Charleston: Sunday Morning There are advantages and disadvantages to building a city below sea level.
Well, I'm not really sure what the advantages are, or even if there really are any. But I can definitely explain what I saw to be the biggest disadvantage: flooding! Luckily the weather had held out for us for the majority of the weekend and was sunny and warm. But then late Saturday night/early Sunday morning, the sky opened up and the thunderstorms hit and cats and dogs were falling from the sky.

The hotel we were staying in was obviously located in a flood plain, as the parking lot had been transformed into a wading pool. Just to get to their cars, patrons were having to roll up the legs of their pants, take their shoes off, and hope not to step on random beer can.

Fortuitously, I had parked in an area of the lot that was not subject to flooding. I've already had experience with that scenario in the past, and was thankful that I was not going to have to deal with it again. But I did get a bit waterlogged just getting to the car and loading all of the luggage.

And all of the side streets that we had to travel were awash with rain water. We've all seen the videos of the car that tries to make it through what seems to be a puddle, only to be sucked under into the unknown underlying sinkhole. Once again, as my foot pressed down onto the accelerator, I was convinced that this would be the way my vacation ended. But apparently, luck was on my side as we finally made it to the interstate and slowly creeped above sea level and flood threats.  ¶ 12:30 PM