Traveling in Savannah, Georgia

We spent some time in Savannah this past weekend as we traveled from Richmond to Florida in our Jeep.

I had been there about 20 years ago (oh how I hate saying anything was 20 years ago!), but J. never had. We got there late at night after torrential downpours and a few hydroplaning incidents.

We stayed on River Street, which seems a lot like Bourbon Street to me, without the smell of urine. The view was nice but overall it just wasn’t very impressive to be honest.

I really wanted to explore the old town part of Savannah since I hadn’t seen it before and I love old eclectic neighborhoods, and I miss mine so much. I can honestly say I was blown away. Everywhere we turned there was another cool shop or coffee shop, or awesome tree or amazing home. I was truly in heaven.

 

The trees that hang over most streets and sidewalks in Savannah are truly magical with the Spanish moss hanging off each limb as if the tree is holding the history of the town in the moss. The moss sways in the breeze as if to show how light each moment in our lives is. The branches are large, long and twisted and hang over each street protecting the town. They gave a sense of safety but were also a bit ominous.

 

We visited Forsyth Park, the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (where we took a respite from the rain), the Colonial Park Cemetery, the Bonaventure Cemetery (the one the statue from the Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil used to be located before they moved it to a museum).

Forsyth Park was located in the center of it all it seemed to us. It was vibrant, welcoming and inspiring. There was a farmers market going on adding to the feeling of being in the middle of a community. There was an amazing organic grocery store and coffee shop on Park St.which seemed to be inviting us to stay and spend the afternoon watching the world go by.

Once we drove through the mixed neighborhoods of opulence, run down, apartments and 1970’s homes we arrived at the Bonaventure Cemetery. It seemed at once to take you in and make you forget you there was anywhere else but there. Each street is covered by trees as are the gravestones, the old (back to the mid-1800’s) and the new. The Wilmington River is the ending spot for the cemetery adding to the mystique of the place. We drove the Jeep through the streets, snapping pictures and enjoying the isolation this place offers. If I were going to be buried I have to say I would want to be here. It is protected, frozen in time almost, and honorary of the bodies there. It seems to protect them once they have been entomed there.

 

As I am writing this post I realize Savannah was a lot more to me than I thought it was. I would have liked to have stayed a while and see what other amazing things the city reveals once you have committed a little time to it.

Now I think I must go watch Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (I could use a Kevin Spacey fix too!).