Today we explored Charleston. After a 10-minute drive, we reached the Visitor Center in the city. Luckily, we had to pay the parking fees using an on-site QR code. However, it was not possible without Wi-Fi. So, we approached a parking lot attendant who turned out to be the manager. We explained our problem to him, and he registered our license plate and allowed us to park for free. A very fortunate start to the day.
At the Visitor Center, we booked a ghost tour for the evening. Then, we were informed that 3 bus lines (210, 211, and 213) provide free transportation around downtown Charleston, which is a great service. Equipped with a city map, we set out to explore the city. Charleston, named after Charles II (Charles Town), was founded in 1670. Almost half of all enslaved people brought to America arrived at the city's port. We initially used line 211 to get closer to the historic core. Then, we strolled towards the harbor, capturing some beautiful photo opportunities of old houses along the way. We passed the Rainbow Row, named after the various pastel colors of the houses there, and headed towards a water taxi stop. For $14 per person, we were able to tour all 4 stops of the one-hour boat tour. We also got a close look at the old aircraft carrier named Yorktown. Along the way, we were even lucky enough to see dolphins.
Back on land, we made a culinary stop at the Rooftop Bar Vendue. Then, we headed towards the City Market. Various market halls offered all sorts of things, from spices to hats, clothing, jewelry, and artworks. After that, we wandered through the streets of the city for quite a while before discovering a film set near a park. As we later found out, it was a film set for the series 'Outer Banks'. We stumbled upon the BBQ restaurant Queology by chance before ending the day with another visit to Scott's BBQ. After stuffing ourselves with delicious BBQ, we fell into bed.
Greetings,
Steffi and Stefan
