Snippets of Charleston

[resqgeek]

There is SOOO much to write about from the weekend. Much has already been written by others, and I hope to not repeat too much of what others have written. Eventually, I hope to provide some more details, but for now here are some of my impressions of Charleston and the BookCrossing Convention:

• Charleston is a stunningly beautiful city! Everywhere you go there is interesting architecture, beautiful gardens, quiet cemeteries, peaceful parks. It is a photographer's paradise and I took many pictures (I haven't reviewed them yet, but eventually I'll post some of my favorites on my Flickr account). Its also not a terribly big city. Our hotel was out on the edge of the downtown area, but you could still walk to the heart of the downtown comfortably (and I did). I found that walking was the best way to see the city...you could take your time and really look around. Wonderful, absolutely wonderful.



• Book lovers are stereotyped as being quiet, reserved, cerebral types. Nothing could be further from the truth, at least where BookCrossers are concerned. I found them to be bright, witty and funny, with wicked humors and both a high level of energy and a strong streak of rowdiness. I haven't laughed this frequently or hard in a very long time. And anyone who thinks women can't be ribald and suggestive in their behavior and humor needs a reality check. I'd say, based on this weekend, women would win in this arena against almost any group of men, no question. They managed to embarrass me repeatedly over the course of the weekend.



• BookCrossing is about the books, and so there were books. The book buffet was piled high and deep with them. They were lying around the hotel on virtually every horizontal surface (and perhaps even a few vertical ones...). I also saw plenty of books lying around town. I don't know how many books were released into the wild in Charleston over the weekend, but they must have numbered into the hundreds. The weather was perfect for wild releasing, and the crowds of tourists thick. Time will tell, but I expect that we will be getting a lot of journal entries over the next few weeks as the books travel and the new owners finish reading their books.



• It was funny to see how into BookCrossing the hotel staff became. As things got quieter on Sunday evening, the lobby area was still littered with wild books. A tour bus of senior citizens checked in, and I over heard a number of the hotel staff members explaining BookCrossing to the newly arrived guests, and encouraging them to pick up any book that caught their fancy. Amazing!

There is so much more I want to write about, but they don't pay me to write for LJ (too bad, that, eh?), so I need to end here for now. I'll be back later with more, I promise.

Comments

[whytraven.livejournal.com]

I think the silliness is on a kind of scale of magnitude. For each additional bookcrosser the silliness goes up by a specific power, let's say, of ten. ;-)

[resqgeek]

No argument there. Those few moments when I was alone with just one other BookCrosser were much less hyper, but certainly no less fun.

[emperor-fool.livejournal.com]

I know you are not referring to me when you talk of ribald, rowdy women. I'm more the reserved, cerebral type. (Please tell me you're not one of the people with the Ass-Chick pictures on your camera.)

[buffra.livejournal.com]

He *could* be, given where he was sitting.

;)

[resqgeek]

>>(Please tell me you're not one of the people with the Ass-Chick pictures on your camera.)<<

Nope, don't have 'em. Mind you, that's only because I didn't have my camera with me...

[buffra.livejournal.com]

You forgot to say that Charleston has really fabulous eateries. Tons of them.

So says the BookCrosser who ate Charleston.

[emperor-fool.livejournal.com]

You were on holiday, so Charleston had no calories. ;-)

[resqgeek]

God, that better be true. Otherwise, that piece of cake Saturday night should hold me over until, oh, say, July!

[resqgeek]

Hmmmm...the food, that might require a post unto itself.

[wyldanthem.livejournal.com]

It's been MONTHS and I'm still so jealous! I saw you mention in a previous post (from eons ago - sorry, I'm just starting to get caught up!) the possibility of a mini DC convention one day? Then I'd be REALLY jealous - but oh so happy 'cause I'd definitely be able to go!

Glad y'all had fun, though. Charleston really is a beautiful city. And what better people to share it with than Bookcrossers? :D

[resqgeek]

Lots of people seem to think that a DC area mini-convention would be a great idea, but no one (including me) wants to commit to organizing anything. :o)

[wyldanthem.livejournal.com]

I agree that it'd be a great place for a convention of any size - actually had a dream about a D.C. BookCrossing convention once! - but I also understand the time and effort that would have to go into pulling it off. But I'll keep dreamin'. ;)