Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Savannah in the spring



...is pretty breathtaking.It is such a good feeling be on the road, to somewhere new, new landscapes, new faces. From the window you start to see Palm trees and finally we arrive to a city covered in Spanish moss and azalea's in full bloom. It's a beautiful southern city and the closest place to get to the ocean from where we live. The cobblestones streets are lined with shops, pubs and eateries and it sounds like New Orleans as I sit and watch my children chase pigeons by the bay. I take it all in, the smell of the salt air, the songs of the street musicians. I watch the man across from me. He is browned by the sun, ragged, long haired and bearded. He looks like he's been traveling for a long time but has nowhere to go. I watch him smile as Naya laughs and squeals at the flock of startled birds she scatters, and for a second I feel connected to his momentary joy in this simple scene. My attention turns to the man with a bucket of change belting out 'Swing Low Sweet Chariot' in a way that would make the big black ladies at church start waving their hands. I watch people and imagine their lives. I have always been like this, an observer, writing stories, taking pictures in my head. My Bella girl gets this from me. She is an observer, she waits and watches and notices with all of her senses.
We weren't there five minutes before we had these reeds twisted into roses bestowed upon us. They are everywhere in Savannah.

It was Josh's Spring break and I was determined to go away. I missed the ocean and just wanted a break from routine with my family. Unfortunately we no longer have the awesome free set up we enjoyed for three years. The city and the parks, watching the kids in the sand and the ocean was so much fun. The five of us sleeping in one tiny hotel room outside the city with children who had no interest in sleeping... not so much.
We came back exhausted but happy. Slipping into the cool sheets of my own bed was heavenly. The other thing I love about going away is the sweetness of coming home.