Latitude was not the south I was referring to.....

 When I said to people I was choosing Savannah as the furthest SE point on my trip...I guess I wasn't really referring to the city...I thought I was but I was really referring to the flavour, the culture and the "feeling". My own stereotyped hypothetical of the south which appears on a quick self evaluation to come from the southern belle stereotype, feminine, proper, refined..the accent...(oh yeah...I have thought about that part a few times) ;) the other part is the classic good old boys redneck yee haw flavouring (not dis-similar to our cowboy crew back home...but not the same for sure)...and then there is the parts unknown, the segregation, the rooted racism, the history, the heart (there is more than even that of course but you get the idea). Don't hang me for it...those, on a quick thought are a few things that come to my mind with my limited experience with the south. It's one of the reasons I like people watching, I'm open to changing all of my understanding through experience. 

 So when I found some of that in Savannah I was happy, but I was more disappointed that there wasn't "more". The big homes, the plantations, the south...is all around savannah...but the essence is missing. Turned into a retail/tourist trap is has left it feeling fabulous in some areas and down but right annoying (on occassion) in others.

 So as I headed up from there towards Edisto State Park, I wondered if I was going to find that thing I couldn't describe but knew that is was somewhere..somewhere close.

 Well...I knew I was on the right bloodhound track after I had a neck twisting uturn causing waft of goodness from Sgt White's BBQ. Wow...that was some solid grub! Fried porkchops, collards green, mashed poatoes and peppered corn....can you say nap time! ;)

The oak is the most associated tree with the south...and be damned if it shouldn't be...majestic in all senses of the word!

Fry my porkchop from now on please...this white boy won't be grilling them up anymore!

Great place for lunch

Beaufort Marina - note the crap on my camera lens. Panasonic ZS8..boo for the second time

 As always I cruised into the local park close by and this time saw that it was one of those lame parks that charges you for parking. Are you serious? I'm not paying 4$ + to have lunch on a park bench AND throw my own garbage away and sort my recycling. So...I don't. I'm looking forward to the conversation with a parking officer or sheriff one of these days...but up to this point..good to go. And you might say chill bri it's $4...but I've already bought gas (paid tax), bought lunch (paid tax), bought ice (paid tax)...so forget you if you can't make your shit work on all that instead of gouging the citizenry for chinzy dollars to offset your massive over expenditures. There is enough money is Beaufort, that marina should be well taken care of without having daily parking costs. I feel the same way about Niagra Falls...with all that money being made that others cities don't have or get...you'd expect gold lamposts and roads so fine you can't hear your tires on them...instead you get the same shit...the exact same shit. So poo if you think it's the way to a better city, that you need it or that you deserve it....Bring down the Man!

 So I was in awe...Beaufort was a fabulous city (yes I got over my parking rant right away (by not paying)). It had more "south" feelings than Savannah had! It was quiet and quaint, a very touristy town but not the overwhelming visitation that Savannah gets (at least I thought).

 I left the city smiling knowing I was on the right track. Next stop was Charleston but first an evening at Edisto State Park...and then..... pure awesome