Alligators and Skippers Fish Camp in Darien Georgia

When we travel to Florida by car we usually try to get as far as Darien, Georgia. There's not much to the place, but we are used to it. But rather than have dinner at Ruby Tuesday due to a lack of choice and proximity, we thought we would explore Skippers Fish Camp on the waterfront. It's only a couple miles away and definitely much more scenic and interesting. And the timing was perfect for a delightful sunset view. The restaurant was okay - we had crab cakes and blackened shrimp - but the little walk along the water was better. A lazy gator was hanging around looking for handouts. The locals said he had recently feasted on a cat. The fishing boats and smell of the water looked so familiar. All of this reminded me of growing up in Florida.  The sights and sounds are so different than the Midwest and DC. My husband always wondered why I was never nostalgic. I think I'm becoming more and more every year. 

Hampton Inn and Thunderstorms

We always stay at Hamption Inn whenever we take road trips, which has been more frequent lately. We usually don't travel during summer months because of the traffic and overall vacation congestion. But at least now it is easier to book reservations ahead of time to ensure getting a room. A very long time ago we experienced a situation that was impossible to find a room and never want to go through that again. As luck would have it, the typical summer rain storms came just at the time we reached our destination. Everyone pulled off and headed for this Hampton Inn. The line was so long we decided to have dinner and come back. When we returned an hour later the rain had stopped and our room was ready. And there was no line. Too bad our final destination requires at least one overnight. But it beats flying as long as we enjoy the ride. 

Colonel Shaw and Darien Georgia

We saw the movie Glory a long time ago. Colonel Shaw was an historic character I was interested in learning more about and was one of the reasons I joined the Milwaukee Civil War Round Table. We even visited Harvard to see his letters. One of the places he was involved in during that time was Darien Georgia. On our way to Florida we usually stop near Savannah, but this time we went further South. Before stopping at the motel we drove a mile or two towards the waterfront. I was hoping to find the "downtown" but didn't have the inclination to look very hard. What we saw was moss, shrimp, barbecue, and a small festival of sorts. I wonder what Colonel Shaw saw here all those many years ago. All I know he was so embarrassed by what was done his family helped to rebuild the city- or so they say. The Massachusetts 54 went on to other adventures and heartbreak. It's hard to imagine looking at it now.