Devils Fork

A large portion of Lake Jocassee is remote and hard to access as the land around the 7,500-acre lake remains mostly undeveloped. Even the popular Jumping Off Rock involves about 20 miles of unpaved roads – definitely worth it this time of year, but the reason why a trip to Jocassee takes up pretty much the whole day. It might be about another month before the leaves around Jocassee hit their peak color, and while you’re contemplating that day-trip to Jumping Off Rock I want to share a place on the opposite side of the reservoir – Devils Fork State Park.

From the SC/GA state line east to Jones Gap SP a series of steep-sided gorges carrying mountain streams down to the Piedmont have cut into the face of the Blue Ridge Escarpment. The series of canyons are known as the Jocassee Gorges, and Devil’s Fork is in the middle of this rugged country. Located on the eastern edge of the Sumter National Forest, the 622-acre State Park hugs the shore of the lake providing the only public access point to the its waters. An hour’s drive from Greenville, it is located near Salem which is only three miles off scenic Highway 11. The Park offers overnight stays in villas and campgrounds (including several paddle-in primitive sites), a swimming area, hiking trails, canoeing and kayaking access. Popular with fisherman, the lake is home to rainbow and brown trout, largemouth, smallmouth & white bass, crappie, bream and catfish.

I wrote in more detail about Lake Jocassee in my Jumping Off Rock post, but with little development around its waters, the high elevations, and four mountain streams and several waterfalls feeding the lake (accessible only by boat), Lake Jocassee is unusually clear and cool, making it a great SC trout fishing spot as well as a haven for scuba divers and swimmers. For the divers there is a walk-in ramp, and with 30-foot visibility it is an adventure to explore the roads, houses and other signs that still remain from before the lake’s creation such. Locations of churches and hotels such as the Attakulla Lodge are closely guarded secrets, while other spots like Mount Carmel cemetery are rather famous among divers (you might have seen it pre-Jocassee in the movie "Deliverance".

During the spring months, the park is a popular destination for hikers in search of a glimpse of the endangered Oconee Bell, a wildflower indigenous to the Carolinas. More than 90% of the population grow within park boundaries. The Oconee Bell Nature Walk is held each year in March for those interested in seeing this rare white flower.

Devils Fork also has a park store/gift shop, a playground, picnic shelters, equipment rental and geocaching. However, our main goal when visiting during the summer is to go swimming as the waters are among the cleanest in the Upstate. There is no roped-off swimming area and there are no lifeguards, but the sandy beach has a very gradual slope perfect for little swimmers to enjoy. Just remember to bring your sunscreen as there is little shade to be found along the portion of the shore best suited for swimming, and don’t forget to explore the rest of the park, another unique treasure of the Upstate!

For more on Lake Jocassee and visiting its numerous waterfalls by boat, please visit my post Exploring Lake Jocassee

A 1,000-year rain event in Mount Pleasant

It felt strange, and somewhat irresponsible; leaving my family in Greenville for an out-of-town conference while a 1,000-year rain event was predicted for the Upstate. Thankfully only a fraction of the rain that had been expected fell – our region was spared the flooding and destruction seen in central and coastal South Carolina. As of Wednesday, 17 fatalities are being ascribed to the storm, with over 600 rescues conducted by the Department of Natural Resources. 13 dam failures in the state! Officially Greenville received 5.32 inches of rain while 8.23 inches, the most in the Upstate, were recorded in Laurens. Compare this to the 20” in Sumter (nearby Columbia only received 12.45”) and Mount Pleasant’s 27.15”! 

On the Ravenel bridge crossing over to Mt. Pleasant

We had just left Mount Pleasant not even five days ago, on the eve of the harvest blood moon which was completely obscured by clouds. It rained a little on our trip, not enough to disrupt any of our plans but enough to result in the closure of a few roads, including completely submerging E Bay Street south of the Arthur Ravenel Bridge in Charleston. It’s hard to imagine what the area looks like now after a 20-fold increase in precipitation. Mount Pleasant might be best known as a gateway to popular beach resort Sullivan’s Island, but it also boasts several historic sites including Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens, Charles Pinckney NHS and Patriot’s Point. We stayed a night in the suburb, eating breakfast at the popular Page’s Okra Grill before our visit to the WWII aircraft carrier USS Yorktown museum, and crossed over the 8-lane Ravenel Bridge a multitude of times on our way into the city.

Page's Okra Grill, Mt. Pleasant, SC

The region has a long and storied history; it was in Mount Pleasant that a public meeting was held in 1860 that produced the first secession resolution of the state, and during the Civil War, Battery Guerry and an adjacent floating battery between Mount Pleasant and Sullivan's Island were instrumental in the defense of Fort Sumter. The Mount Pleasant Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, including the Hibben House, built in 1755. But there is also the legacy of storms; Mount Pleasant last saw such a mighty blow from Hurricane Hugo, a Category 4 hurricane that made landfall on September 21, 1989.

On our visit all was calm. We headed to the Mount Pleasant Memorial Waterfront Park to enjoy our lunch and afternoon after a morning at the naval museum. Called the crown jewel of Mount Pleasant, the space is located under the Ravenel Bridge: clever utilization of acreage that might otherwise be neglected. A wide expanse of lawn for sports & picnics and a nautical-themed playground are located adjacent to the parking lot, followed by the River Watch Café/Gift Shop and 1,250-foot long pier stretching out into the Cooper River. We found shelter from the drizzle in the playground under the bridge, having lunch at one of the picnic tables and enjoying our freedom after a long morning at the museum. With a pause in the rain we headed out on the pier, the boys enjoying an ice cream cone while I filmed a pod of dolphins in the river.

The views from the park and pier are phenomenal, as they are from most of the points overlooking the Charleston harbor. There is a great view of Patriot’s Point, Charleston and of course, the Ravenel Bridge. The pier is also utilized for fishing, and on our visit there were a slew of fishermen with lines cast. The Park is also home to the Sweetgrass Cultural Arts Pavilion, an educational opportunity on the art, heritage and tradition of Lowcountry basket-making. Surrounded by marshland it is clear that this is a region prone to flooding. Less obvious is the coastal importance in terms of floodwater alleviation to higher ground.

As the state recovers from the devastating storm there is no doubt questions will be asked and blame placed over the failed dams. However, we must look at the bigger picture. With global weather patterns changing these 1,000-year rain events are becoming 100-year events, and with the continued development of low-lying flood areas with impervious surfaces there is nowhere for this water to go. We go from drought conditions to 5 inches of rain back to drought because the water has run off the driveways and into the drainage ditches and catchment ponds of the Upstate – where it only gathers strength before flooding the rivers of our Lowcountry. The answer to these disasters is multi-faceted: action in terms of climate-change and emergency response coordination, but also floodplain restoration, and local infill ordinance. I join the rest of the state wishing those affected a quick recovery, but I also challenge each and every one of us to look beyond the great floods of 2015 to the future and what we can do now to be ready for the next time – because there will be a next time, and it might be the Upstate in the crosshairs.

Riga from above - Skyline Bar

In the early 1960s the site of what is now Radisson Blu Hotel Latvia on Brīvības iela (then Ļeņina iela) was the chosen location of the proposed “Intourist” hotel. The 10-story design quickly became 23, and was intended to serve organized and Soviet foreign tourist groups. Completed in 1976, it first opened its doors in 1979. The USSR State Committee for Foreign Tourism rated it a category "B" hotel, which means that in addition to 680 rooms it was equipped with a conference room & the simultaneous translation booths, radio and video equipment needed to monitor all activity within the hotel. With an on-site 876-seat restaurant, souvenir and newspaper kiosks, a post office, municipal service center, and a currency exchange office, the Soviet government was putting forth a very specific image to foreign tourists. And, as self-guided tours of the region were near-impossible, Hotel Latvia was the face of the country shown to the West.

View from Skyline Bar towards the Supreme Court

Fast forward thirty years to a Latvia once again independant, and the building was due for renovations. Completed in two phases, the 25 million (US dollars) first phase of tower renovation was finished in a record 10 months in May of 2001. The second phase focused on the rest of the complex, with demolition work starting in 2003 and continuing until 2006 with the end result of 200 new hotel rooms, a glass arcade of shops and a conference hall that seats 1,000.

View from Skyline Bar towards the Daugava River

At almost 260,000 square feet, the Radisson Blu is one of the largest hotels in Latvia (although only 6^th tallest, at 312 feet), and on the 26^th of its 27 floors is the Skyline Bar. Self-billed as the “best view in the city,” the bar features totally Soviet-era décor with a pricey menu… but the view is grand.

In the shape of an elongated rectangle, tables stretch along the two long sides with views of Vecrīga to the southwest and the rest of the city to the northeast. Although there is seating in the middle section, the views are the reason you’ve come so make sure to get there early to snag a window seat. Or you can always do what we did – wait until someone is getting up to leave and quickly change tables.

Photo credit: Roberts - proof of a rare mom's night off!

The cocktail menu has options from 6.50 to 12 euro and the food section contains only several salads and desserts, but coffee can be had for under 4 euro so the fantastic views shouldn’t break the bank. If you linger for a while you might catch the sunset reflected in the windows of Gaismas Pils or the gold roof of the Nativity of Christ Cathedral. From the birds-eye perspective the Freedom monument looks rather tiny and you’ll notice that the observatory in St. Peter’s Church is not quite as high. But even if you’re just in for a quick look at the capital, the Skyline Bar will treat you to a completely different Rīga than the one you’ve seen on foot. 

The Nativity of Christ Cathedral and Brīvības Boulevard

Chihuly comes to Greenville

The newest addition to Falls Park was unveiled yesterday, a sculpture by world-famous glass artist Dale Chihuly. The piece, which is titled “Rose Crystal Tower,” is located in the westernmost portion of the park behind the West End Market in Harriet’s Garden. The garden is named for Harriet Wyche, a lifelong Greenville resident and member of the Carolina Foothills Garden Club, who were together instrumental in the creation of Falls Park. Mrs. Wyche, who died in 2011, was fondly remembered during the dedication as a beautiful person who had an incredible vision – one she saw realized through her unwavering work in the development of Falls Park, the heart of modern-day Greenville.

The dedication ceremony included speakers Knox White (Mayor of Greenville), Brad Wyche (son of Harriet Wyche and founder of Upstate Forever), Anna Kate Hipp (former president of the Carolina Foothills Garden Club and co-chair of the Falls Park Endowment, Paul Ellis (former City of Greenville Parks & Recreation Department director) and Ed Zeigler (chair of the City’s Arts in Public Places Commission). Once everyone had their say the black cover was pulled off, revealing the 8-foot, rose-colored Polyvitro tower.

The pink crystals are attached to a central column of stainless steel and are installed on a precast concrete base designed to match the benches in Harriet’s Garden. I was quite surprised at the end result, being as every Chihuly piece I’ve ever seen, from the sculptures at the Chicago Botanical Gardens to the chandelier at the Las Vegas Bellagio Casino and hotel, all share similar color and shape characteristics – which are nothing like the Rose Crystal Tower.

After hearing about Mrs. Wyche’s passion for gardening and roses, and with the mention of a photo published in an old Greenville newspaper of Harriet weeding – in pearls – I was able to better understand the design. Chihuly’s pieces are often compared to plants or flowers, and the glass utilizes a wide range of natural colors. In contrast, the Rose Crystal Tower is composed of crystals, made of Polyvitro and is only pink. The sculpture is already growing on me, and although I imagine there will be plenty of comparisons to pink rock candy sticks, I like that it is as unique and bold as Falls Park,  Greenville and Mrs. Harriet Wyche.

Riga from above: St. Peter's Church

There aren’t many places in Rīga where you can get this view.

It was on my very first trip to Latvia ( the spring of 1995) that my grandmother, mother and I visited St. Peter’s Church in Vecrīga. Twenty years later I returned to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, two little boys in tow.

The vistas from that first trip were burned into my memory, the aerial perspective of the art nouveau historical buildings, the churches and red roofs of Vecrīga seeming so familiar, even though I couldn’t name more than a handful.

But there they were. The Rīga Market. The Rīga Cathedral (which just saw the restored rooster returned to the steeple on Tuesday). Egle. Kaķu nams. The radio tower. Pulvertornis. The Brīvības piemineklis.

In high school I painted a cityscape based on some of the photographs I took. And there it was, the church on 10 Mārstaļu St. which is far from one of Rīga’s best known, but was instantly recognizable, as it featured so prominently on my canvas along with the Rīgas central market. I wonder what my art teacher thought of the old architecture mixed in with the futuristic (in fact zeppelin hangar-like!) pavilions… Did my painting also have a river, a Daugava, running through its frame?

On our previous visit to Latvia we walked all the way to St. Peter’s massive wooden doors, only to find the tower was closed for the day. This time around it was open, only a short wait for the elevator standing between us and the view from 236 feet. We paid a small sum for the pleasure, the boys all smiles in anticipation, and then we emerged, to blue skies and fantastic sights.

The first mention of St. Peter's Church is in records dating to 1209, remaining undamaged in the large fire that year due to its stone construction. It was during the 13^th century that the middle section of the church was built, the only remnants of which are located in the outer nave walls and inside a few nave pillars. A second period of construction began in the 1400s, interrupted by first the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War and then the plague. By 1500 it encompassed a basilica with three aisles and ornate vaulted ceilings, a bell tower and an octagonal steeple. The tower collapsed on March 11, 1666, burying not only a neighboring building but also eight people in its debris.

While up until this point the church had been constructed in Gothic and Romanesque building styles, the third period of construction was more along the lines of early Baroque. Between 1671 and 1692 a new tower, a western façade and three identical portals were built, the roof, vaulted ceilings and furnishings renovated partly due to another fire which destroyed the tower, roof, ceilings, windows and interior in 1677. At the time of its construction the new 212 foot copper-roofed steeple was the tallest of its kind in Europe at the time.

The brick facade of the west wall was covered with limestone from Salaspils and Koknese sometime in the 17^th century. The church was decorated with volutes, pilasters, cornices, vases and borders made of Gotland stone, and a new tower clock with a glockenspiel from Amsterdam was installed in 1694.

Lightning struck and set fire to the tower and church May 10, 1721, but it was rebuilt. Then rebuilt again, after it burned down during World War II, destroyed by artillery fire on June 29, 1941. A reproduction of the previous rooster and #7 total was placed atop the steeple in 1970 and the renovated clock tower becoming operational five years later. The St. Peter's Latvian Lutheran congregation resumed services in the church in 1991 and the property returned to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia on April 4, 2006.

A rendition of what the city of Riga looked like centuries ago

Ticket prices are as follows: 9 euro/adult, 7 euro/university student, 3 euro/elementary student and children under 7 free. The fee covers the interior exhibits and the observation tower, with panoramic views of the medieval and modern capital city of Rīga including the its port, the Gulf and the Daugava River. The interior exhibits feature the history of the church as well as a look at a number of the original elements including the crypt, restored stone and wood epitaphs, and a menorah dating back to 1596. Hours are Tuesday - Saturday from 10am to 6pm & Sundays 12-6pm from September 1^st to April 30^th. Starting May 1^st to August 31^st the hours are prolonged from 10am to 7pm, Sundays 12-7pm. The church is closed on Mondays.