Let's go quickly...

     In the summer of 2010, a young couple sold most of their material belongings, quit their jobs in the restaurant industry, bought a cheap used car, and decided to travel the country.
     Their goal: to live in the humblest of ways, to hear the stories of their fellow Americans, to soothe their incessant wanderlust, to get the road beneath them. No matter how.








Thursday, September 16, 2010

The Low Country, Part 1

Charleston, SC, is Jen's hometown. We arrived almost a week ago, and the first thing Jen insisted on doing was visiting her old water hole, the Icehouse.
As you can see, the liquor bottles are mounted upside down. These inverted racks cover the entire ceiling behind the bar (I'm estimating somewhere around 200 bottles), and the bartender uses a long glass tube to press up on a mechanism that releases the liquor, it flows down the tube, and into a shotglass. Genius!

The sky here is different. Bigger, somehow. Further away. The clouds look like they're practically in outer space. The heat is searing, the sunlight is almost audible. My skin crackled the first time I stepped out of the car.

Our first few days we spent exploring -- wandering through downtown Charleston, admiring the colonial architecture and meandering around Folly Beach. We visited an old cemetery, which has always been an interesting place for both of us. In fact, I don't think we've been in a city yet without examining its burial grounds. Not sure what that says about us.

Some girls playing on a sweltering day in the Charleston Pier fountain:

We're at a point in our journey now where our saved funds are low, almost nonexistent. Finding entertainment becomes a challenge, as does the next meal. Thankfully, Jen's ex- Serena has been remarkably gracious about us sleeping on her couch. Despite two other roommates and an extra dog, it's been quite nice. They're wonderful girls, great company, and deserving of thanks.

Free entertainment - stellar graffiti behind an old plaza near Folly Beach:

And of course, Angel Oak. I cannot express how completely magical this place is. The site itself claims the tree is about 400 years old, but Wikipedia puts it at ~1500 years old. Regardless, this off-the-beaten-path wonder of nature completely silenced us. It's Tolkeinesque in its grandeur and mystery. The twisting roots, the branches laying against the earth, the sheer immensity of it made us feel like we were in a natural cathedral. Hushed and humbled.

Now, I'm looking for work. Jen's already got two jobs, because she's awesome like that. My favorite - in theory anyway; today's her first day and I have yet to hear how it's going - is bartending at 8am for a members-only club by a trailer park. Who goes to a bar at 8am?! (Nevermind, I probably would.) It's a biker joint, and has a tough reputation.
No worries, folks. Jen's tough as nails. Tougher, actually. Nails are afraid of her.

Fingers crossed that we can scrape together enough gas money to keep us moving!


NEXT: Further updates from The Low Country as they develop

2 comments:

  1. So much fun!! Where are you now? I can't tell by the pictures. good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Still in Charleston, for now. If Jen doesn't post about her new job, I will.
    /smirk

    ReplyDelete