The drive from Columbia, SC to Wilmington, NC is all about the trees. Tree lined highway, so dense and thick you can’t tell if there is anything on the other side of them.
Always on the lookout for interesting road side attractions, I couldn’t resist stopping in Dillon, SC at “South of the Border” to refuel and find out what the heck was happening under that giant sombrero flying in the sky on the border of South and North Carolina. It was the perfect stopping point on the drive and I scored some special Southern goodies to bring back to Burning Man HQ in San Francisco.
I crossed the big draw bridge into Wilmington and marveled at the picturesque view of downtown over the Cape Fear River. BlackBeard the pirate died about 80 miles from here. The coast line is dotted with pirate ship wreckage, just off the beaches vacationers flock to.
My directions take me straight to the Juggling Gypsy – a hookah bar and cafe run by the Wilmington Regional Contact, Bash and his partner Marsi (aka Chicken Japan).
It was easy to spot when I rounded the corner – blue and purple and shiny. Bash was running about working on some improvements, trying to make use of the remaining light in the day. We sat for a bit and chatted and decided to make a date for the next day to check out the town and get down to talking about local happenings.
Bash behind the bar at the Juggling Gypsy.