Went ashore by tender soon after 8.  We were on a ´Nineteenth Century Interlude in Charleston ¨ tour.

During the first half of the 1800's Charleston was one of the wealthiest cities in America. The wealth from rice and cotton plantations, as well as thriving commerce, allowed planters and merchants to build elegant town houses. Not only were the homes beautiful but the public buildings and churches constructed during this period were magnificent. Charleston witnessed the start of the Civil war in 1861.

With 32 on the bus we drove to the Battery seafront area and had a guided walk past superb old houses, mostly built in the late 1700s. Went into  the Edmondston-Alston house which was built in 1825 by Edmondston, a wedding gift for his daughter: he had to sell it in a recession 40 years later.. Since then it had been in the same family, who now live on the top floor and in the rear. Unfortunately we understood little the guide said!. Then walked back to the bus and had a tour of the Citadel: the Southern armed forces-all 4 of them - : college, the equivalent of West Point.

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Then to lunch at the High Cotton restaurant, with a very impressive interior: lobster bisque, shrimps and grits and a cheesecake, far too much for me!. We then had 90 minutes free to wander around, including the Historic Market which nowadays did not include any food!, other than cookies. Back over the very impressive  2005 bridge. Once back on board I enjoyed a swim. Joined David for tea, the drink only, then had a siesta and typed this journal. Cocktails and canapés outside Deck 8 before eating in Hot Rocks . Then went and had a drink outside on deck 8. Learnt that the activity manager, Brian, had left the ship, odd . He was replaced by Scott for a couple of days and then by Raphael