Savannah,GA, USA
Good old BA got us into Atlanta Georgia spot on time on Friday where we were met and driven the hour or so to our accomodation in Calhoun. Really nice house belonging to old school friend Alastair Wood - out in the wilds in the middle of woods with some splendid neighbours who had prepared an evening meal for us. Lovely!
Spent Saturday in Jonesboro - scene of a vicious Civil War battle and of course the home of "Gone with the Wind." We met my sister Lizzie and Gerry and friends Pat and Nick and after some confusion with the timings we were off on the road to Tara, and every sentence peppered with "fiddle-de-dee" or "frankly my dear I don't give a dam..." or "afteral tomorrow is another day!" Great fun and quite enlightening and also sad when we visited a Confederates Army graveyard.
As luck wd have it the local masonic lodge was having a southern fried chicken cook out just across the road and for $6.- we had a marvellous al fresco lunch which included my first iced tea. Mmmm - not quite Fortnum and Mason, but nevertheless enjoyable. From there it was to downtown Atlanta and the Martin Luther KIng Jr centre wheer the great man's life, speeches and death were meticulously recorded and exhibited. However by this time the travel was catching-up with us so we gracefully retired back to Calhoun.
Sunday - our neighbours kindly invited us to go with them to their southern Baptist Church. Interesttingly - not a huge crowd - about 100 I suppose and no blacks at all! It was all very informal (I was the only one wearing a tie and jacket!) and the preacher frightened the whotsists out of us. Hell fire indeed. Catholic Church next week - ha ha. However having said that, the welcome was terrific and every one shook our hands and bade us welcome.
Today with the other four we have travelled to Savannah, Georgia and have just checked-in to the "Mansion on Forsyth Park," a rather superior hotel which I think is just about to serve me with a G&T.....