The founders of Savannah designed the city in a grid pattern. Part of that grid was the creation of 24 small squares that served the dual purpose of small, local, neighborhood market-meeting places, and a military defense network with overlaying fields of fire. Today, 22 of those original squares still remain (with two having been lost to the development of the city). We went out to find those squares that remain and were surprised at how easy and walkable this was. The squares themselves form an approximate two square mile grid around the historic district of Savannah. Each has its own unique look and feel to it, and, yet, their commonality is the quiet atmosphere in which to sit and enjoy the sun or a brief lunch. A lot of history surrounds those squares and their adjacent buildings, and we LOVE to explore history. One thing that Savannah seems to do correctly is to embellish the history of each square with plaques that explain some of the uniqueness surrounding that particular neighborhood.This was a thoroughly enjoyable exploration.
Wherever our travels have taken us during this glorious adventure, we have met some very interesting people. That continues to hold true here in Savannah. Presented below are the wonderful folks with whom we have crossed paths at the beginning of our tour of the southern United States. Sooo.....you might be wondering what we have been up to since returning from Europe. We spent the last three months visiting our three children and their families, getting medical checkups, and taking an Amtrak train ride through part of America. With winter rapidly approaching, we had planned on traveling through Central and South America until Europe warmed up. Unfortunately, the U.S. State Department site reported a high level of bandit and kidnapping activities in those areas, especially towards tourists. Discretion being the better part of valor, we changed plans and are now touring the southern United States. Members of our family have been encouraging us to visit Savannah, Georgia for sometime, so that is our first stop. So far, Savannah has been a pleasure. Southern charm has been in abundance; people have been very friendly; the setting has been beautiful; and the weather has been most cooperative. The 20 year old Columbus Children's Choir - "The Voice of the City" - performed their annual Christmas concert last weekend, in conjunction with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. The landmark Ohio Theater - built in 1928 as a Spanish baroque "palace for the average man" - served as host venue for this year's concert. Our 13 year old granddaughter, Lucy, is in her third year singing with the Columbus Children's Choir, which is comprised of children from grades three through twelve. This was our first opportunity to see her perform live...and we had front row seats to boot. What a wonderful program and a delightful time! We are very proud of Lucy. |
Carl and Lorraine Aveni are two retirees planning on traveling through Europe for at least one year.
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