Alright, Savannah, what's going on here? The obelisk in honor of Nathanial Greene isn't in Greene Square, as might be assumed, but Johnson. The statue of James Oglethorpe isn't Oglethorpe Square, but in the middle of Chippewa Square! And Chippewa Square is named after the Battle of Chippawa, but the name is misspelled ever-so-slightly. Are you trying to confuse us? Or are you just confused yourself?
I'll admit it. I was already partial to Captain Mike's Dolphin Adventure, out on Tybee Island, because I like anything featuring my own name. Mike & Ike's? Delicious. Michael Jackson? The greatest ever. Mike the Headless Chicken? Best headless chicken ever. Mikes rule, and so it was no surprise to discover that Captain Mike's Dolphin Adventure was totally awesome.
Photographers visiting Savannah are going to have a hard time holding to any sort of schedule... and their partners will have a hard time holding onto their sanity. During our stay in Savannah, it happened often that I lost my patience, and finally ditched Jürgen, who was again snapping photos of a random saxophone, or ivy, or a dog, or another Victorian house. "Have fun, and take your time! I'll be at the bar." I think it saved our relationship.
Biking home with a fresh loaf of bread from the Back in the Day Bakery, we passed a tiny shop in which someone was at work blowing glass. Curiosity stoked, we returned to the Drayton Glassworks a couple days later to meet Jonathan Poirier.
Just a short half-hour drive from Savannah, Tybee Island is the region's top recreational destination, with a beach, surf and kayak shops, nature trails, cool restaurants, dolphin tours and bunch of hotels.
The Olde Pink House, on the western side of Reynolds Square, was built in 1771 and is the oldest surviving mansion in all of Savannah. Today, it's one of the city's most beloved restaurants, and is also home to a popular bar on its bottom floor.
We had 24 squares to explore during our time in Savannah, and decided to start with the oldest and largest. Johnson Square was established in 1733, and named in honor of South Carolina's colonial governor Robert Johnson.
Our first full day in Savannah was warm and overcast. Luckily, the rain held off and we were able to spend the afternoon getting familiar with the city that would be our home for the next few months.
At 3pm on a brisk November afternoon, Jürgen and I parked a smashed-up car in front of our new Savannah home, and pulled our exhausted bodies up the front steps. We had arrived after a whirlwind trip that had brought us from Oviedo, Spain, to Madrid, Chicago, Denver, Ohio, Kentucky and finally southeastern Georgia.
