Charleston

Well that’s another week gone and I’ve been a bit lazy, haven’t posted in about two weeks, can’t really blame it on work as I haven’t had a lot to do although I did work last Saturday.
Did go out last Friday though to a few bars, went out with Fred who’s here on site and going to Japan with me. The bars over here are mostly restaurants with a bar in them, there are bars that just serve beer but don’t know where they are and I’m am told I probably shouldn’t go in them by myself. Every thing was fine bar wise down in Mississippi though so am sure it is here and I’m not likely to going into anything that looks dodgy.
Like I say haven’t really done much all week and not been out much other than to go to work. Did go back to iHOP to get some more pancakes the other day got the take out this time, all the restaurants here do take out and also do what they call carry out which is when you eat inside and have food left because the portions are so big most people have food left anyway they all the restaurants are prepared for this and have a box’s for you to take the remaining food home with you if you want.. Guess this has been the highlight of my week that’s sad isn’t it going to iHOP or any restaurant for that matter and to be the highlight of the week, but honestly when your working there really isn’t a lot to do here.
Am getting a little list of places I like keep going back to, Applebee’s, Boston Market, iHOP, Popeye’s, Waffle House, TGIF etc, boring I know but you got to eat.

Photo on the left shows the pancakes, can assure you they were better than they look.

Did find a bar the other night Friday called the Flying Saucer, nearest thing I’ve seen over here to an English bar, not a traditional one but something like you would find in the center of town.
Went in and ordered a Miller Lite that was before I realized they had beer on draft, over seventy five of them to be precise from all over the world., Boddingtons, Old Speckled Hen and Fullers to name a few from our neck of the woods and I ordered a Miller Lite imagine that.
Had planned on going on a bit of a trip this Saturday, woke up fairly early but did not really get up until pretty late so just had a lazy day and went around the local area and shops.
Today though got up and got moving decided to go the Charleston in South Carolina, its about 220 miles form here and on the coast about a 3 and a half hour drive.
South Caroline is the state below where I am now, before there was just Carolina but now it’s North and South Carolina.
Arrived in Charleston early afternoon, Charleston was a big player in the Confederacy so there’s plenty of history here in the way of museums and with it being on the coast it also has a lot of naval history as well. Think one of the forts here never actually fell to the North and was only taken after the surrender. Photo on the right is going over a bridge to part of Charleston the view below is looking back at the bridge.

City is really quite nice and reminded me of New Orleans and a European city, lots of small streets in the center with everything close together so you could park and walk around downtown pretty easily, this is probably the way with these old southern city’s
The ones below are of what awaits when you get over the bridge.

Some views of the city below, had to do a double take when i was reading some of these signs and am not sure what Electric American Cuisine is though, guess it must have been a bit shocking and that's why they went out of business.

Now for a little moan, been doing a lot of driving today and get really frustrated with the way people drive over here, they just seem to sit in a lane and drive no one ever pulls over for faster traffic.

You get good three and four lane road with people in each lane going about 1mph faster than each other and all abreast, could be just a Southern thing.
I blame it on cruse control, am sure the cars are just put into cruise and let it go even if they’re only going 1mph faster then the one in front. It seems as if they just get in the other lane point and forget and seem oblivious to what’s behind them either that or just don’t care about holding up other cars.
Like I say this is just a little pet bitch of mine but it seems to be the same no matter when I’ve been and it’s real frustrating.

Pancakes N Guns

Have not been at work this weekend and had planned to do a bit of exploring around the area, so much for plans.
Didn’t go out until after it got dark yesterday and not until about 3pm today, consequentially have not done a lot, I did manage to do a bit of shopping and have a bit of a look round close to where I’m staying.
I’d noticed a IHOP close to where I’m staying (International House of Pancakes) the other day have heard good things about these so though I would go and cheek it out. IHOP have all sorts of food but tried what their signature dish, pancakes.
Had Blueberry pancakes with cream and syrup, very nice four pancakes covered in blueberry and cream far too much for one person, especially someone from the UK. Would have taken a photo of it but when you’re buy yourself you feel a bit self-conscious, it’d just not the same being in some of these place by yourself especially if it’s the first time.
Anyway finished half the pancakes then went for a look round the shops. Check out some of the guns in the photos below it’s all a bit unreal when you see them they almost look like toys behind the glass of the case but are a lot more expensive than I thought.
Anyway some photos below of where I’m staying, can recommend it, the Candlewood Suites, they have place all over the states are pretty comfortable and at a reasonable price. There’s a photo of my new car, changed it a couple of days ago from the on I had when I first got here, what I have now is a lot nicer, typical American car though it’s got a 3.5ltr engine in it and only does about 20 to the gallon, good job I’m not paying.

Photo on the left is of ihop, not a bad place to eat, the photos below are of the guns in the Bass Pro Shop i mentiond before.

Check out the size of some of the hand guns, think some of them are bigger than the one Clint Eastwood had in Dirty Harry

February the 7th and Bored

Well it's Thursday the 7th Feb at around 3pm in the afternoon here, 8pm UK time.
Sitting in my new office or should i say different office and there are two other people in it and I’m new so it’s not really my office but it’s an even older trailer than the one i had down in Mississippi.
I'm pretty board right now, I’m the only one here, we’ve hit some problems which are stopping us from running the fan and doing much so i just have to sit here while the insulators finish and go home.
Julie one of the others here as actually just left site today she is on her way down to Mississippi, to Stennis where I was not to the project that I was on but to another one tomorrow. So it’s just me and Fred now who I know from my days in Korea, looks like I will be going over to Japan next and the guy I will be going with is Fred so that’s good news as I get on well with him.
It was Fred’s apartment that I was staying in while he was in Japan, I’ve moved out now he’s back and I’m back in the long stay rooms I was in before, they are pretty good there’s a little fitness room, free laundry you just have to buy the powder, and they have a DVD library.
Have been trying to get to the gym I joined as often as possible to work off some of the meals you get here, no one in America has heard of medium portions, there all pretty good though so it’s hard to say no, am about done with the fries and coke though. Have actually ordered a few salads but they come dripping in all sorts of dressings so don’t think they’re any better for you then a Big Mac.
One place I quite like though and it’s probably one of the least healthy is Waffle House, only been a couple of times but for some reason it reminds me of Pulp Fiction and just seems to be what I expect an American diner to be from the films I’ve seen.
Haven’t really got a lot to say but shouldn’t be working this weekend so my try to get out and do some exploring, should have a bit more in the next blog, may even get to a Waffle House and get some photos.
Not sure what the weather is like back in the UK at the moment but just to cheer everyone up It’s the low 60s here and bright blue skies, ta tar for now.

The photo above on the left is looking out of our cabin we are next to a small airport, if you look closely you can just see a plane about to take off. The one above on on the right is in the office, the one to the left is a looking out from the balcony of Fred’s apartment out on to the shopping Mall