The perfect layover for me is when I have so much fun that I start creating my agenda for my next layover in that city. This is what happened last time I had a long Charleston layover. I started creating a new layover agenda before we left the hotel for the airport. Thankfully, the bidding gods took favor with me and I got a long Charleston layover this month. Happily, I had a few hours in the morning to execute my Charleston agenda. I did have to keep a blistering pace to fit it all in. Heck. My pace was so blistering, I actually got blisters on the soles of my feet! Okay. I’ll admit. The blisters were from not packing socks to wear with my Converse shoes. Still, I blistered through my blisters and had an excellent adventure in Charleston.

You may remember from my last Charleston layover that I walked by America’s oldest liquor store, Tavern at Rainbow Row. Heck. I even took a photograph of the shop as I passed by it. Later, I cursed myself for not actually walking inside to check it out. Thus, this was the top priority for this layover. My other priority was to purchase something in the liquor store. Yessiree. I rather liked the idea that I was going to get liquor from the same store where pirates used to get their liquor in 1686. Aye, aye Mateys! Skytress Karen and I left the hotel early and walked to the liquor store. I’ll admit. We were both shocked when we walked inside. The store was the size of the first-class cabin on a Boeing 737-900. We walked into an adjoining room thinking there was more to the store. However, we quickly learned it was just the storage room. Skytress Karen and I immediately realized the shop only sold hard liquor. Our plan for purchasing a bottle of wine was squashed. Nonetheless, I was determined to purchase something. I didn’t want to spend $75 on a bottle of hard liquor I wasn’t going to drink. So, instead, I spent $25 on four petite jars of Moonshine samples from South Carolina. I’ll admit. If it wasn’t for the fact I had to fly later in the day, I would have drank one of those moonshine samples right there. Shiver me timbers, Mateys! I could feel the awful burning sensation on my left heel. Egads! My left heel was quickly being rubbed raw from not having any socks on with my shoes. Yessiree. I was starting to think walking the plank would be less painful than walking the streets of Charleston.

Despite my blistering feet, Skytress Karen and I continued walking around Charleston. We happily admired the colonial architecture and the assortment of beautiful window boxes we passed along the streets. Not surprisingly, we were fascinated with each church we passed. I was amazed by the number of churches I had not seen before. Then again, I shouldn’t have been. After all, Charleston is the City of Churches. I mentally vowed to visit several of these churches on my next layover and learn about their history. I faithfully said a few prayers at each church we passed. I’ll admit. I even prayed for my shoes to stop rubbing my feet. After all, I still had more stops to make before we headed back to the hotel for our pickup.

Skytress Karen and I eventually walked back towards the Charleston City Market. The historical City Market is a Skytress delight. Yessiree. The Market is several blocks long. Vendors and artisans are lined up for blocks on each side of the market. My Skytress shopping heart always starts to beat faster when I get near the City Market. I was barley inside the market when I noticed some intriguing jewelry. The unique coloring of the pieces caught my interest. The lovely woman standing behind the long table explained her sister made the jewelry. She then showed me some jewelry pieces her sister made from copper pennies. The pennies ranged from 2004 and prior. I learned her sister, Michelle Black, can only use pure copper pennies to create her jewelry pieces. Pennies produced after 2004 contain zinc. They can’t be heated like pure copper pennies can be. Those of you that know me, know I love finding my pennies from Heaven. I’ll admit. The table full of pennies definitely spoke to my heart. I knew I had to buy a penny necklace. So, I did!

I knew I wanted to stop by Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit while we were in the City Market. I had put Callie’s on my “must return to” list when I took my first bite of my biscuit on my last Charleston layover. My egg, pimento and sausage biscuit was yummy-delicious. I had been craving this biscuit since that last layover. I told Skytress Karen my Callie’s Biscuit was going to be my meal for the day. Yessiree. Little biscuit is a misnomer. My last Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit was huge. I knew this same biscuit would sustain me until we got to Sacramento. Skytress Karen didn’t get a Callie’s Biscuit. I’ll admit. I felt sad for her. She didn’t know what she was missing. However, I did. My sweet readers….Don’t make Skytress Karen’s mistake. Always get a Callie’s Biscuit when you see it. Your tummy will thank me!

I had one more mandatory stop on my “must return to” list. I needed to stop to get some salt water taffy. I’ll admit. I always get salt water taffy from River Street Sweets when I am in Charleston or in Savannah. This trip I was flying with Skytress Suzanne. Skytress Suzanne told me her husband’s family owns River Street Sweets. Sweet! Now that I have flown with Skytress Suzanne, I can tell myself I am supporting a fellow Skytress with each purchase. It’s much better than telling myself I have an affinity for salt water taffy.

The City Market and River Street Sweets are located next to our new layover hotel. You can bet your sweet bippy I was relieved I had blistered through my list of things I wanted to do on this layover…..and had ended up smack dab next to our hotel. I’ll admit. I was ready to head back to the hotel and kick my shoes off for awhile before we had to fly to Sacramento. However, Skytress Karen wanted to walk a round a little more. So, of course, I made the poor decision to continue walking around Charleston. My left heel had stopped bleeding with my new gait, anyway. What can I say? My love for Charleston outweighs my love for my feet.

Of course, I knew I had abused my feet on my Charleston layover. However, it wasn’t until I got to my hotel room in Sacramento that I discovered I had blisters on the soles of both of my feet. Egads! I told myself next time I had a Charleston layover I would make sure I packed socks to wear with my layover shoes. Yessiree. The only type of blistering I want to do on my next Charleston layover is, ….blistering to fit in all the new adventures on my agenda list.