Photos of Part 3

Magnolia Plantation

Magnolia Plantation PettingZoo

Swamp! There are alligators too!

Old Slave Quarters

An old tree

Typical Charleston Home

Charleston, SC

Charleston, SC

Vacation Part 2- Newport, RI

I have been too busy to write lately. Starting where I left, I continue;

After spending a couple of days around my friends' beautiful home, we decided to have a trip to Newport, RI.

We booked an inn for a night and headed to Newport. I was still sick and very tired so, I slept through the three hour drive.

We bought tickets to visit two of the Newport Mansions (called cottages by the owners) of the Gilded Age: The Breakers and Marble House.

I have been to palaces and mansions in Europe and these "cottages" were no less in terms of lavishness and in terms of the extraordinary amounts of money poured into them. The families would use these places only for a few weeks during summer months and yet, they were quite the match for French Palaces. Yes, these people earned a lot of money by building railroads in the United States but, spending that kind of money is not justifiable in my opinion. Especially, given that the country faced with the Big Depression in a few decades down the line.

Their heirs unfortunately could not deal with the upkeep of these places and now the Preservation Society of Newport County is making an excellent job to keep the mansions in good shape and entertain the curious crowds visiting Newport.

You may want to pay special attention to the Platinum Panels below and some pictures:

Ceiling- The Breakers

The Breakers

Platinum Panels!

The Kitchen- The Breakers

China Cabinets- The Breakers

Marble House and the rest of my Newport trip will be the subject of another post

Vacation- Part 1 First Few Days around NY

I got a terrible sinus infection right before the plane ride to the US. I went to see a doctor and she gave me some stuff in an IV to perk me up a little.

I was pretty miserable on the plane and despite my efforts, my ears got clogged.

My friends came to get me at the airport and they were hoping to go bar hopping in Manhattan that very night. Lol! Needless to say we only got as far as the Asian restaurant around the corner.

The next day, we did some shopping and went out to have drinks at night. The following day, visited another friend and had a good time by the lake. (Squantz Pond in CT)

Visiting the Freedom Tower was on top of my list so we did that together and had dinner at the Fish Market and had dessert at Ferrara's in Little Italy. Talk about life on the fast track, right?

NJ from top of the Freedom Tower

WTC Memorial Pool (North Tower)

From the top of Freedom Tower

Squantz Pond

Some Pictures from my last travel to England

Here is a part of the Windsor Castle Garden:



Here is another part of the Windsor Castle:



Here is a very old and pretty crooked building in Eton: