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June 11th, 2013 | Georgia

“Georgia on my Mind…”

We have spent a wonderful few days in Brunswick, visiting friends, meeting and making plenty of new ones, and seeing some of the interesting historical sites in the area.

The old City Hall in Brunswick.

The old City Hall in Brunswick.

Modern day Georgia, acted as a buffer between the English and Spanish settlers in days of yore, when the English controlled the Carolina’s and the Spanish had settled Florida. The area was known as the “Debatable Land”, before the English staked their claims along this coast and also took control of the many islands which lay off it.

I think it was called the “Debatable Land” because Settlers were often heard to say,

“It is debatable whether or not we should settle here, on account of all the mosquitoes and other flying, biting critters that turn a stroll outside into something akin to an exercise in blood donation…”  !

But that’s another story, for the next post…

Just around the corner from where we are staying is the old Town Hall, a building that caught my eye as we walked to and from a nearby coffee shop each morning.I could not find out much about the edifice, but it’s striking red brick with white trim, tall clock tower and clean lines make it one of the most striking buildings in Brunswick.

I also discovered that during World War ll, about 100 supply ships were built in Brunswick’s harbour to support the war effort.

Tipsy McSway's Bar and Grill... Now who does that remind me off...?? I'm sure it will come to me eventually...

Tipsy McSway’s Bar and Grill… Now who does that remind me off…?? I’m sure it will come to me eventually…

Today, Brunswick is one of the busiest seaports on the east coast of the United States, mostly handling trans-shipments of goods between the smaller ports on the Atlantic seaboard.

Birthday girl Karen and daughter Caroline

Birthday girl Karen and daughter Caroline

True to form, no sooner had we set foot in town, than Patricia began receiving invitations to parties and other sundry get-togethers…!!

I had temporarily forgotten that she had lived and worked in this area at one time or another, and had obviously left a lasting impression…

I was hoping to do some work on my website, but my laptop kept shutting down unexpectedly, leaving me grim-faced and fuming… Going out to meet Mimi’s and Patti’s friends took my mind off the problem altogether, or perhaps it was the liquid refreshments that usually did it !!

Karen, a close friend of Mimi’s was celebrating her birthday, and we were invited to join her and many of her friends on St. Simon’s Island, to have dinner and a few drinks to mark the occasion.

Charles Bubba Hopkins and I, in matching uniform... We were asked if we were there to perform a song and dance act... Never crossed our minds...

Charles Bubba Hopkins and I, in matching uniform… We were asked if we were there to perform a song and dance act… Never crossed our minds…

It was mostly a “ladies affair” and for part of the day before the party, I wondered what I was going to do as the only male at the gathering. Fortunately, another male was conjured up and Charles “Bubba” Hopkins arrived, clad in the same colour shirt as I was, to save the day !!

Another guy arrived to either collect or drop somebody off, and disappeared soon thereafter, so it was up to Charles and I to hold our own, on our own !!

Great meeting you, Bubba, and thanks for being in my corner !!

We enjoyed a great meal of pasta and shrimp, cooked while we were all gathered in Kay’s kitchen. I stood back and listened to the ladies talking about the latest news on the island and marveled at how they all kept up with the four or five conversations that were taking place simultaneously !!

At some point there was a hula-hoop demonstration and impromptu competition, and a little later, when a bongo drum was produced by one of the younger girls at the party, talk of dancing … That’s when I beat a hasty retreat and went outside to take a brief stroll down the road… Bubba had left by then and I sure wasn’t going to be the only male making a fool of myself !! I prefer to do it in groups, you see…

Make a fool of myself, that is…

The Audi TT in which we cruised around in fine style...

The Audi TT in which we cruised around in fine style…

Driving around on four wheels took some getting used to, and the nearest I could come to getting the feeling of being on a bike, was to take the top down on the TT, to feel the wind on my face and the sun on my back.

We visited the island of St. Simon which lies just offshore and is joined to the mainland by a causeway and bridge, a few miles long. We were there at least once a day, either to take a walk on the beach, or to drop Patricia off at the gym. St. Simon’s is also where most of the good restaurants are located, which Patricia needs no second invitation to try out…

Coastguard Beach, St. Simons Island.

Coastguard Beach, St. Simon’s Island. Although the sand is white, the water here is a dirty brown, and no amount of cajoling by Patricia would make me take a swim there. The Vaal River would be a better proposition to me… I need my sea clear and blue, with waves, thank you !!

We drove up the eastern side of the island to visit Fort Frederica, where an English garrison was stationed to ward off Spanish threats to increase their Florida Colony. We walked amongst the Live Oak trees with their Spanish Moss, seeing the foundations of the old homes of the settlers that lived close to the fort.

Spanish Moss on the Live Oaks at Fort Fredirica.

Spanish Moss on the Live Oaks at Fort Frederica.

The cannons that held the Spanish invaders at bay in 1742.

The cannons that held the Spanish invaders at bay in 1742.

The fort was built in 1736 and about 600 odd soldiers manned the station, which was then seen as the southern boundary of the English colony. A single battle was fought nearby and became known as the Battle of Bloody Marsh. Once the Spanish gave up their plans of expansion, the fort fell into disrepair and the settlers moved away and abandoned the site.

We stopped to see a church built by Portuguese boat-builders in 1820 and still used today. The entire structure was made of wood, and not a single metal nail or pin was used to construct it.

A large cemetery surround the church and we walked among the tombstones whose epitaphs dated back hundreds of years. A small building that once housed slaves stood off to one side. It was built using a material known as “tabby”; a mixture of lime, sand, water and crushed oyster shells.

Christchurch, St. Simons Island. Narry a nail in the place !!

Christchurch, St. Simon’s Island. Not a nail in the place !!

We wandered among the tombstones at the rear of the church, noting epitaphs that dated back several hundred years...

We wandered among the tombstones at the rear of the church, noting epitaphs that dated back several hundred years…

On our way back to Brunswick, we stopped at a Dairy Queen and I was introduced to my latest favourite food type; the “Snickers Blizzard” !! It is a double thick ice cream, with a Snickers bar chopped up and mixed in, served in a large cup.

A perfect way to end an interesting day !!

©GBWT 2013

2 comments to “Georgia on my Mind…”

  • Mark Behr

    Looks like a great place to be “stuck”. How are things going with your bike?

  • Charmz

    Thank goodness for Bubba…Georgia looks like a great place to visit. Hopefully the Snicker Blizzard is only in Georgia and you don’t have the time to get hooked.

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