sunday
After our adventures on Saturday, we decided to take it easy. The kids could get some extra school work time in, and everyone could get a little rest. Besides that, it was pouring rain! Well, after a while we decided we should go get some lunch, because I didn't feel like cooking. We donned our oh-so-fashionable orange plastic rain ponchos and set out for Murni's. About half-way there Jake complained of having something in his shoe, so we accepted a very conveniently 
timed offer of "Transport?"
Since it was still pouring, and it was Sunday after all, we decided to make it brunch. We started with onion rings (plain, not spicy) and battered fried tomatoes (yum!) at 17,500 each. The rain was splashing on the table a bit, so we scooted away from the rail. Lace and the kids all got chicken schnitzel (39,000)
and I had the chicken chasseur (42,000), each served with fried potatoes and salad. Everything was quite delicious. Oh, and can I get the recipe for that dressing?! Well, by this time the rain was really coming in, so we asked to move to another table. You can't just leave in the middle of a rain like that, so we ordered garlic toast (15,000) and guacamole (19,500) and more garlic toast, and a couple of milkshakes (25,000).
The rain stopped, but by the time we heaved our stuffed selves away from the table, it was raining again. We looked around in Murni's shops for a while, but it became apparent that we were not going to get
another clear chance to head home. We negotiated for transport: "How much to Penestanan?" "20,000" "How about 15,000?" "But it's raining?" "15,000?" "Yah, OK" (then we paid him 20,000 anyway). So, back to the bungalow, where everyone but me took a looonnnggg nap (the kids slept through the night). I read a book, played some cards, took pics, smoked cloves, listened to the rain . . .
timed offer of "Transport?"Since it was still pouring, and it was Sunday after all, we decided to make it brunch. We started with onion rings (plain, not spicy) and battered fried tomatoes (yum!) at 17,500 each. The rain was splashing on the table a bit, so we scooted away from the rail. Lace and the kids all got chicken schnitzel (39,000)
and I had the chicken chasseur (42,000), each served with fried potatoes and salad. Everything was quite delicious. Oh, and can I get the recipe for that dressing?! Well, by this time the rain was really coming in, so we asked to move to another table. You can't just leave in the middle of a rain like that, so we ordered garlic toast (15,000) and guacamole (19,500) and more garlic toast, and a couple of milkshakes (25,000).The rain stopped, but by the time we heaved our stuffed selves away from the table, it was raining again. We looked around in Murni's shops for a while, but it became apparent that we were not going to get
another clear chance to head home. We negotiated for transport: "How much to Penestanan?" "20,000" "How about 15,000?" "But it's raining?" "15,000?" "Yah, OK" (then we paid him 20,000 anyway). So, back to the bungalow, where everyone but me took a looonnnggg nap (the kids slept through the night). I read a book, played some cards, took pics, smoked cloves, listened to the rain . . .
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