And We're Halfway There

Charleston marked the halfway point of our journey! It was the transistion point between the South and the East. I loved Charleston, with its historical architecture, Southern hospitality, and Kiawah Island's beach and resort feel. I figure at the halfway point I'll list out my Top 5 Sites to summarize a bit for those that can't read through all our previous posts to catch up. This is just my list, KT has the same top 5, just in a different order of preference.

1. The French Quarter and the St. Louis Cemetery - I loved the architecture and the historic feel. This is one historic district that I felt was truly authentic and not just preserved like this for tourism. Comparatively, the Charleston historic district was all big name shops like BeBe and Starbucks in old buildings. New Orleans' French Quarter seemed like those shops could have been there for decades, just selling slightly different wares.

2. Graceland - I grew up listening to the King and to see his legacy was very interesting. We were there for Elvis Week so it was pretty busy and some of the guests had those tell-tale sideburns that they spent their days as Elvis impersonators. It was incredible that he bought Graceland when he was just 22 years old. It was a pretty big house and it must have been considered quite the mansion back in the 50s - 70s.

3. Dallas Cowboy Stadium - I'm not as big a football fan as KT, so I'm sure this is higher on his list. It is a massive stadium with the latest technology, making every other stadium I've been feel like it shouldn't be good enough for the team. The new JumboTron goes from one 20 yard line to the other and there's even a fountain on the 2nd floor that is like a mini Bellagio fountain show. Also, it was a lot of fun to try on the pads and helmets, just to get a sense of how huge these guys are that play.

4. JFK 6th Floor Museum - It was strange to be in the same spot that Lee Harvey Oswalt stood when he shot the president. The museum goes through the entire life and political career of JFK before it dives into his death and the conspiracy theories that surround it. It was a fascinating walk through history and I couldn't help but notice the similarities between JFK and our current President Obama. I just hope that history doesn't repeat itself in this case.

5. Mardi Gras World - Since I couldn't go to Mardi Gras itself, this was the next best thing. The decorations from years past are stored there and they also were making new floats as we walked through. I had no idea how big the floats were or how professionally decorated they all were. In addition to the float, we got to try on some costumes and learn more about the history of Mardi Gras in New Orleans. If you can't go to the real event, this is the closest you'll get to it.