The Big 3 Asian languages all have a specific term for going on a trip for just one day, not renting out any hotels or accommodations, just setting off in the morning from one's home and returning late at night. Probably a few reasons: Japan and Korea are small countries where getting to a different region of the country doesn't take as long as say, going from Boston to Denver in the US, and also, the consumer economy of America encourages staying at hotels, AirBnB's, resorts, and spending money. MJ and I defied those spendthrift instincts and set off for some jewels of the Southern U.S.: Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia.
Red states are just different than blue states. Georgia made news in the early days of Covid-19 by being the first state to open up its stores, bowling alleys, barber shops, everything, sparking controversy because while it is trying to help citizens with small businesses stay afloat, it also is going against the world-wide effort to stop the pandemic in its track. Regardless, Savannah was completely OPEN on this Saturday afternoon in late October with gorgeous weather, sun shining down but a gentle breeze and plenty of shade under the iconic willow trees that the city is known for. The concerning thing, though, was the lack of masks.....people were crowding around like July 4th waiting for fireworks in close proximity of each other, but just a faint smattering of people adhering to social distancing or mask-wearing guidelines, and while MJ and I strictly stayed strictly outdoors, plenty of patrons were going in and out of restaurant, bars.....aka Covid hot-spots. Not encouraging for the continued effort against Covid-19, at least before a vaccine and in these less stringent cities. The signs set up in various areas encouraging everyone to wear masks seemed comical in light of the actual adherence and enforcement of these guidelines, and this was during the daytime when everyone was relatively sober.......I can't fathom the turmoil once night came around and everyone had been sufficiently lubricated with alcohol. MJ and I didn't stick around to find out. On the positive side, we saw a marriage proposal! Right in front of the iconic fountain marking the center of the city, a man pretended to take a selfie with his soon-to-be fiancee but while "adjusting the camera," he fingered the ring and got down on his knees. It all happened pretty quickly, from execution to her nodding yes to them kissing.....no dramatic music like in the movies, They even had to ask someone else to take pictures for them (no clandestine photographer set up nearby). Good luck to me! I didn't propose to MJ in a cheesy manner, but we're still going strong, so perhaps it shows a happy couple doesn't need to?
Charleston, SC is a beach city that can be walked through in an hour, 2 hours, so it's great for holding hands and enjoying a vast view of the Atlantic Ocean (looks similar to the Pacific Ocean, btw, except the sunsets aren't as spectacular as on the West Coast since you know, the sun doesn't set in that direction). The fancy houses in the city signaled the presence of OLD money, like antebellum money, and one wonders how much slavery played a part in the city's history, but nowadays the real hard workers are the horses dragging tourists in their horse-drawn carriages.....I felt bad for the horses being forced into labor in the hot sun, but some at least had a fellow horse doing teamwork. And yes, this meant the city had a consistent smell of horse manure on the streets. Instagram models had a field day with the weather, all coming out with their designated photographers and squeals of "make sure you get my good side!" in a beautiful city with beautiful houses to use as backdrop. There's a whole row of fanciness called Rainbow Row with houses of every color, and MJ couldn't resist getting a bunch of photos and instructing me to make her figure "elongated" (in essence, getting her "good side.")
Final note about both cities: They both have excellent bridges that connect them to another island and cross a river. Maybe in another life or parallel universe I was an architect specializing in bridges, but I marvel at the detail of bridges (suspension, arch, cantilever, tied-arch, even just a rope bridge...I admire the amount of intricacy they require. They also allow for beautiful views when you're on top of them, usually with 2 nice land masses and a body of ocean, with a fine assortment of boats to check out....that's what I'd been missing all those years in L.A.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
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