Monday, September 20, 2010

The Pipes They Are A-Calling....

Yes. The 39th annual Scottish Games at Boone Hall.

Well, technically it's called the "Charleston Scottish Games & Highland Gathering."

But it's the place where each year you can get some haggis (the "other" other white meat?) and a Scottish Egg.

In Glasgow it's just called Egg.

My cousin Leslie in Camden is a ROSS so she has a clan table set up each year and invites me to come share some heritage.


Naturally I take my camera with me and caught some hammer-throwing action this year.

When you fling a boomerang, it comes flying back to you.

These do not!

In the Caber Toss I noticed again that it takes four strong people to lug the 20-foot long telephone pole to the contestant.

Then the burly fellow hoists it up so the small end rests in his palms and he staggers forward to gain momentum and gives it a mighty heave.

To win this contest the pole has to land on the bigger end, bounce forward and topple down so the small end points away from the thrower.

Landing at the "12 O'Clock" position is the ideal and one succeeded in doing that Saturday.

I had asked my cousin if I could bring lunch? I said I could stop at Burger King.

She answered she would have a lunch spread ready - and it was great - and added "doing it my way" would not be cool this year.

The featured group this year was Clan Donald. Mc and Mac means "son of."



(Click on the photos for more detail. Taken with my Canon S90) Thanks.

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posted by chucker @ 12:59 PM 0 Comments

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Our Town's Great "Backyard!"


My blog usually shies away from talking about past performances by musicians - ha ha, look what you missed - but here's something you can plan ahead for NEXT January.

The Chamber found the quietest tourism month was chilly January so it created "Be A Tourist In Your Own Town" to stir up some activity by locals during that quiet period.


For $20, a person gains free access to 35 attraction and discounts at 11 good restaurants.

Most offer "buy one, get one free" meals and several include each of their eateries so you can enjoy their seafood specials several times.

On the day I visited (for my first time) the Old Exchange and Provost Dungeon, everyone in the group was a local, taking advantage of free admission.

One of the tour guides liked my hat so we swapped head coverings.

I have bought and used the "In Your Own Town" pass for several years and have taken free tours of Patriot's Point, Boone Hall Plantation and Fort Sumter. It doesn't take long to get your $20 worth of value.

The whole idea - in addition to generating business during a slow month - is to get locals excited and informed on where to take their visitors to The Holy City. Sort of like a New Yorker going to see the Statue of Liberty or riding to the top of the Empire State building.

You know these things are there and this gives you a sound reason to check it out.

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posted by chucker @ 11:03 AM 0 Comments