2015 Year in Review

Highlights:

I worked on the OIG Inspection of Embassy Tokyo from mid-February to early March. Doris was able to join me and we took weekend trips to Kyoto, Nikko and Shibamata a suburb of Tokyo.

Kabuki Theater

Ueno park cherry blossoms blooming

After Japan we spent a week in Bangkok (3/21-28) visiting friends, Doris' jeweler Venus, and my tailor Bobby Raja.

We attended the Bob Dylan concert at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center April 17.

From April to June we participated in several Low Country Explorers trips to Shem Creek, a Harbor Cruise on board the Schooner Pride and a tour and presentation at the States Port Authority Wando terminal.

Schooner Pride

The Schooner Pride is an 84’ tall ship operating in Charleston Harbor. She is a three-masted tall ship modeled after the 18th Century coastal trading schooners that once dotted the harbor and holds up to 49 passengers.

SCPA Wando Terminal

The South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA), established in 1942, owns and operates public port facilities in Charleston, Dillon, Greer and Georgetown. Port operations facilitate 187,200 statewide jobs and generate nearly $53 billion annual economic activity. SCPA is home to the deepest harbor on the U.S. East Coast at 52 feet and is the 8th largest port in the U.S. It can now handle vessels carrying up to 18,000 containers. In 2017 SCPA handled 2.2 million twenty-foot equivalent container units. 235,000 finished vehicles were shipped from the Columbus Street Terminal. Once a vessel ties up at the dock, the port averages 38 moves per hour per crane cross the port. Truck turn times average 23 minutes per gate mission with a nine-minute average queuing time outside the interchange gates.

On May 3rd we attended the Doobie Brothers Concert with Don Felder, formerly of the Eagles at Family Circle Stadium.

In May we took a New England Cruise on American Cruise Lines in May to New Bedford, MA, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, Block Island, Newport and Bristol RI.

The Independence
Built in 2010; 104 passenger capacity;
Staterooms with Balcony 265 sq. ft.

Block Island, RI

The end of May we attended two Spoleto Chamber Music Concerts at the Dock Street Theater then end of May.

June 9 we attended the Rolling Stones "Zip Code" Tour Concert in Atlanta with David.

Also in June we attended "A Night in Monte Carlo" at the Library Society in June.

We stayed at the Rhett House Inn in Beaufort and attended the annual Water Festival in July.

We took Brielle and Harlie to the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden In Columbia in July.

August 6 we attended the Hard Hat Tuning Concert for the new Gaillard Center Performance Hall.

We also continued shagging at the Folly Beach fishing pier at the Moonlight Mixers on Friday evenings during the summer.

August 25 we toured the 170 foot wooden replica of the Spanish 16th Century ship El Galeon. A crew of 22 sailors maneuver the the same way 16th century sailors did exploring the new world.

El Galeon

On September 10 we went to the Charleston Library for a chamber music presentation of "Rock & Rondo".

We visited Raine and Dick in Rye, NH in early December and stayed at a nice B&B, the Arbor Inn. Favorite restaurant Petey's.

In October we took a 14 day Uniworld River cruise from Amsterdam to Basel Switzerland with stops in Cologne, Koblenz, Cochem, Trier, Boppard, Rudesheim, Bernkastel, Speyer, including excursions to Heidelberg castle and the Black Forest in Germany, Luxembourg and Strasbourg and Colmar in France.

Reichsburg castle

Ehrenfels Castle

For other photos and narrative see: Doris and Bill Travel Adventures Blog Timeslide Amsterdam to Basel

Out in San Francisco on December 20 for the annual Meehan family Christmas party with Cousin Ken we saw the 49'ers at the new Levi Stadium play the Cincinnati Bengals and lose 24-14.

Years in Review