Travel is something of an addiction. After traveling to places of geologic, historic and cultural importance you find the desire to see more. Some people collect items, like model cars, stamps and coins. Traveling is a hobby of collection that is insatiable, there is so much to see and such a short life to see it in. So why would I want to return to some places, like the Biltmore, that I have already visited? It boils down to a simple fact: the travelers of the world collect memories.
The Biltmore Estate Home.Front facade. May 20, 2011
Often visiting something once simply isn’t enough because the place offers so much to experience. Memories come in many colors, whether it be gained knowledge, culture, experience, friendship and more we seek to add them into our mind banks. The Biltmore Estate is so much more than the largest home in America. It is one of the first successful lanscaping forestry projects, thousands of acres covered in local and exotic plants, a winery, a working farm, hiking trails, animals, shopping, gourmet foods and more. Every season, every year, is a differend experience. This year I went to visit with a good friend of mine who moved to North Carolina a few years ago and lived reasonably close to Asheville, the city created by the Biltmore Estate.
The baby goats at Biltmore Estate kept trying to eat my shoe laces. Only a few weeks old. May 20, 2011
The large home bulit by George Vanderbilt in the late 1800s, which takes up 4 acres of floor space (That’s 174, 240 square feet!!!!) is the center attraction of the 125,000 acre Biltmore Estate. Designed by Richard Morris Hunt (founder of the American Institute of Architects and designer of great works like the pedestal for the statue of liberty) the house took only 6 years to complete. A marvelous feat for a home that was so detailed, and the size of over 80 average sized homes combined!
The Nursery at Biltmore Estate. May 20, 2011
The grounds were designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, the pioneer of American Landscape architectecture and forestry. There are gardens galore to walk through, a beautiful pond, a large, stately nursery and beautiful forested grounds. You could spend days looking at nothing by the grounds and still not see all of it, not to mention that it changes every season with different plants in bloom and different annuals in the ground/ in the nursery.
One of the many statues in the Italian Garden of the Biltmore Estate. May 20, 2011
The running of Biltmore Estate is a remarkable feat. A private home until 1956, the estate is one of the only self-sufficient National Historic Landmarks, receiving no grants or government funding to continue restoration and availability to the public. The admission fee is a little more expensive than many places, around $50, but there is simply so much to offer that it is well worth it. If you sign up for the newsletter you get discounts in an email. Three days before my visit to the Biltmore Estate I received an email offering 50% off admission price.
My friend and I were able to tour the house, where no photography is allowed, and then wander around the estate (all at our own pace). We both agreed that to truly drink in all the Biltmore Estate has to offer you would have to be here for several days. Every corner you turn there is something more to see. There is a hotel on the grounds you can stay at and I have often thought of spending a nice 4-day weekend here.
One of the numerous Hydrangeas at Biltmore Estate this time of year. I love anything that is blue. May 20, 2011
I absorbed as much of the Biltmore Estate as I could, and then we headed back home. Tomorrow was to be another day in the life of a traveler, and it was time to head north and visit a state I had never been to before, along with a new cavern in a geoologic province I had never been to before. Time to store this memory, and ready to collect more.
See you then,
Nicole
One of the many orchids in the nursery at Biltmore Estate. May 20, 2011I have discovered that among the many plants I love, Gardenia is one of them. Someone buy me one? Biltmore Estate, May 20, 2011Some flowers at the Biltmore Estate, May 20, 2011One of the baby goats at the Biltmore Estate farm, trying to eat my camera case. May 20, 2011The baby goats at the Biltmore Estate farm were just too cute!!! May 20, 2011The Belgian horses of Biltmore Estate. May 20, 2011
As I have stated before in my Day 2 Water World, water is incredibly important to the success of a community. Not only is it a necessity of life, but it is also a viable means of transportation. While the advent of motorized vehicles made travel over land easier, it is still more efficient when shipping large amounts of goods to use waterways. No man-made transportation system, even trains, can transport such a large amount of goods on one vessel. This is why so many of the larger cities in the world, especially those of industry, are built upon waterways that can support this sort of transportation. The city of Savannah was built upon the banks of the Savannah River for this very purpose and the river was used for trade, and still is today. The exchange of goods isn’t the only thing that rivers provide: it is also an exchange of cultures, and sometimes the very founding blocks of a city’s soul.
One of the ships at Savannah's port. May 16, 2011
Savannah was the starting place for the colony of Georgia, beginning in 1733. James Oglethorpe arrived on the British galley “Anne” in this year, in Charleston, SC with 144 colonists and supplies to set up a port on the southern banks of the Savannah River. The city was built upon his design, the streets in a grid pattern with plenty of space for public buildings.
The Savannah Cotton Exchange building. May 16, 2011The cobble walks of Savannah, shaded by large oaks with spanish moss. May 16, 2011
Cotton was Savannah’s main export, and during the time it boasted the badge of being the top cotton export of the Atlantic, and the 2nd of the entire world. Over 2 million bales of cotton were moved through the port of Savannah every year during cotton’s peak. The port was used heavily throughout the 18th cenury, and in the 19th century they decided to put all of those cobbles used as ballasts in ships to good use. The urban geology (click here for my definition of urban geology) of Savannah is thus varied, having stones from all over the world incorporated into the streets and retaining walls. They come from places like the American Northeastern coast, Maritime Canada, Portugal, Spain, France, Madeira and more. A mix of many different rock types from the igneous (Basalt, Granite) to the sedimentary (sandstone, chert, limestone and more).
An old anchor on Savannah's River street, a local muscian plays alongside the fountain.
Today Savannah is still a major port, shipping out large amounts of goods on a regular basis. The ships are HUGE, it almost seems unnatural to see them floating through the river. While exports are still important, tourism is the Savannah prosperity of today, with thousands of visitors flocking to explore the beautiful city every day.
These ships are HUGE. Each of those containers are what typically sits on a semi truck. Do you see the person in orange for scale? No? Look at the next picture for a closer look.There he is, my little scale man. This ship is HUGE! Makes you wonder how deep the Savannah River actually is.... May 16, 2011
Savannah has a wide selection of excellent restaurants, everything from seafood to Italian. I went to “Vic’s on the River” as recommended by the lady who checked me into my hotel. The food was fantastic, the service was great, and the view from the balcony was beautiful. A quick storm passed through while I ate and enjoyed a half-bottle of wine, and afterward the sun came back out and a rainbow appeared. A sign of good fortune to me.
Inside the restaurant "Vic's on the River" in the River district of Savannah. Some of the very large wine selection offered at Vic's in Savannah, GA. May 16, 2011
The meals run between 20 and 30, so a little more pricey than I usually dine at, but the portions are large and the chef’s creations are wonderful. When you are eating at a restaurant like this, don’t insult the chef: order as it is described in the menu and don’t season until you’ve tasted. It always irks me when I am in a nice restaurant and a customer wants to order it without this and with this…it’s an insult. At a restaurant like this the chefs work hard to create a recipe that tastes just right. Enjoy it as it is. I enjoyed a large fillet of local flounder, breaded in Georgia pecans, with a citrus butter glaze atop potatoes and sausage. It was…delicious!!!
My meal at Vic's: Pecan encrusted local flounder atop pototoes and sausage with a citrus butter sauce. Mmmmmm May 16, 2011The rainbow that came out over the Savannah River, viewed from Vic's on the River's balcony. May 16, 2011
There are plenty of unique shops to explore, and although shopping isn’t quite my thing I found a few inexpensive trinkets, like a decorated mask and some earrings. There was also a shop that had everything made from bee products (the honey and the wax). It was quite an interesting store, and they have a large variety of different honey to sample and purchase. Many honey farms restrict their bees to certain areas of flowers (I.E. citrus, the tupelo plant, clover, etc) and it gives the honey a distinct flavor, texture and color. For more information, visit their website www.savannahbee.com
The Savannah Bee Company. Savannah River District. Georgia. May 16, 2011.A small selection of the types of honey the Savannah Bee Company offers. May 16, 2011
While I prefer to camp for several reasons outlined previously, there are some places where it just makes more sense to stay in a hotel. Savannah is one of those places. I was able to enjoy a wonderful free breakfast in the morning, free internet, a hot tub, and a comfortable bed. I don’t always stay at hotels, but when I do I stay at Choice Hotels (Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, etc). They have the best breakfasts, decent rates, and they even have a free points card to redeem free nights. It is usually best, if you choose to travel via hotel, to pick a chain you like and stick to it so you can earn free nights. It is the best value you can get while staying in a hotel and you know what to expect at each location.
Savannah is a great place to visit, but tomorrow it is time to head towards the University of Georgia to see what the area has to offer. I’m starting my journey towards the northeast, just when I became used to seeing spanish moss draping from large oaks and large swampy area. I will have to say goodbye to the deep south, but I will not be saying goodbye to the river ways. Each river city has its own distinct culture, based upon their own goods for trade. I can’t recall right now which river is next along my journey, but for now it’s time to head towards the Carolinas and enjoy my last day in Georgia. See you all soon-
Nicole
"A World Apart", The WWII Memorial in Savannah, GA. May 16, 2011Being from a smaller town, I walk into a building expecting it to be what the sign on the outside says. Apparently each floor has it's own shop. Savannah, GA. May 16, 2011The back alley of Savannah's river district, paved in ballast cobbles. May 16, 2011This is the back view of that ship I saw float through Savannah... can you believe how big this is??? May 16, 2011My new mask from Savannah, GA. I love it! May 16, 2011
