St. Simon's, Arrival Day

So we're here, and Mum's computer can tap into my beloved Internet - woo-hoo!


To get here, we had to drive through some farm country - namely, onion and pecan farming country. I took photos out the window while we were flying along - this was one of the few that didn't also feature my armpit reflected in the side-view mirror. You're welcome.



We also drove through some very small towns. I didn't always have time to wake my camera up before we were through them, but I caught this sign (yeah, I was thinking some dirty, dirty thoughts about it) and...sorry...my armpit. Don't you just love Motels off the beaten path...and the things people name them??



We also saw a lot of forest, most of it obviously planted by people (I'm pretty sure Nature doesn't plant trees in straight rows), probably for lumber or paper. They've had some fires (see the scorched trunks?), and we think they were controlled burns. Most shocking were the large empty places punctuated with piles of tree-debris that looked...barren...nothing but huge piles of trunks and roots heaped on sandy soil. One or two of them were all over purple flowers and looked like a battlefield where Man and Nature fought before the war moved on and the land healed over. I didn't manage any pictures of those areas, but maybe it's better that way. They were depressing.



We finally reached the coast and rolled onto the causeway that leads to St. Simon's. In the distance was the bridge that leads one to the Jekyll Island causeway. It's isn't a very good shot - I was twisted around sideways and backwards and trying to focus on a somewhat bumpy road - but if you can enlarge it you'll see the beautiful bridge that, to me, looks like it has sails. Also, there's all that awesome salt marsh. I just adore marsh grasses and all their muted, lovely colors!



The sign announces the distance to Fort Frederica, one of the sites Mum and I are looking forward to (especially as it was recommended by my Aunt S as a fine place to explore, and maybe see a few spirits from the past overlaying the place as it is today).

We found our Motel without much trouble, despite the Garmin (we call her Nigella) experiencing some confusion regarding the roundabout that she thought should be there...but was closed for paving!

After checking in (and completely flustering the poor desk clerk - I don't think he was ready for people as...odd...as we are!) and getting settled (Our room isn't huge, but we won't be in it much, so it's fine - why pay for what you won't be using?? It does have two sinks, one in the bathroom proper and one at a second vanity so one may brush hair or teeth while another bathes. Good thinking!!), we went in search of dinner.

As an aside - Dear St. Simon's Island...street signs would be a nice touch!

Ahem.

We dined at Mullet Bay, a very casual, family oriented, quasi-seafood place. The building interior reminded me of a boat-wright's workspace, large and open with a higher ceiling in the middle for masts and whatnot. It was, I think, designed that way - it's always been a restaurant, according to our waitress. The tables are covered with brown paper, and cups of crayons are provided for some before-dinner art fun. We doodled for a few minutes before our waitress arrived.

We both ordered the boiled shrimp appetizers and salads, and we didn't need entrees. I had the Greek salad, which was loverly...although I did wish it had more onions in it. Mum had the Caesar, which was...well...pretty much a Caesar salad, nothing special but just fine. The shrimp was boiled with Old Bay seasoning, peal and eat, with a lovely cocktail sauce, and at 1/2 pound each, we had plenty!

For drinks, Mum had white wine, which was fine, and I had a Daiquiri which didn't have much booze in it...which was fine with me but maybe not for veteran drinkers who like a little kick with their strawberry slush. For desert, we tried the Key Lime Pie and the Apple Crisp. The pie was nice, mellow, not too tart. The crust was a little soggy, but not too bad. Mine's better. The apple crisp was shaped more like a pie wedge, but it tasted alright. Mine's better.

The service was prompt and friendly, and our waitress checked on us several times during our meal - I always like it when they are a little solicitous without being unctuous. Pricing was moderate to expensive, especially considering the availability of shrimp and other seafood in the area and the lack of complexity in the preparation.

Dinner for two, with drinks but before tip, was about $52.00 - next time I would do without the daiquiri and the desert, maybe find those elsewhere if at all.

After dinner, we had an exploratory jaunt through the dusk to find the Fort. A few wrong turns had us at the Maritime Museum (a completely different part of the island!), but we managed to figure ourselves out and get to the Fort just as full dark was falling. It was closed, but we expected that - we just wanted to see how far it was from the Motel, because it's our first stop tomorrow.

During dinner we planned out the places we'd like to see and put them in order of importance, and I think we may manage them all in two days. We'll see. Tomorrow, Fort Frederica, Christ Church, maybe a graveyard, the Bloody Swamp, and more - and possible and after-hours ghost walk if we're not too tired!

Whew...I'm off to bed, now. Cheers!