A walk down memory lane … in Savannah, GA

Imagine a half dozen Krispy Kreme donuts delivered to your boat every day. Or a marina persuading  you to stay for the famous St Patrick's Day Parade by offering two free nights. Mind you, this was no rinky-dink marina, this was Palmer Johnson, now Thunderbolt Marine, that did refitting and boat works for yachts over a 100 feet! Such was our firsthand experience with Southern hospitality. What a sweet welcome to Savannah.

That was twenty-three years ago. Last May, we were excited to visit Savannah again. It was raining when we arrived, so we spent the evening enjoying the hot tub at the hotel. The weather was much better the next day. We woke up early, eager to check out the city. If there's one thing we remember about Savannah, it's the majestic oak trees with the Spanish moss hanging off them. The iconic Forsyth Park is dotted with these trees. This is our first time visiting this park. The fountain, modeled after Paris' Place de la Concorde's, is simply magnificent. With wide paths and benches, the park is an excellent place to chill, stroll, jog and people watch. We could hang out here all day, but we got other places to explore.

The eclectic Collins Quarter overlooks the picturesque fountain

Mills B. Lane House on Gaston Street overlooks Forsyth Park

Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) also on Gaston Street

Next stop: Chippewa Square, one of the 22 squares in Savannah. We didn't know it at the time, but we had sat at a cafe overlooking this square. It is made famous by the movie Forrest Gump, where actor Tom Hanks sat on a bench regaling his extraordinary life to passersby. The bench is now in the Savannah History Museum, but tourists still flock to Chippewa Square looking for it.

We ventured down to River Street. The riverfront was rather quiet this Monday morning.

The swift current and the busy commercial traffic on the Savannah River are reminders as to why we did not call on Savannah proper back then.

Savannah did not disappoint. We still love it, just as much as the first time. Savannah is chock full of history, architecture, lovely homes, parks and squares. If you haven't been to Savannah yet, hopefully this post will entice you to visit.

This post is shared on Skywatch Friday and Altered Book Lover.

You might also like:

St Patrick’s Day in Savannah, Georgia	Port of Call: Rockport, Massachusetts	Barcelona Reflections

Barcelona Reflections

Updated: Aug 6, 2024

Last night, we came across the travel show I'll have what Phil's having on Netflix. We watched two episodes of the travel show; in each, he skypes his parents and reports his experiences in the new city. In Seinfeld fashion. No wonder. The host Phil Rosenthal is the creator of the hit TV comedy Everybody Loves Raymond (1996 to 2005), and it was our favorite show at the time. The episode on Barcelona is the inspiration for this post. We were there this time last year.

It was our first visit to Barcelona and we were very impressed with the city, from the architecture to the people and its food. It is ornate, vibrant, friendly, and full of surprises at every turn. Architecture buffs will rejoice in ambling along Passeig de Gràcia, where three Modernista buildings - Casa Amatller, Casa Batllo and Casa Lleó Morera - stand in the same block (between Carrer del Consell de Cent and Carrer d’ Aragó).

Casa Amatller

Casa Molera

Casa Batllo

Alleyways are fun to wander around

Fancy street lighting

We walked along La Rambla, from Plaça de Catalunya to Maremagnum, the distinctive waterfront mall at Port Vell. 

Mirrored entrance to the mall

Reflection of us in front of the car in the middle

Barcelona is a food lover's paradise. The array of tapas was amazing. The churros were incredibly light and airy, and so delicious! While exploring the Sagrada Familia neighborhood, we discovered Vicens, a store that makes some fantastic nougat and chocolate. They were perfect souvenirs to bring home.

Tapas at Taverna Basca Irati

The Boqueria, the market along the La Rambla is a feast for the eyes. We tried the ubiquitous jamon but found it too gamey for us.

Endless varieties of seafood at the Mercat de la Boqueria

You can eat at a bar at the Boqueria

Serendipity brought us to the Mercat de Mercats on Avinguda de la Catedral on a Saturday morning.  We were on a bus that was headed for the beach, but the hustle and bustle at the Gothic Quarter caught our eye, and we got off to check it out. Many stalls from various Municipal markets of Barcelona had set up shop here for the food fair. We had a blast, wondering around, sampling the various food and cheeses, listening to music and getting lost in the narrow alleyways.

Jamon at a food festival

Cheese, anyone?

Roasted sweet potatoes and chestnut near Parc Ciutadella

The only thing we missed was a good paella meal. We'll have to come back. Meantime, we look forward to watching more of Phil's travel show. Are you a fan?

This post is shared on Weekend Reflections and Altered Book Lover.

You might also like:

Have Food Will Travel: Atlanta, Georgia	Rome: St Peters Basilica and The Vatican	A walk down memory lane … in Savannah, GA