Savannah Smiles

Our final stop on this Woodman family adventure took us to the charming and picturesque town of Savannah, Georgia. A city both rich with tradition and troubled in its dark history, it proved to be a memorable time for all.

 Savannah is well known as one of the most haunted cities in America. So, obviously our first stop was a walking ghost tour through the historic section of downtown. Here we learned all about this city's disturbing past, from sweeping epidemics to mass deaths. And probably the most troubling, the overwhelming neglect and mistreatment of burial sites. There are untold numbers of buried dead bodies, unmarked, just about everywhere throughout this historic section. When your city is built on a  premise for several horror movies, bad things tend to happen.

After the initial creep out factor, we settled into Savannah and began to appreciate it for what it is, a beautiful, and very accessible town. Not only was it easy to get around, but with over 20 town squares and beautiful homes everywhere you look, there was plenty to see. The evergreen live oak with their drooping, curvaceous branches, draped in Spanish moss added yet another bit of Southern quality to Savannah's charm.

Forsyth Park

On our second day we met up with our friends the Kasparek family, who coincidentally happen to be swinging through town. This time another historical walking tour, only with out all the creepy stories.

Nina shows concern. Nadia, not so much.

Beach time

As an added bonus to this already enjoyable town, the beach was just a short 20 minute drive away. Tybee Island sits on the Atlantic just south of the popular destination of Hilton Head, South Carolina. Less crowded than most beaches, but with all the laid back vibes of any beach town, Tybee was the ideal destination for our family. The waves were big enough, but not too big. The water was clean and the perfect temperature. There were plenty of sea shells to collect. And, most importantly (to Norah) no jellyfish! On our 3rd day at the beach, a group of dolphins swam within 20 yards of us. What a great beach!

Let us not overlook our main reason for taking this trip in the first place. Nina had qualified to participate in the YMCA National Gymnastics meet to be held in Savannah. With over 1700 gymnasts from 71 different teams from all over the country, it was a big deal. Everywhere we went in town, we saw girls doing cartwheels, and handstands, and well, basically acting like Nina. The meet itself lasted for three days, with Nina competing one of those days. The competition was tough. Lots of teams traveled in large numbers. Nina was one of just 5 kids from her Y that made the trip. She performed well, and even managed to medal on bars, her worst apparatus typically. We were all very proud of her accomplishments.

Beaming with pride