Travels with Tam

Fabulous Photos Friday: Charleston, SC

April 18, 2014 By Tam Warner 8 Comments

ah, Charleston! A lovely, southern city of grace and charm, surrounded by water both fresh and salt, with plantations full of flowers and historical architecture galore. I went to visit College of Charleston, visited with one of my students, and enjoyed the city and surrounds for a few days. I would love to go back in the spring, when everything is blooming!

One of the reasons for our visit to Charleston was to see the College of Charleston. As a private college consultant, I visit college campuses on a regular basis, and it is always more fun when I have a student there! Kirby showed me around campus…and it is quite a beautiful campus!

While wandering the city, we found the first synagogue built in the new USA on one of the side streets.

My favorite time was spent at Magnolia Plantation on the Ashley River. It is now Botanical Gardens and park. Many people choose to marry at Magnolia, and it is not hard to figure out why! The house and the grounds are beautiful. And, of course, I made new friends.

chs 12 Magnolia Plantation — Magnolia Plantation

chs 12 tam and friend — I had this deer eating right out of my hand!

chs 12 magnolia plantation peacock — Beautiful.

chs 12 mag turkey — THIS is a turkey. Gobble gobble.

chs 12 mag rooster — Gorgeous Rooster! I want one!

chs 12 mag alligator reflecting — Hello….

chs 12 mag peacock tail3 — I had never seen a pure white Peacock!

The Isle of Palms

And, of course, Fort Sumter!

Just outside of Charleston, we stopped to see the Angel Oak. The Angel Oak Tree is a Southern Oak, variously estimated to be at least 400 and as much as 1400-1500 years old, stands 66.5 ft (20 m) tall, measures 28 ft (8.5 m) in circumference, and produces shade that covers 17,200 square feet (1,600 m2). From tip to tip Its longest branch distance is 187 ft. This is the biggest, craziest tree I have ever seen!

chs 12 randy at angel oak — This is one big tree! They say the roots are a mile long.

I could go on and on. Then on some more. These photos give you the idea I am sure!

I would love to go back and stay longer.

Fellow Tofo Volunteers visit me in Cozumel!

April 17, 2014 By Tam Warner 4 Comments

In May 2012, I volunteered with All Out Africa for 3 1/2 weeks doing fish surveys and Whale Shark research in Tofo, Mozambique. I was the only Boomer! Age aside, I invited my fellow volunteers to come and visit me at my home in Cozumel, Mexico for some fun diving, and in July 2013, 3 of them did!

Marcel and Daniela arrived from Cancun around lunchtime, as we had a night dive planned. Felix, who had arrived the day before, and I were so excited to see them! It was as if no time had passed at all since our time in Tofo a year ago. Randy and I took everyone to the other side of the island for a drink. We were all excited for the night dive, it was Felix’s first, and Daniela and Marcel’s second (but they said their first night dive was not a big deal). A night dive in Cozumel is almost always gorgeous so I could not wait to get them down there. Felix was a bit on the nervous side, but that is completely normal. We got to the boat, a 35 foot luxury liner compared to the zodiac we dove off of in Tofo, we were briefed, and we descended during twilight. It is best to do a night dive with beginners at sundown, the darkness comes on gradually, almost unnoticed, and it eases them into the experience. Night brings out different fish, different animals, and I so very much wanted them to see an octopus.

It would be really unusual for one to do a night dive in Cozumel and not see an octopus, but hey, you never know. I was worried during the dive until we spotted that first octopus, then ahhhhhh….I relaxed and enjoyed the next 5 octopi! Huge crabs, eels, open corals, lobsters, brittle stars…night diving is wonderful. And the colors are amazing! Using lights really shows the beauty and color of the reef and the corals. Just gorgeous. They LOVED the night dive (of course!). Afterward, we went to the Money Bar to eat. Diving makes one hungry!

The next morning Felix left us for Cancun and home to London…he starts an internship next week, so…holiday time is over for now for him! But 3 weeks in Mexico was a great way to celebrate his graduation! On the way home from dropping him off at the ferry Marcel wanted to know if we could do another night dive! Sure! I’m always up for a night dive! So the three of us went again, and had another great dive. There were several first timers on the boat for the night dive, so there was nervous energy down below. Everything went well, though. Home to bed for our early morning dive adventure!

paranite 13 sharptail2 — A sharptail eel hunting!

Off we went the next morning to Punta Palancar and El Paso de Cedral. Diving with us were Carol and Brian. Brian is a quadriplegic, and still is able to dive. He was a Salvage Diver in the Air Force, and I thanked him for his service. I don’t know if that is how he was hurt, but salvage diving can be quite dangerous. After they “gear” him up, the dive master on the boat holds Brian’s tank and that is how he dives. I am full of admiration for him…he and his wife are obviously strong minded individuals.

The dives were beautiful….we saw turtles and groupers and giant parrotfishes and eels and a nurse shark….very beautiful dives. We went to dinner with my husband and daughter, Ally, and our next door Cozumel neighbors, Lyn and Mark. It was a fabulous meal in great company.

Alas, all wonderful things have an end, and Marcel and Daniela headed out this morning for Cancun to Philadelphia, then Daniela home to Munich and Marcel home to Zurich. It was so natural to be together, as though no time had passed. We discussed doing another volunteer trip together…maybe to Thailand. We will try to make that work! It meant so much to me that they came to Cozumel to visit me this summer…we had a very strong group in Tofo, and I feel connected to all of them. Living in the same house with people for weeks does tend to create bonds of affection, and I am very fond of Felix, Marcel, and Dani. Hasta Luego, mi amigos!

Why don’t YOU visit Cozumel? Check out our beautiful home, we rent it so come visit! http://www.vrbo.com/368692

Another Fabulous Photo Friday!

April 11, 2014 By Tam Warner 16 Comments

I kind of like these posts! I get to choose photos and relive a trip, or time, of my life. After much thought, I have decided that today is….Savannah, Georgia! For those who do not know, I am also a private college consultant, and Randy and I took a trip to Savannah to check out Savannah College of Art and Design. Fabulous school…and we fell in love with the city. It feels like going into the past…it is charming and beautiful, with so much history! We also loved the river, and the Bonaventure Cemetery. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil…we only saw the good side of Savannah!

The old theater and Leopold's Ice Cream! — The old theater and Leopold’s Ice Cream!

And who, you ask, was Johnny Mercer? An American lyricist, songwriterand singer. He was also a co-founder of Capitol Records.

Marilyn! — Marilyn visited Savannah often and they loved her!

Randy at his ancestor's marker. — Randy at his ancestor’s marker.

General Nathanael Greene, second in command to General George Washington, is interred in Savannah. General Greene is an ancestor of Randy’s, on his mother’s side.

General Nathanael Greene, Randy's ancestor. — General Nathanael Greene, Randy’s ancestor.

World Famous Clary's Cafe! — World Famous Clary’s Cafe!

As their website says, “It is a place full of nostalgia and intriguing characters. It is a colorful mosaic of times and people and the bonds that have formed throughout the years. The feelings of home and family are evident when you walk through the door. As you look around at all of the knickknacks, paintings, family pictures and memorabilia that form its décor, you may wonder how a drugstore could have evolved into what you see now…..World Famous Clary’s Café. ” If you go to Savannah, you must eat at Clary’s!

sav 12 col park tombstones yankees defaced — Colonial Park’s defaced tombstones.

The Northern Troops camped in Savannah’s sacred Colonial Park Cemetery, and defaced many of the tombstones, and changed dates and performed other mischief. When you go, be sure to view these stones.

sav 011 — One of the “changed” tombstones

Bonaventure is filled with statues — Bonaventure is filled with, and famous for its statues

River Street. — River Street is the place to be in Savannah in the evenings!

We loved our visit to Savannah, and looking at these photos, I’d love to go back! I have an excuse, I have 3 students at the Savannah College of Art and Design!

Throwback Thursday: Boulders Beach, South Africa!

April 3, 2014 By Tam Warner 15 Comments

Outside of Cape Town is Boulders Beach, a beautiful spot where a South African Penguin Colony lives. They are the cutest …birds you can imagine! They are birds, but of course, they don’t fly in the air, they fly underwater! The penguins are nesting at this time of year…I had no idea that penguins made little dens and sat on their eggs. These little babies are brown and furry! We always hear about the Emperor Penguins, but most penguins do not live in such arctic conditions. These penguins are known as Jackass Penguins. I’m not kidding. They are called Jackass because of the “heehaw” sound they make! They really do sound like donkeys! We walked among them, saw their nests and their young, then walked on the beach where a small group of them came out and swam. I sat near the water and enjoyed watching them in their little tuxedos! It was a cloudy day, and “winter” (to them) as well, so we pretty much had them to ourselves. The beach was pristine, with huge boulders (hence the name Boulder’s Beach), and tidal pools filled with sea stars and crabs and other little critters. Incredible experience!

Wes and Ally...bouldering — Wes and Ally…bouldering

We also met a new animal, the Rock Hyrax or “dassie”. Strangely enough, their closest relative is the elephant! They look like rodents….they are absolutely adorable. I’m sure you will agree that Ally took some wonderful photographs of them.

The Rock Hyrax, or “Dassie”!

We stopped for lunch in Simon’s Town where Ally took a bit of a tumble (fell on her ass, actually). It is usually me, but Ally took the fall on the continent of Africa! (Of course, I have fallen on Africa too….just not on that trip!) Afterward we went up Table Mountain to see the view….endless vistas…

Another beautiful day in South Africa!

Friday’s Fabulous Photos!

March 28, 2014 By Tam Warner 26 Comments

I absolutely LOVE photography, and if you do too, join me every Friday for a look at some photos! These are my favorites from my trip to Thailand! Please share if you enjoy them!

Travel Adventures!

City Pass is the Best Way to Tour a City