Savannah has quite the reputation. It’s known as the “Hostess City of the South”, and prides itself on an insular community full of Southern charm, grandiose antebellum houses and picturesque squares full of dripping Spanish moss. These were all made famous by the bestselling book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (which we unfortunately didn’t read until after our visit), as well as the city serving as the location for a number of major films. Chippenwa Square, where the bench scene from Forrest Gump was filmed, was our first stop today. A pleasant stroll from there to the riverfront through the restored historic district brought us to a restaurant for lunch, where we tried some Southern delicacies, including shrimp grits, fried green tomato, and overpriced bacon.
After a bit more of a walk through the city and a rest stop at the hotel, Paul and Gav hit up one of Savannah’s Southern Tapas restaurants (crab cakes and ribs!) before sauntering to a nearby bar to sample some of the local ales.
Freedom Fact: In London, they say you are never more than twelve feet away from a rat. In the Southern USA, you are never more than twelve feet away from a homeless person singing “Amazing Grace”.