SAVANNAH, GEORGIA IN THE RAIN

We drove into downtown Savannah by 9:20 a.m. and boarded the Old Savannah Trolley on this very rainy day at our Hampton Inn Historic District by 9:45! Our driver said that Savannah is the largest urban historic district in the U.S. with 2.5 square miles. He said it is called an urban forest with over 60,000 live oak trees downtown. Live oak trees' leaves are always green. Here the lovely Spanish moss hangs prolifically. I think there are more trees and more ornate homes here than in New Orleans. I do love the way the city is laid out, with 22 of the 24 original town squares and the parks. James Oglethorpe, the founder of Georgia and Savannah, wanted the city to be on "high and healthy ground," and it has never flooded!

We saw Flannery O'Connor's house (I read Wise Blood and A Good Man Is Hard to Find in college), the house of Juliet Gordon Low (founder of the Girl Scouts), a Sears pre-fab house from the 30s, the 1820 Federal style Davenport House, the 1892 Renaissance Revival Kehoe House, and the 1816 English Regency style Owens-Thomas House, Victorian homes, the 1734 Pirates House (the oldest house in Georgia-now a restaurant), cotton warehouses, Revolutionary War battle sites, the riverfront, and house that Gen. Wm. Tecumseh Sherman occupied in 1864, the market area, and more!

This is a city rich in history and culture, but I think our heart still lies in New Orleans. We did have lunch at The Lady & Sons, Paula Deen's restaurant (102 West Congress Street). We had the buffet ($13.99 per person) The heavenly southern fried chicken was phenomenal, I savored every bite. The Hoe Cake was an unbelievable type of corn pancake melting in my mouth. The mashed potatoes were smooth and silky. TK mentioned that my last mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving "weren't bad" but these were the best he had ever had. I liked the black-eye peas and TK liked the lima beans with ham and the ribs. I had peach cobbler for dessert and TK had "gooey butter cake" (chocolate cookie with pecan "stuff" and a chocolate sauce-3 layers). Fabulous!

Bubba's son, Jay, was working in the gift shop (Bubba is Paula's brother) and he helped me buy something special in the gift shop for D and C, B1, and my DSIL whose birthday is on Valentine's Day! He mentioned that Paula's birthday is soon and that the family would be celebrating this evening. They rented a historic home and the invitations assigned each person a famous name who he/she had to impersonate the whole evening at a "Who Killed Paula Deen Murder Mystery Birthday Party." He said that Paula had no idea that the party had this theme. This is surely not something that everyone knows! Jay also said that Paula is the real deal and does not mind that the family "follows along on her shirttails." Our tour guide said she owns two private jets.

TK's Takes: Too much rain to really explore Savannah. But we don't have to shovel rain!