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Welcome to my weekly update for March 13, 2022!
My aunt and uncle visited us for three days last week and we had such a good time with them. We all love to travel so that’s fun to discuss. But most importantly, we’ve barely seen them since 2019? Maybe late 2018? We had them all to ourselves last week and they were great sports to look at our travel pictures for what must have felt like eternity to them!
We mostly just hung out at our camper and chatted because they’ve visited Charleston a few times before, but we did take a Hidden Alleys and Passages walking tour of downtown Charleston (If you ever visit Charleston, you have to take a walking tour. You simply can’t see all the good stuff from a car, or even from a carriage). We all really enjoyed the tour. The verdant courtyards and lanes between the stately old homes contribute so much to the city’s charm. I focused more on enjoying the moment than taking pictures that day, but here are a few.
Slideshow:
All images © Jennifer G. at Introverted Reader 2022
- A carriage house in Charleston. I never get tired of looking at these beautiful old homes.
- Philadelphia Alley
- Our guide told us these are handprints left by the enslaved children who turned the bricks as they were drying in the sun. I always wonder how many of the stories guides tell us are apocryphal and how much is true, but this sure looks convincing to me. They were scattered on bricks throughout Philadelphia Alley. It makes you sad, doesn’t it?
Posted:
Nothing this week.
Read:
Nothing finished either.
Currently Reading:
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Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
The Princess Beard (The Tales of Pell #3) by Delilah S. Dawson and Kevin Hearne, read by Luke Daniels
The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story, created by Nikole Hannah-Jones
The Columbia Anthology of American Poetry, edited by Jay Parini
Up Next:
I picked up Paperbacks from Hell: The Twisted History of ’70s and ’80s Horror Fiction at the library this week. I love Grady Hendrix’s work but this book seems to be a bit less popular than his others. I decided to request it while I have access to it in his hometown. I may take a break from The 1619 Project and work on this one for a bit. The 1619 Project is fantastic but it’s not a book to be read in one take.
What did your week look like?
Deb Nance at Readerbuzz hosts The Sunday Salon and Kimberly at Caffeinated Book Reviewer hosts Sunday Post. Kathryn at Book Date hosts It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
22 Comments
I’ve enjoyed every visit I’ve made to Charleston. Glad you enjoyed it.
Good visits with family are always to be celebrated! Sounds like a pause on the 1619 Project might be a good idea. Some important books just need more time between reading sessions than others, anyway. I know I often need to digest what I’ve read before I can read more for books like that.
You’ve given me a great idea! We’re going to Nashville next month to visit our daughter and son-in-law. We’ll have a couple of days to amuse ourselves while they’re working and I’ve been trying to figure out what we can do. A guided tour sounds like a great idea. Have you been to Nashville? Any recs? Glad you had such a good visit with your aunt and uncle. It will be more than 2 1/2 years since we’ve seen our daughter. We can’t wait!
I’ve only visited Nashville once for a long weekend, years ago. I think a guided tour is a great idea if you find one! We just wandered around and ate a lot 🙂 Crowded music bars have never been my scene, even before the pandemic. We did walk down music row or whatever it’s called during the day and take pictures of some of the fantastic bar signs. Those are a lot of fun. We also visited the Cheekwood Estate and Gardens. We had a great time there so I recommend it if you and your husband like that kind of thing. We also really liked walking through the Opryland Hotel (we parked free at a nearby mall and walked over to avoid paying the exorbitant parking fee at the hotel). That doesn’t sound exciting but it’s a huge hotel with five or six atriums with waterfalls, flowers, and skywalks. It’s impossible to describe but really cool.
Have a great visit with your daughter! I can’t imagine waiting 2.5 years!
You’ve given me some great ideas. We’re not big on the loud bar scene, either, but maybe just walking around music row and visiting the Opryland Hotel would satisfy my travel bug curiosity. And the Parthenon!
Yeah, it’s been a long 2 1/2 years. Vaccination issues (not mine or my husband’s…) have kept us away, but it’s time.
Covid seems to be in a lull (knock on wood), so I hope you’re able to safely visit.
Oh, and I forgot to mention that we went to the Parthenon. That’s almost obligatory!
Sounds like you had a great time with your aunt and uncle. Charleston looks lovely. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
How great to have visitors you haven’t seen in a while! I guess we are all experiencing that these days.
Great slideshow and books. I enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant. Here are my WEEKLY UPDATES
A walking tour sounds like great fun. I’d love to visit that part of the world.
I have been curious about the 1619 Project. And The Columbia Anthology of American Poetry definitely sounds like a book I’d like to read.
It’s wonderful you were able to get together with family.
Charlestons history would be fascinating, but you are right there is sadness there I hope is acknowledged
Wishing you a great reading week
The anthology of Poetry speaks to me! Have a good week!
I enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant on audio. Love those Charleston homes, I’d take that walk for sure.
Charleston sounds like a great place to visit and poke around into the cityscapes. I’ve been close to there (Pawley’s Island) but never quite got there.
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
I’m glad you had a nice time with your family. I visited Charleston many years ago, but I remember it had so much beauty and charm. Have a lovely week!
It’s great you had that nice time with your family. The photos from the walking tour are beautiful to see. I love to travel but I’m just not doing it during these times.
Anne – Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post
I’m so glad you had a nice time with your aunt and uncle! 🙂 Getting together with family and friends is so rare because of COVID now. I’m glad we’re starting to be around people more.
That alley/ passages tour sounds wonderful. I’m definitely going to write that down in case we ever visit Charleston. I do feel like you often see the best sights when you get off the beaten track or out of the car, for sure.
That horror fiction one sounds fun!
I thought of you as soon as I opened Paperbacks from Hell! I don’t know if you like horror at all, but there are so many fabulous vintage paperback covers! I loved them!
Charleston looks like a lovely city and I like the idea of walking tours that connect to history.
Hi Jen! Always good to visit with your family and it’s terrible to think how much time has passed between the last 2.5 years and distance between loved ones.
Have a good week Jen and happy reading!
Elza Reads
I’m so glad you had a lovely visit with your aunt and uncle! Yes! I agree with you – walking tours are the best! I thoroughly enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant is Perfectly Fine. I hope you are enjoying it as well! My week was filled with doctors’ appointments, lots of time in the car, crafting and reading. The fabulous side of all these activities was time spent with my husband and in the library in between errands! Today will hopefully be filled with reading, crafting and enjoying my husband and son’s company! Happy reading to you!