Charleston's chance to impress

So today was Charleston’s chance to impress and ignite our enthusiasm.
Shame was, for me it didn’t really. There were lots of beautiful buildings, but I don’t think we got to the stories behind the houses.
There were endless leafy avenues with oak, or magnolia or palmetto.
On reflection I think that here is too much. I couldn't get the whole picture of what Charleston is about, so felt left out, unable to find ‘It’ that makes Charleston so famous and well loved by all who visit.
We had decided that after the fun of the carriage ride in Wilmington we would have another in Charleston, to set the scene. What we were not prepared for was the industry that carriage rides have become in Charleston. Having found the carriage area we found our first problem - parking. When we had sorted that we approached the carriages, which were pulled up like a taxi rank, however to get to the front we had to pass a number of people who were trying to sell us tickets for their companies carriage – a bit like Star Maps in L.A., or coach tours in Las Vegas, Time Shares in Atlantic City. They had you as the Mark, you were the idiot tourist. They were in control of what we were going to do – I don’t like that. So we fought off the touts and duly went to the front carriage and asked him if he was available, ‘yes’ he said, ‘Now’ I said, ‘No’ he said. ‘When’ I said. ‘in twenty minutes’ he said. As he drove off from the front of the line, with an empty carriage. We were confused to say the least. It seems that we had to choose a tout, go with them to their ticket office, then to their stables, then we could ride in a carriage. This was feeling so like being marked for a Time Share. Which of the five companies to choose, we didn’t know, or have the criteria to make a decision, which is awful. We eventually went for the guy in the bright red ‘Red Barn’ jacket, because he was most insistent, not the best way to choose something, but there you are. It seems that the carriages just line up like taxies as a piece of showmanship, to let people know that there are carriage rides!!!
So we eventually get to get on a carriage, but were forced to sit four to a seat, which was clearly meant for two people to ride on. We then get to go on the tour. Well we trotted (well the mules did) round various back streets and leafy lanes, with the guide giving us wisecracks, which at least she thought were clever. There seemed to be an awful lot about the fire (1861), the earthquake (1876), the hurricanes, about the colour of the houses and how difficult it is to make alterations because of the planning laws. However we left the tour knowing very little more about Charleston than when we started. Which was slightly dissatisfying. Still we tried to cheer ourselves up by having a shrimp lunch at Bubba Gumps (named after the film, not vica versa).That was good, then we had a bit of a wander round the streets, which were very pretty, but I think just too many for us to take in, so we came home, however as we approached the car we were forced to enter a coffee/wine bar, and forced to sit and drink and nice Latte and Capuccino, and forced to share a massive piece of cake, called Hummingbird cake, similar to carrot cake and just as scrummy. When we escaped from there we were decidedly full, if not feeling sick.
We returned to the campground to only to find that the very special Festival of Lights, which starts on Friday, was all lit up, they were having a check to see that it all worked, so we were able to drive round the park and admire the light show, with hardly anybody else there at all, so now we do not feel so bad about moving on Friday.
Tonight we had a campfire, nice and bright and warm.