Springtime in Savannah

Wednesday, March 13, 2013 – Springtime in Savannah

After teaching for 20 years, the academic calendar is firmly embedded in my psyche.  I felt somewhat disoriented in 2012, my first year away from the classroom, but now that I’m a student, I’ve once again had the pleasure of anticipating spring break.  In fact, I made our spring break travel plans as soon as I got my acceptance letter from GMU last December. 

At the Alexandria Amtrak station 

On Sunday morning, we set out for Savannah.  We’re traveling Thompson-style, which means packing light (although that small backpack I carried must weigh at least 50 pounds!) and foregoing needless luxury.  Our journey began at the Amtrak station in Alexandria, Virginia.  Riding the rails turned out to be much more comfortable than any plane trip in recent memory – lots of legroom, spacious restrooms, wide windows, etc.  My only complaint concerns the length of the trip.  Eleven hours is a long time to watch the boring landscape that consists mostly of flat swampland.  I recalled reading about The Great Dismal Swamp in Elisa’s 4^th grade Virginia history and geography textbook.  Occasionally, a ramshackle house, a rusting mobile home, or a few lethargic cows broke the monotony. The train tracks ran right through the middle of some small towns in South Carolina.  At one time these towns were thriving centers of activity in the textile industry.  Today, with the textile industry centered overseas, they are filled with empty storefronts, faded signs, and decades-old cars.  It was a pretty dismal and depressing sight, seemingly light-years away from DC and its prosperous suburbs. 

It was after 9 pm when we arrived, so we couldn’t see much of Savannah in the darkness.  We were just glad to get off the train and check into our hotel.  One of the perks of traveling with Elliott is the preferential treatment we often receive.  At our Savannah hotel, the Inn at Ellis Square, we were originally given a standard room.  When we asked for a handicapped-accessible room, we were upgraded at no charge to a king suite.  In addition to the roll-in shower and grab bars everywhere, we have 18-foot ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, a separate living area, and a mini kitchen area. 

Monday and Tuesday were busy days as we explored the historic parts of the city.  We have one more day of sightseeing before we head back home.  My next posts will focus on the interesting sights we’ve seen and the delicious food (including Low Country cuisine) we’ve been sampling.