Our recent vacation plans necessitated a long drive south, and the halfway point was about Savannah, Georgia. I had been here several times before and think its combination of architecture, history, parks and gardens make it one of the most beautiful and interesting cities in the country. Unfortunately we only had one night in town, not enough to do it justice, but a short time in Savannah is better than no time. On our way to dinner we drove by Forsyth Park as the sun was going down and the late light was beautiful, even if the other weather elements were not. The park and the entire city is framed by and watched over by a canopy of moss-draped live oaks (
Quercus virginiana). This species is one of my favorite trees, and they define Savannah the way Paris is defined by the Eiffel Tower. Even though they are named for Virginia, they will not reach there full potential, stature and presence here like they do further down the coast. I didn't ask, but politely told my wife and son that dinner would have to wait until after I had taken some pictures in the park.
We parked the car on Forsyth's northern boundary, right in front of this home, one of Savannah's many beautiful structures. If you are in the market for a new or second residence, this 5 bedroom, 6 bath townhouse was recently on the market for a mere 5.5 million dollars.
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Across the street, the oaks were giving up a bit of their shade to people out for a stroll, joggers, dog walkers and bench sitters.
The oaks also bear witness to much of what goes on in Savannah.
The centerpiece of the park is a large confection of a fountain that has been here since the 1850's. Between its waters and the shade of the oaks, this is were the people of Savannah and weary travellers can get a little respite from a long, hot and humid day.