Savannah: Five Years Later

Five years had passed, and we thought it would be a good time to return to Savannah. We wouldn’t be staying for 91 days, this time, but just a couple weeks. We figured that should be long enough to visit our favorite spots, eat at some new restaurants and check out a few things we had missed the first time around.

A lot can change in five years. The last time we were in Savannah, we were just starting out on our travels. Savannah was only our second destination, and we were still figuring out how this whole “For 91 Days” project was going to work. Five years ago, we were different people; a little younger and a lot less experienced. Oh and back then, our dog was still alive and traveling with us!

But for a city like Savannah, five years is nothing. The first thing we did upon returning was to tour the city’s squares, and I was impressed by how little they had changed. It was almost as though we had never left. There were the same haunting mansions, the same mustached SCADsters, the same Live Oaks draped in Spanish Moss, and the same atmosphere of welcoming southern gentility. Even the same big old blues singer was in his spot at Wright Square, belting out the same interminable melodies.

In 91 days, we had been able to experience a lot of what Savannah has to offer, but there was still a lot left to do. There were things we missed, because they had been closed for renovation (Massie Heritage Center), closed for the season (Mrs. Wilkes), or because we had simply run out of time (Sorrel-Weed House). There are new restaurants, and other experiences which hadn’t existed five years ago, or which we didn’t know about.

And besides all the new things, we hoped to return to all our favorite spots. The Sentient Bean, the Olde Pink House, Bonaventure Cemetery and Tybee… Is it possible to repeat 91 experiences in ten days? I doubt it, but I’m dying to try.

The three months we spent in Savannah were among the most memorable in all our travels, and we’re happy to have returned, even if just for a short visit. So let’s catch up, Savannah! Honestly, honey, y’all look the same. The years have been kind. But tell your old friends all about it. What’s new?