The Gems of Columbia

Did you ever think of Columbia, South Carolina as
a getaway destination? Well, neither had we until
recently. But now we're so glad we took a chance.
Our adventure began with a picnic lunch here at
Riverwalk Park alongside the majestic Congaree River.

The Congaree is formed by the conjunction of two
other rivers, the Broad River and the Saluda. If you
ever travel through Columbia on I-20, you've crossed
them both. Here is a lovely amphitheater, one of the
amenities of this fine park.

This is one of several bridges that span the Congaree.
Due to hurricane flooding damage in the recent past,
we couldn't walk very far on the riverside trail here,
but that evening we had a nice long walk downriver.

This "heavy metal" band exemplifies the attention
to the arts that surround you in the downtown area.

Here's some more local art-- in the park restroom, 
of all places!

As the map shows, there are several access
points along the river, and it is well-used by
residents and visitors alike.

Our afternoon entertainment was Riverbanks Zoo,
a very nice facility that is quite a contrast to our
North Carolina Zoo. There was far less walking
required here, but just the right amount of exhibits
to fill two hours for us. The animal enclosures and
landscaping were very impressive throughout.

A couple of lionesses were in this enclosure, but
this artsy fellow was the only male.

Close examination will reveal that his "mane" is
bolts, screws, and bicycle chains. Very creative!

 

I won't show you all the animal pictures, because
you've been to zoos before, but I like this one of
the "old man" of the apes lounging in carefree comfort.

I've seen rubber frogs of these colors, but didn't know
they were authentic. There were also other colors,
all poisonous.

This vulture wasn't at all bashful. He and I
had a nice long conversation.

I do love trains, but this one was a little too compact
for me. Still, I was so glad to see things like this for
the younger visitors. And there was much more!

The zoo tour complete, we headed to our abode, the
Hotel Trundle, where EVERYTHING was first class!

The hotel is Columbia's very first boutique hotel.
Here's a view of the lobby from the staircase.

This hotel was imaginatively created from three
pre-existing buildings in the downtown: a Western
Auto hardware, a paint store, and a furniture store.

Since opening in 2018, the Trundle has
been proclaimed "Best in Columbia" every year!

Friday morning, we drove 30 minutes south of the
city to Congaree National Park. It contains the largest
river floodplain of any of our national parks, giving it
an amazing diversity of plants and animals

I call trees with roots like these "Medusas,"
and I've got one on our trails at home.

This one sure made me think of Jumbo, the elephant.

We stuck mainly to the raised boardwalk trail, even
though portions of it were closed due to flood damage.
There are many miles of other trails for those so inclined.
But hikers are cautioned to take a compass, trail maps,
first aid kit, and NOT to count on cell phone reception.
No thank you!

The last wonderful ingredient of our 37 hour getaway
was hitting the jackpot at SEVEN area thrift shops.
Our haul included puzzles, books, free videos, and
a few other odds and ends.

I haven't mentioned the food on our trip, but it was
all excellent. One dinner was at the Black Rooster-- 
an Italian place, believe it or not! Breakfast at the 
Hotel Trundle was an experience in itself, with a
wide assortment of pastries and chicken biscuits 
catered daily by two local eateries. Dinner on the
way home was in Cheraw at the River's Edge, which
was a grand finale with brisket for Judy and catfish for Ken.
Yummy!

Getting to know Columbia a little better was a very
pleasant experience. As always, it's good to get home,
but we'll be plotting more getaways near or far when
we get the chance!