Savannah
Part 5: The presence of

It is impossible to escape the fact that Savannah was built with the money of the wealthy plantation owners and sea merchants, who built homes in the city, away from their farms yet close to the sea, to entertain and impress. And impress they do.

The city has been going through a kind of renaissance for the last few years, and homes that fell into ruin were resuscitated and now sell for millions of dollars. They are what shine about this place. The multitude of tailored squares that they line around as well are an impressive reminder that the original city planners wanted to create a place that would linger in the memory, a town that would be a stellar example of the South.

The little joys of this place are not lost on me, especially the birds, and there are multitudes of them all over the region, and once I found this out, I couldn't wait to explore every open space to watch them and be part of their world.

There is a bird sanctuary an hour's drive from Savannah and the wonderful scope of that island breathes new life into my soul and I felt so refreshed upon my return. There were so many different types of birds there, but the most amazing encounter was with a tiny little Golden Crowned Kinglet, a bird not much bigger than a chicken egg. Delicate gray feathers cover its tiny body and at the top of its head, a smudge of bright yellow with black bars on either side. The little one's fascination with me held me riveted to the spot, watching as he flitted from branch to branch, curious and fearless. I promised to return many times, especially after spying an Eastern Bluebird, hundreds of snowy egrets, and a Bald Eagle. This little side trip made up for the palmetto bugs.

6. A return