Savannah, GA

Georgia, named in honor of King George II, was the 13^th of the 13 colonies and was founded in 1733. When the ship Anne landed the 120 colonists on the shore of the Savannah River, at the foot of a 45-foot bluff, founder James Oglethorpe brought with him the plans for the city with the river as the northern boundary. The city had a grid of wide streets and 24 squares, 22 still exist and many retain their original charm with cobblestone streets, moss draped trees and historic architectural styles. visitsavannah.com  

  

Savannah is the quintessential southern city, full of charm, history, mystery and a haunting beauty. Each square is unique and the distance between them is less than a 10-minute meander. While the city is walkable the touring options are numerous. Visitors can select from guided walking tours, freedom trail walks, carriage tours, riverboat cruises and the highly recommended 15-stop narrated Old Town Trolley tours. The filming of Forrest Gump jettisoned Savannah into the film industry and movie tours are available. Evening ghost tours are offered of this, America’s Most Haunted City, that include Jones Street, believed to be one of America’s most haunted streets.  trolleytours.com

The presence of people of African descent deeply impacted the city’s history and shaped all aspects of its culture. Oglethorpe forbid slavery in the colony in 1733 but slaves from other colonies were used to build the city and slaves were sold there in the 1740s. The institution was legalized in 1750. Slaves were purchased by the city for municipal projects and a common practice was the hiring out of slaves by owners to collect their wages. In 1830 a captured slave ship wound up in Savannah and 51 of the captives were taken into city custody as laborers and as late as 1864 Savannah paid $225.00 for an enslaved male worker. 

It must be noted that free African Americans also lived in Savannah and records indicate that in 1860 there were 705 free blacks in the city. Two surviving churches attest to the importance of religion as a preserver and promoter of culture for the free and enslaved. Virginia slave George Liele was sold south and preached to slaves on Brampton Plantation. He was freed and ordained (1775) and organized a black congregation in 1773 as First African Baptist Church, one of the oldest churches in North America. Liele sided with the British and after the Revolution he left with them and headed to Jamaica. 

The 1802 Second African Baptist Church was founded by Andrew Bryan. The first church burned down and was rebuilt in 1925 by congregants and features the original benches and pulpit. From the steps of the church, in 1864, General Sherman read the Emancipation Proclamation and proclaimed that “40 acres and a mule” would be given to the area’s newly freed enslaved.  M. L. King, Jr. initially gave his “I Have a Dream” speech here prior to the March on Washington. Bryan is buried in the 1700 Laurel Grove Cemetery

The Owens-Thomas House and Urban Slave Quarters is a must-see because it is one of the premiere examples of Regency architecture in the country and it features an, intact, original slave quarters with America’s largest indigo span of slave-painted haint blue paint to ward off evil spirits. The 1819 mansion is listed on the National Register. The family’s fortune was from banking and slave trading and the home is furnished with decorative items dating from 1750 to 1830. The slave quarters’ tour includes a video, artifacts, room settings and interpretive panels. Guided tours interpret both the individual lives of the family and the enslaved. The garden replicates an English Parterre Garden.

The oft overlooked Haitian Monument memorializes the 1779 journey of over 500  free “Chasseurs Volontaires”  from Saint Domingue, now Haiti,  to free Savannah from the British in the American Revolution. They were the largest unit of African descended soldiers in that war. The drummer boy represents drummer Henri Christophe who later became a leader in the Haitian Revolution and one of the first heads of state of African descent in this Hemisphere.

A new attraction, The American Prohibition Museum, presents an outstanding snapshot of an era through deft use of dioramas, immersive activities, videos and artifacts. While there you can visit a speakeasy, dance in a club, have your picture taken with Capone and drink a 1920s cocktail. A display is dedicated to the impact of

African Americans on the Jazz Age. americanprohibitionmuseum.com

Three Greek brothers established Leopold’s Ice Cream, a  century old Savannah institution, at a streetcar intersection with the goal of serving only the finest ice cream. Now located in downtown Savannah, they have never wavered in their commitment to serve only the freshest, most unique, ice cream and other treats. The store is family friendly and features the original black marble soda fountain and wooden back bar. Stop in for a taste of their most popular flavor, tutti-frutti, and you will understand Leopold’s legendary status. leopoldsicecream.com

Baltimore’s Ever Present Past

The Mid-Atlantic region is the most historic corridor in the country and consists of a series of metropolitan areas within 220-miles and accessed by I-95. The major cities, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, DC, each have distinctive attractions, New York’s glitz, glamour and Broadway, Philadelphia’s historic sites, art and music scene and DC’s museums, memorials and institutions. Baltimore is unique among them and as the South’s northernmost city, you can add southern hospitality to an eclectic menu of charms. Baltimore is surprising in every season but it takes on an extra holiday glow.

Baltimore region was created in 1659, established as a city in 1796 and has played a consistently significant, and often unheralded, role in our nation’s history. From December 1776 to March 1777 the city was the seat of the Continental Congress and functioned as the fledgling capital because they feared Philadelphia would suffer a British attack. In 1797 the US Navy launched its first ship from the port, Key wrote the “The Star-Spangled Banner” near Fort McHenry in 1814 and the first casualties of the Civil War occurred there in April of 1861. All of these events are marked with structures that can be visited.

Beside the stellar historic sites visitors have a great time walking the city to experience the Baltimore that constantly reinvents itself with fresh events, festivals, culinary offerings, interactive activities and accommodations. Any Baltimore itinerary is pleasingly quirky because of the seamless blend of its unique history and modern sensibilities.

Because the city is walkable where you lodge makes a difference. The core of the tourism district is Baltimore’s renowned Inner Harbor and the newest hotel, Staybridge Suites, is located in the heart of it all and in close proximity to the harbor. The property is ideal for families because suites provide ample room,  free breakfast, laundry facilities, kitchens, a 24/7 fitness facility, free area shuttle service, security and outstandingly professional staff.  @staybridgesuites

The 1904 Renaissance Revival hotel was the Chamber of Commerce Building following its previous life as the Baltimore Corn and Flour Exchange. The Exchange was a victim of the 1904 fire that destroyed 140-acres in the business district. This historic ediface was  rehabilitated in 2017 preserving original features including a restored first floor with mosaic tile floors, brass mail chutes and original bird-cage elevator. #anIHGHotel

            Baltimore’s history revolves around the area waterways with the Inner Harbor as the jewel in the crown. Colonists initiated the seafood industry after being taught by Native Americans, Chesapeake Bay means “great shellfish bay”, and the port was officially established in 1729. The city was a trading center and transit hub. The historic harbor has always been filled with shops and restaurants and currently a large Christmas Village patterned after those of medieval Germany.  

            You can celebrate the holiday and immerse yourself in the history of Maryland’s award-winning, signature,  Rye Whiskey at Sagamore Spirit Distillery and Rye Street Tavern. The distillery is a destination with a decorated waterfront plaza filled with seating and music, tastings and a tour of the facility, shopping and a meal in Rye Street Tavern serving local seafood and southern cuisine. sagamorespirit.com

            Tagliata, an Italian chophouse, showcases the city’s most extensive wine list, freshest ingredients and handmade dishes. Both indoor and outdoor dining is available. A few steps away is a modern spin on the speakeasy, The Elk Room. The 1920’s candlelit décor, craft cocktails and musical entertainment enhance the experience. It has been featured in Esquire as one of the “Best Bars in America”. www.tagliatarestaurant.com, www.theelkroom.com

            Fell’s Point dates to the 1730s and retains more than 325 original structures. It was from there that Frederick Douglass escaped to freedom. Broadway Market dates to 1786 and is the oldest of the city’s existing markets. A trip to The Choptank, a classic fish & crab house, is mandatory for the quintessential Baltimore seafood experience. The menu is huge and the music is lively. thechoptankbaltimore.com

            The newly renovated 1846 Cross Street Market houses 22 independently-owned food venues specially selected for their quality and uniqueness. There is seating and this is the place to grab a bite between adventures. www.crossstmarket.com

Award-winning Chef Chad Gauss is the creative mind behind The Food Market. The spotlight here is on creative twists on comfort food. The restaurant is open daily and valet parking is available. I strongly suggest their brunch. thefoodmarketbaltimore.com

    

Wonderful holiday gifts are often handmade and Baltimore has several locations where you can express your creativity and love through an interactive experience. Reservations are always required.

KSM Candle Company offers candle-making classes. Candles are a combination of soy based, American sourced, natural, non-toxic ingredients. Students get to choose their scent combinations and take a finished candle home. TIP: Candles should stay lit until the top layer is burned evenly.

Pastry Making Class at Sacré Sucré Pastry Studio is fun and tasty. Here you get to learn the art of pastry making from mixture to classic French macarons. Owners Manuel Sanchez and Dane Thibodeaux help you create mouthwatering deserts and box them up for holiday presentation.

A tour of the 1995 American Visionary Art Museum, a complex of three historic structures, begins on the exterior with murals crafted by incarcerated youths, sculptures and a gigantic whirligig moored 13-ft. into the ground. The museum preserves and displays outsider art, art by self-taught artists, through activities and permanent and temporary exhibits. 

“The Secret Life of Earth” will be on view until September 16, 2020. This exhibit, interpreting the current state of planet Earth, is a wake-up call and should be seen by everyone. The Earth is 4.5-billion years old, we migrated out of Africa only 6 to 7 million years ago. Earth has undergone 5 extinction events, planetary resets, and many believe we are entering a 6^th. Additional highlights include an adjacent building featuring automatons and an engaging gift shop. www.avam.org

The interior of the museum contains the space where Francis Scott Key wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner” reinforcing the fact that in Baltimore the past is ever present. #visitbaltimore

Luxury at Sea, Regent Seven Seas Navigator

The Hamburg-America Line launched the Princess Victoria Louise, the first ship built solely for luxury cruising, on June 29, 1900. Prior ships were ocean liners created to transport passengers and cargo on transatlantic journeys as expeditiously as possible but the Victoria Louise was designed to provide a truly luxurious experience with the aura of a floating 5-star hotel. The 120 suite ship was 407.5 feet long, had amenities, a photography dark room, library and fully equipped gym and offered excursions in ports along the route. It provided the most deluxe cruising experience of the time. The vessel plied the sea until December 1906 when, while attempting to enter the Kingston, Jamaica’s Harbor, a navigational error caused the ship to run aground. Even though there were no casualties the captain committed suicide prior to passenger rescue completion. No matter the circumstances, luxury cruising was established forevermore as an ideal leisure option.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises® is the award-winning inheritor of the crown as provider of the ultimate in luxury cruise experiences built upon the foundation of those early opulent voyages. Created as a result of a 1992 merger,  Regent’s five ship fleet has recently undergone a $125-million refurbishment that is reflected in the public and private areas down to the smallest detail. The fleet offers 450 destinations and greater than 1,600 exclusive excursions while being committed to an environmental program, ‘Sail & Sustain’,  to help ameliorate worldwide environmental issues.

Seven Seas Navigator® is the most intimate of RSSC’s ships with a 490 guest capacity and a 1.35:1 passenger to professional crew ratio. Post-refurbishment there are 245 ocean-view suites that range in size from 301 to 1,000 square feet and ninety-percent have private verandas. Walk-in closets, upscale marble bathrooms with bathtub and shower, and European king-size Suite Slumber TM beds make this a luxurious chamber in which to relax between activities. Additional amenities include designer bath products and exclusive linens, single device unlimited Wi-Fi, interactive television, stocked refrigerator and robe and slippers.

Between shore adventures guests select from a menu of entertainment options, from reading in the newly designed library, having a relaxing Canyon Ranch SpaClub treatment, exercising in the Fitness Center or engaging in a little retail therapy in onboard boutiques to wagering in the casino while at sea. The 24-hour internet café, trivia, card competitions and destination lectures are also available. Evening entertainment includes musical revues, piano bar sessions, dancing and karaoke.
The passengers tend to be older but children are not excluded. During summers and holidays some itineraries offer the complimentary Club Mariner. Activities and programs for youths ranging from 5 to 17 in age-related groups are guided by trained counselors.

Dining aboard is a diamond experience with meals created from only the freshest ingredients prepared to your taste. The Compass Rose, the premiere fine dining venue, is a culinary delight with a menu comprised of both gourmet masterpieces and unique twists on standard offerings. These extraordinary meals are served on china designed exclusively by Versace for Regent. Prime 7 is an intimate restaurant showcasing eight USDA Prime, dry-aged, steak dishes. La Veranda, the most casual restaurant ,features indoor and deck dining. The Pool Bar, located on the pool deck, is ideal for quick meals. The food is cooked to order and the view is always outstanding. Galileo’s Lounge serves craft cocktails and High Tea daily to performances by resident musicians.

A popular Navigator cruise leaves from New York and travels to three United States ports and two international ones. Shore excursions are selected by participants based upon itinerary, duration, and personal ability level. Requirements are clearly indicated and the scope of offerings is so broad that everyone can participate at some level. The complimentary Regent Seven Seas Cruises app enhances the audio portion of the excursion experience.

There are highlights in the New York to New York Navigator cruise at every port. Newport, Rhode Island has tours that take you on scenic drives and several tours feature interiors of several of the opulent Gilded Age mansions including the renowned Breakers. Tours of the second port, Boston, Massachusetts, can include Harvard University, the Kennedy Library & Museum and the iconic Faneuil Hall, the Freedom Trail and the Old North Church of Paul Revere’s Ride. Bar Harbor, Maine boasts the wild and scenic wonders of Acadia National Park and 150-ft. deep Jordan Pond. On your own explore the ten renowned Tiffany windows of St. Saviour’s Eiscopal Parish Church and the Abbe Museum interpreting the history of the Wabanaki, the People of the First Light.

Halifax, Nova Scotia’s scenic Coastal Lighthouse Tour to Peggy’s Cove is extremely popular and is one of two not to be missed area tours. The Halifax Citadel is impressive and a daily changing of the Guard Ceremony is reenacted by kilt clad soldiers. There are 26 areas to be visited on the self-guided tour.

St. George, Bermuda is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the tours offered immerse you in its history. St. Peter’s Church, established in 1612, is the oldest continuously used Protestant church in the New World and a must-see. Its most compelling attractions are the 1721 “servants” gallery created for the enslaved, a 1612 communion table and the 1640 dole cupboard used for feeding the needy. Blacks were interred in the western section of an adjacent cemetery.

Why take a Regent Seven Seas luxury cruise? The obvious reason is that, as a discerning traveler, an individual wants to experience the maximum a luxury a cruise has to offer in every aspect of the voyage. The more subtle reasons are that Regent cruises are hassle-free and, most significantly, Regent is one of the world’s most inclusive cruise lines. Cruise fees includes all airfare, airport transfers, onboard meals, alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks, shore excursions and gratuities. The level of professionalism is incomparable and they cater to your every whim.

For over a century luxury cruises continue to be the ultimate form of travel. Choose the best and vacation like a royal aboard a Regent Seven Seas Cruise. www.RSSC.com