Steve had an airplane delivery out of the Boeing 787 facility in Charleston, South Carolina the middle of February. Since Steve had to be there for two weeks he thought it would be fun to have Brooklyn and I join him for one of those weeks. Last summer Steve had to fly to Charleston for some work meetings and he loved it there. So he was excited for us to come so he could show us around. Steve left for Charleston a couple days before we were to leave.
On Wednesday, Brooklyn and I flew from Seattle to Washington, DC and then we were going to catch another flight that would take us to Charleston, South Carolina. When we arrived in at the Washington Dulles airport I got a text message from United Airlines announcing that our flight to Charleston was cancelled due to weather. The airport was a zoo with people stranded everywhere. We were told to go wait in line to speak with a United Airlines customer service rep to see what our options were. After standing in line for line for 4 hours we finally made it up to the counter. As I was talking with the rep at the counter to find out what our options were I also had Steve on the phone and he was talking with a United rep on his work phone. Crazy huh? There were no flights back to Everett that day and the entire airport would be closed the following day - we were in the middle of a record breaking snow and ice storm! The earliest they could re-book us a flight into Charleston was on Sunday. That meant we would stay in DC for 4 days. As this was a weather related cancellation, United Airlines would not put us up in a hotel. So we were on our own to either find a hotel near by or sleep in the airport until our flight to Charleston on Sunday or take a flight back to Everett on Thursday. I didn't want to stay in a hotel for 4 days but we booked our tickets for Sunday hoping 2 seats would open up on a flight on Friday. Steve spent a couple hours trying to find us a hotel near the airport. Everything was either booked or was super expensive. He finally found us a room at a Hampton Inn. I decided instead of using the hotel shuttle that I would brave the roads and rent us a car. We landed in DC around 2:30 and finally at 8:30 we were in our tiny rental car headed to our hotel. It was super cold, windy and snowing.
Before Steve left for Charleston and since he was allowed 3 pieces of luggage for free because of his status with United Airlines we decided that he'd take my suitcase with him. So I packed all my clothes, shoes, coats etc. into my suitcase and he took it with him. That saved me having to pay $25 for my checked bag. We had Brooklyn's suitcase with us and that was it. I literally had the clothes that I was wearing which was a thin exercise jacket, capri sweat pants and tennis shoes. And it was 20 degrees in DC! I did throw in my make up, hair dryer and one pair of underwear into Brooklyn's suitcase before we left. That was the most expensive $25 I ever saved. Note to self...NEVER fly without at least one change of clothes!
On our way to the hotel we found a Cheesecake Factory open so we went in and had dinner. It tasted so good after a stressful day. Our next stop was to Walmart to pick up a few toiletries that I didn't have because Steve had my suitcase!! This was the view from our hotel room when we got there around 11:00 p.m. that night. Brrr....
The next morning we woke up to lots and lots of snow in DC.
Luckily the hotel had a free continental breakfast. We filled our tummies and also brought back some food for later just in case we were stranded at the hotel all day and night without food.
So we wouldn't go stir crazy Brooklyn and I went downstairs to the lobby and played a few games of Canasta. I'm so glad I threw my Canasta cards in my carry on before we left. Here we are playing and having hot chocolate for lunch.
Around 4:00 we decided to venture out. Call us crazy but we needed to get out of the hotel and we were starving and hoped we'd find a restaurant somewhere that was open. It took us about 30 minutes to dig our car out of the snow so we could leave.
We drove around very carefully because the roads were a mess with snow and ice everywhere. Literally the only store open near the hotel was Walmart. I decided it might be a good idea to buy me some warm clothes. So Brooklyn and I had fun looking around at our options. So...Elmo or Cookie Monster pajamas? No thank you!
How about this warm flannel jacket and some Duck Dynasty camo boots? Those would certainly keep me warm while I was in DC..
Brooklyn was starving for pizza. I told her we'd have to buy a frozen pizza from Walmart and warm it up in the microwave oven in the hotel lobby. She wasn't too happy about that option. But on our way back to our hotel we found a pizza place that was open. It was literally the only store/restaurant we found that was open. Not even McDonalds was open.
One happy girl!
When we got back to our hotel that night I got a call from Steve. He was excited to tell us that he had called Untied (100's of times that day) and was able to get us tickets to Charleston Friday instead of on Sunday. We were so happy that two seats opened up earlier. Because we did not want to wait until Sunday to fly to Charleston. Brooklyn's ticket was for the flight that left at 8:30 a.m. and I had a ticket that left at 12:30 p.m. that same day, which was Valentine's Day!
Because I didn't know how the roads would be going to the airport that morning we decided to get up and leave super early to give us plenty of time. We arrived at the airport around 6:30. I asked United Airlines to put me on the standby list for Brooklyn's flight. It was just a tiny airplane but I thought it was worth a try. Otherwise I would be hanging at the airport for hours until my flight left at 12:30 p.m. Brooklyn's flight was delayed 2 hours. But just minutes before Brooklyn boarded her flight my name was called to see the United Airlines rep and they gave me a boarding pass for the same flight as Brooklyn! YAY! I think the whole airport heard me cheer I was so excited. FINALLY we were on our way to Charleston! Wow what an adventure Brooklyn and I had in DC. There were some frustrations and tears but we also made the best of it and had a great time together.
When we landed in Charleston, Steve picked us up at the airport. I was so happy to finally be in Charleston with Steve. We dropped Steve back at work and Brooklyn and I went to the hotel to shower. It felt so good to get clean, warm clothes on! I've never been so excited to see my luggage! After we got cleaned up we had fun walking around Charleston shopping. Our hotel was right in downtown Charleston within walking distance of fun stores, restaurants and all the cool houses.
We picked Steve up from work that evening and then we went out to dinner to celebrate Valentine's Day. We ate a really nice restaurant that served very fancy food. It was a Valentine's Day we'll not soon forget!
As is tradition for our family on Valentine's Day we did a little door-bell ditching and left Valentine surprises at the doorstep for each of us.
Here is Brooklyn with her Valentine surprises!
And Steve with his Valentine surprises!
Saturday Steve didn't have to work so we enjoyed spending the whole day together. We went out to breakfast and then we went on a buggy tour of the city.
Here we are getting ready for our buggy tour. It was fascinating. We learned so much about Charleston. The tour was totally worth every penny.
This is called rainbow row.
Have I mentioned how cool the houses are there? Ha Ha
The trees have this weird, funky Spanish moss stuff hanging from it. It was everywhere.
We had fun going to the open market and walking the streets of Charleston. We stopped at Bubba Gumps for a quick lunch of shrimp and french fries. Yum! That evening Brooklyn came down with a terrible headache and was achy and had the chills. So she went to back to the hotel and went to bed. Steve and I went out to a fun place for dinner that night. Everything was within walking distance from our hotel which made it fun.
Sunday morning Brooklyn still wasn't feeling well so she stayed at the hotel while we went to church. We had fun attending church with our friends the Sorensen's who used to live in Washington. They moved to South Carolina last summer. Such a cute family.
Sunday afternoon we took a drive to see some of the Plantations. They are so big and beautiful. I want to come back in the summer when all the trees and flowers are in bloom. I'll bet it's gorgeous.
Monday was gorgeous! 80 degrees! Brooklyn and I spent 3 hours at the pool enjoying the sunshine. Nice change from the snow in Washington DC and from the rain in Washington state.
Brooklyn wants one of these comfy lounges for our pool at home!
That evening Steve had a work dinner he went to so Brooklyn and I walked to a restaurant not to far from our hotel. On the way home we had fun shopping.
On our walk back to the hotel I took a picture of Brooklyn in front of the Charleston Fire Department. It's so cute with it's brick walls, open doors and that darling statue of a Dalmation dog laying on a red pillow. Looks like something out of a children's book.
One day Brooklyn and I used the hotels bicycles and had fun riding around down town Charleston.
Check out some of these cool houses.
We took a tour of the Calhoun Mansion. Here is a picture of Brooklyn outside in one of the gardens.
Another pretty house.
Brooklyn and I want to move to Charleston and live in one of these fun houses.
For lunch we had ice cream.
Why did we have ice cream for lunch? Because we were on vacation!
One night we went to a Thai restaurant that was just a few blocks from our hotel. It was pretty good.
The winter olympics were going on during our trip. So each night we'd lay in bed and watch them.
And of course we had to order room service a couple of times. That night we had a warm chocolate molten cake with vanilla ice cream. Yum!
One night after Steve got home from work we drove to Folly Beach. It was kind of a hazy afternoon but the beach was beautiful and the weather spectacular. Isn't this a cool picture of Brooklyn underneath the pier with the fog in the background?
Steve "hangin' out" under the pier.
We saw this door front at a restaurant in Folly Beach and we thought it was cool looking.
Brooklyn and I were supposed to fly back home on Wednesday. But because we didn't get to Charleston when we had planned we didn't want to leave come Wednesday. So Steve got on the phone with United Airlines and worked his magic and got our flights changed so that we could come home with him on Saturday. We were happy we had 3 extra days in Charleston to play. Brooklyn missed 6 drays of school while we were gone. Luckily she brought her text books with us so she could keep up on her school work she was missing. When you have to do anatomy homework while on vacation at least she had a beautiful hotel lobby to do it in!
One day Brooklyn got all dressed up and I took her around Charleston so I could take some pictures of her. Every house there has a story and is so unique. Here are a few of our favorite pictures we took.
Our last night in Charleston Steve made reservations to take us to Halls Chop House. It is one of best steak houses in Charleston. He had eaten there previously in the week with his customer and loved it.
Steve ordered a 34 oz. Tomohawk ribeye - oh my...it was delish!
For one of our sides we ordered mac and cheese. Now this was not anything like Kraft Mac & Cheese! It was the best mac and cheese we have ever had. Seriously to die for.
There was a piano in our hotel lobby for people to play. Brooklyn sat down and played a few songs for us one night.
Steve enjoying listening to Brooklyn play the piano.
Saturday morning Steve's airplane delivered and flew home to Japan. Isn't that a neat picture Steve took as it was taxiing out to depart for Japan.
Check out that old cobble stone road. Before we headed to the airport to fly home we walked to a place called the Slave Mart, a building where slaves were sold up until slavery was abolished at the end of the Civil War.
We sure had a great time in Charleston. We are so glad we had the opportunity to go and join Steve while he was out there for work. I can't wait to go back again.