Being A Tourist in Charleston

Face it.  The ugly truth is that part of cruising is being a tourist.   That means going to touristy places and taking photos of touristy things.  Pam and I pursuaded Rod and Patti, our friends who have been here for the past month on their Mason 43, to join us.

I joked with Pam about wearing black knee high socks and sandals, Bermuda shorts, and a gaudy shirt with a camera slung around my neck.  She didn't think that was a good idea at all.  Although it was shorts and tee shirt weather here in Charleston, she nixed the socks and sandals completely.

We decided to visit the aquarium.  Pam and I love aquariums, and the one in Charleston included not only critters from the sea, but those from fresh water as well.  It was a good hike there from the marina, but we all enjoy walking and so we did.  You can see more at 3 or 4 miles per hour than you can from a cab or marina van, like this house with the awesome stairways.

We soon arrived at the aquarium, and I started snapping pics of all the cute animals, like this guy who seemed to be mugging it up for us.

This blurry apparition below is an otter.  You try focusing on an otter.  It ain't easy.

"Allibaster" is an alibino alligator.  Sorry about the blurry head, but you try taking a pic.... aw, never mind.

A funny bird is the pelican... it's beak holds more than its belly can.

The birds in the aquarium are injured in some way and couldn't survive on their own.

These kids were having a ball, and so was the volunteer showing them the rays and horseshoe crabs.

The batteries in our little point and shoot camera died just as we got to the really cool part of the aquarium... the huge salt water tank with all the awesome fish, like sharks and barracudas and bare breasted mermaids.   Sorry about that.  After we left the aquarium, we stopped at a True Value hardware store and bought new batteries.  Here is a photo of the US Customs House to make up for the missing photos of awesome fish and bare breasted mermaids.  You're welcome.

This is probably the funniest sign I've ever seen.   It's on a telephone pole in downtown  Charleston.

On the way back, we strolled through  the open air markets.  I was impressed by these woven baskets.  I thought they might make good presents until I picked one up and saw the price.  $165.  Nope, not a good present.  Pam thought they were nice too, and bought a small one for $20.  

I loved this old house with the flower boxes.  Flowers, in February!

We got back to the boat and took the dogs on a much needed walk.

Ruby loves sticks and picks them up where ever we are.  In Charleston, she had the good fortune to find a palm branch, which she ripped to pieces in short order.

The sunset was beautiful, a perfect ending to a perfect day.

I'm writing this at 5:30 AM on Friday morning.  I'm not sure what we're doing today.  I think Pam said something about laundry and going to the grocery store.  There's a shuttle to the local West Marine and I need to buy some parts for the Whaler, so maybe I'll do that.  We have to settle on a big decision, though.  We have really good TV reception here, but the city marina is really expensive at $100 a day, but the Super Bowl is Sunday.  Do we risk leaving for Beaufort tomorrow?  What if we're out of TV range?  Rod and Patti are here, so if we stay and if they don't leave, we could make a nice little Super Bowl party on Drift Away.  Then again, there's this nice Irish pub downtown that's advertising a Super Bowl party....

The decisions that cruisers must make are difficult, indeed.