12voltman59
Dec 29, 2011, 8:13 PM
I just returned earlier today from my holiday trip down to Savannah, Georgia.
I made it through both the driving trip down and back and riding around the town without incident even though at times the traffic was a bit much, especially around the metro-Atlanta area just a few days before Christmas---I had once wanted to live in that area beyond the short time I had done so many years back---I am kind of glad that things didn't turn out that way----just for the traffic alone being bonkers, I am glad I didn't wind up there.
Even though I know that we are going through a rough patch in terms of the economy----if all you knew of things is what you could see from the seat of a car----all along the trip things were busy----the traffic going up and down the interstates was almost bumper to bumper. During the trip--I was in part of nine states and hit many of the major cities and towns of the south that include Lexington, KY; Knoxville and Chattanooga, TN; the Atlanta area; Macon and of course Savannah, GA; Columbia, SC and the Charlotte, NC areas.
On the way down---the traffic was a mix of both those traveling for the holidays and those who do the "snowbird" thing going from their northern homes to their southern ones----on the way back north----that migration is really hitting full force---the traffic heading south was even heavier than it was on the trip down.
I drove on seven major interstates and also many of their related by-pass loops at some point in the trip, went past many malls and other shopping areas and they were all jammed----so at least from those measures---it looked to be a pretty good holiday.
Savannah was full of tourists and I figured that I saw cars with plates from more than half the US states, including some cars from both Alaska and Hawaii--I think those cars might have belonged to members of the military and also from several Canadian provinces.
I must have heard practically every language spoken including Spanish, Portuguese, German, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Italian and French to name but a few. I even saw "Merry Christmas" written in Greek upon a big chalkboard that lined one wall of a very popular Starbucks location---a place I hit several times since it was just around the corner from the townhouse we had rented for the week.
Every place that I went---even with some of the stresses that do come with the holiday season----people were very friendly, upbeat, patient and in a generally good state of mind and disposition---it is very good to see that people are in such high spirits.
There is no real point to this post, I guess--I just wanted to share a bit of my feelings about this little trip and to wish that everyone is finding that people where you are also getting into the spirit of the season----I am also going to share some photos I took while down in Savannah---the first set were taken down on Riverstreet along the Savannah River with scenes of people and the river----I have a few taken with some ships moving on the river with a big container ship from China heading upriver to the Savannah Port complex; got one out on Tybee Island---Savannah's beach--it was a lonely day----cool with a very brisk wind coming in from the sea---I didn't stay long; got one I just snapped while driving; several photos taken of The City Market, a nice place to shop for original art, get some good food, and is the starting and ending point for horse drawn carriage tours of the city. A last photo taken in one of the town's many squares.
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r216/mpgarr/DSC_5205.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r216/mpgarr/DSC_5271.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r216/mpgarr/DSC_5260.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r216/mpgarr/DSC_5275.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r216/mpgarr/DSC_5313.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r216/mpgarr/DSC_5285.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r216/mpgarr/DSC_5243.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r216/mpgarr/DSC_5211.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r216/mpgarr/DSC_5201.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r216/mpgarr/DSC_5193.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r216/mpgarr/DSC_5203.jpg
I hope that you enjoy the photos.
I made it through both the driving trip down and back and riding around the town without incident even though at times the traffic was a bit much, especially around the metro-Atlanta area just a few days before Christmas---I had once wanted to live in that area beyond the short time I had done so many years back---I am kind of glad that things didn't turn out that way----just for the traffic alone being bonkers, I am glad I didn't wind up there.
Even though I know that we are going through a rough patch in terms of the economy----if all you knew of things is what you could see from the seat of a car----all along the trip things were busy----the traffic going up and down the interstates was almost bumper to bumper. During the trip--I was in part of nine states and hit many of the major cities and towns of the south that include Lexington, KY; Knoxville and Chattanooga, TN; the Atlanta area; Macon and of course Savannah, GA; Columbia, SC and the Charlotte, NC areas.
On the way down---the traffic was a mix of both those traveling for the holidays and those who do the "snowbird" thing going from their northern homes to their southern ones----on the way back north----that migration is really hitting full force---the traffic heading south was even heavier than it was on the trip down.
I drove on seven major interstates and also many of their related by-pass loops at some point in the trip, went past many malls and other shopping areas and they were all jammed----so at least from those measures---it looked to be a pretty good holiday.
Savannah was full of tourists and I figured that I saw cars with plates from more than half the US states, including some cars from both Alaska and Hawaii--I think those cars might have belonged to members of the military and also from several Canadian provinces.
I must have heard practically every language spoken including Spanish, Portuguese, German, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Italian and French to name but a few. I even saw "Merry Christmas" written in Greek upon a big chalkboard that lined one wall of a very popular Starbucks location---a place I hit several times since it was just around the corner from the townhouse we had rented for the week.
Every place that I went---even with some of the stresses that do come with the holiday season----people were very friendly, upbeat, patient and in a generally good state of mind and disposition---it is very good to see that people are in such high spirits.
There is no real point to this post, I guess--I just wanted to share a bit of my feelings about this little trip and to wish that everyone is finding that people where you are also getting into the spirit of the season----I am also going to share some photos I took while down in Savannah---the first set were taken down on Riverstreet along the Savannah River with scenes of people and the river----I have a few taken with some ships moving on the river with a big container ship from China heading upriver to the Savannah Port complex; got one out on Tybee Island---Savannah's beach--it was a lonely day----cool with a very brisk wind coming in from the sea---I didn't stay long; got one I just snapped while driving; several photos taken of The City Market, a nice place to shop for original art, get some good food, and is the starting and ending point for horse drawn carriage tours of the city. A last photo taken in one of the town's many squares.
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r216/mpgarr/DSC_5205.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r216/mpgarr/DSC_5271.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r216/mpgarr/DSC_5260.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r216/mpgarr/DSC_5275.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r216/mpgarr/DSC_5313.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r216/mpgarr/DSC_5285.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r216/mpgarr/DSC_5243.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r216/mpgarr/DSC_5211.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r216/mpgarr/DSC_5201.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r216/mpgarr/DSC_5193.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r216/mpgarr/DSC_5203.jpg
I hope that you enjoy the photos.