We arrived in Columbia on Thursday afternoon. The last few days have been incredible and very busy. We are staying with my oldest friend (friends since college orientation in 1980) at her sister's lakeside home. I will clarify it all as this post unfolds.

Let me introduce the players... Bob and Annie, Dave, Steph and Steve. I call Steph's Steve SC Steve for less confusion. Dave is SC Steve's brother from Texas.
We were joined for our dinner out by Annie's son, Robby, and his wife, Alyssa.

This is how we began our Friday... a pinch me moment. Both couples live on Lake Murray, a major 50,000-acre man-made reservoir which is approximately 41 miles long, 14 miles wide, and has roughly 650 miles of shoreline across four counties. Friends Scott and Maureen arrived to join in the day's fun.

Our destination was here. The reason we're staying at Steph's and not Annie's is because Bob and Annie have purchased a new home and SC Steve (an excectional craftsman) is renovating it. We crossed the lake, via boat, to see the work in progress. WOW.

One day, in the not too distant future, I hope to see this home finished in person.



Our unforgettable day concluded at Icehouse Amphitheatre for Back in Black, an AC/DC tribute band.
I have never been a fan of the real band and only knew a few of the songs but this tribute group changed my mind about AC/DC. Together for 25 years, these guys from Dallas are FAMOUS and FANTASTIC.
Steve was in musical heaven. Oh man. Everytime I looked at his face I saw JOY!


How fun to get to meet vocalist Darren Caperna who is both of AC/DC's Bon Scott and Brian Johnson. I can't believe how AMAZING this night was. Who knew?!
Saturday, we visited Robby in his new home. He and his Uncle Steve worked together to build a spectacular place in which to live happily-ever-after.
We had no idea when we'd be in Annie's neck of the woods. I knew arriving for Halloween would be way different than it has in recent years for Steve and me. I was so right. The only costumes we had were our Oktoberfest ones so we were not part of the group's theme: Dead Historical Figures/Icons. When looking at these costumes, you must remember that we're in the South. They have a different sensibility here than most are used to or even comfortable with. That said, they were a hit. In case you can't figure out who each is: SC Steve is pretty obvious, Steph is Queen Elizabeth, Bob is Elvis, Annie is Marilyn Monroe, and Dave is the Outlaw Josey Wales... ALL dead.





This visit to South Carolina was way overdue, for some many reasons. I can't believe how much fun it has been. We were in the company of some pretty unique and special people. Moving on tomorrow is going to be tough. Oh, what memories.

Beaufort is South Carolina's second-oldest city, founded in 1711. Known for its moss-draped oak trees, antebellum architecture, and rich Lowcountry culture, it was our destination for our last day with Michael and Sharon. What a fabulous choice.

Today there was no agenda or big history lesson. It was just time spent with friends, enjoying each other's company, and just having fun.
The town has wonderful photo opportunities. This darling mural adorned the public restrooms.
Beaufort Boots were found in a couple of spots with ideal backdrops.
Sitting on the porch of Lowcountry Coffee was the perfect start for our explore.



The meandering was magical.



It is also is home to Fish Camp, our delightful dining spot. Here we were asked to, "Look out over the docks and breathe in the history of Port Royal, a rich story of shrimp boats, family tradition, and the tides of changing industries. The Port of Port Royal and the 11th Street Docks hold a vast and varied background that has encompassed everything from railroads to military battles, and oystering to the legendary shrimping industry." Our meal was exceptional.

Last year, at about this same time, we were in the Low Country with our older son and his family. We spent one of our most favorite days at Cypress Gardens. Michael and Sharon, who have lived here for decades, had it on their list of things to do in their retirement. We were so excited for the opportunity to return to this incredibly magical place.

Cypress Gardens' history dates back to 1725, when Alexander Nesbitt was given 3,100 acres on the east side of the Cooper River. When he arrived from England to the Carolinas, he began to build on this property and named the plantation Dean Hall after his homeland of Dean, Scotland.
And how did it become this amazing park? Benjamin Kittredge, who bought the property in 1909 for a private duck hunting reserve, developed the walking trails and opened it to the public after he and his wife became enchanted by the natural beauty. The property was later donated to the City of Charleston in 1963 and then transferred to Berkeley County in 1996. What a gift!
The highlight of being here, for me, is actually BEING in a swamp. "Experience the wild beauty of the swamp on a scenic boat ride through Cypress Gardens. Our exciting swamp boat rides offer a unique view of our vast garden landscape. Revel in the reflections of towering bald cypress and tupelo trees mirrored in the blackwater. Paddle along a marked trail and keep an eye out for alligators, turtles, birds, lily pads, and other swamp life."
We were practically alone which gave us the opportunity to meader about at a very leisurely pace. Oh man, so much fun!

We were told that on weekends, the wait for a boat could be 5-6 hours long. I've seen photos where it looks like a train going through the swap. We delighted in our aloneness.







It wasn't until we were about to dock that we spied an alligator. What fun! Interestingly, at about this same time, Sharon received a text that a gator was spotted in the pond behind their house. Hysterical timing, indeed.


Next stop was at the very coolly named Swaparium. Here we "journeyed through the wetlands of the world with extraordinary animals like the South American anaconda and African crocodiles, all showcased in immersive, naturalistic habitats." So awesome.
A true delight was being surrounded by dozens of fluttering and gracious butterflies. The Cypress Gardens Butterfly House is the largest butterfly breeding facility in the state.


The flowers were spectacular!





With miles of walking paths, nature trails, and boardwalks winding through its 80 acres, we ended our visit by exploring the blackwater swamp from its periphery.




Dinner and strolling happened in the historic heart of Summerville. A must was a visit with Mason, the World’s Largest Sweet Tea, a 15-foot-tall mason jar. On June 10, 2016 (National Iced Tea Day), Summerville set the Guinness World Record for the World's Largest Iced/Sweet Tea holding 2,524 gallons.To make this much beverage they used 210 pounds of loose-leaf tea, 1,700 pounds of sugar, and 3,000 pounds of ice. By the way, sweet tea is NOT my cup of tea (look at that ratio of tea to sugar).