GEORGIA'S St. Simons Island & Casino Cruise / Sea Island- G8 Summit

Last week we took another day to go back to St. Simons Island to walk the beach and to go to BarbaraJeans Restaurant for her Chocolate Stuff that she is so well known for. YUM-M-M-M! We sure were glad that we only ordered a cup of it and not a bowl. If you like chocolate, it is to die for. You can go on the Internet and check out her chain of restaurants and her wholesale ordering for her famous Crab Cakes and She Crab Soup as well as the Chocolate Stuff at http://www.barbarajeans.com/

We probably walked a mile and a half on the beach and it sure was a good thing that the wind was to our back!! We enjoyed the view of the condominiums and houses on the beach. The only thing out on the water within sight while we were there was this shrimp boat . It was a very quiet day and that probably was because of the wind. On the way down the beach we were the only ones out there until we met a woman coming toward us around this point on the right . We teased her about bucking the wind. When we got to this point, Gary decided it was time to start the trip back to the car and restaurant. So we took the steps up to the street and walked back through the city streets to see those houses and condominiums also. Gary did go on the Internet and checked sales prices on some out of curiosity. Expensive? Wow, to say the least! Then we also stopped in a realtor's office and picked up a list of rentals for vacation. They had anything from a house to a townhouse or single floor condo with prices ranging from $800 to $2500 weekly depending on size and whether it is peak or off season. It would not be bad if more that one shared the cost!

Last Friday we also took a Casino Cruise on the Emerald Princess II for a day of fun. We always enjoy that for a change. It was very windy that day also. And the game machines were not turned on for use until we were twelve miles from the Georgia shore. They did not waste any time in covering that twelve miles. During this time we met a retired couple from Stark County Ohio who are spending the winter on St. Simons Island. We had a very enjoyable time visiting with them. It always amazes me what a small world it is when out traveling. We had a very good lunch while on the ship also.

While we were on St. Simons for the last time we thought we would drive over to Sea Island just to be able to say we were there. Not! When we got to the gate house we were told it was private and we could not go there. We thought that was a bummer as we only wanted to be able to say that we had been where the G8 Summit had been held in June of 2004 with President Bush and more than seven other world leaders. After turning around to leave, I at least got a picture across the marsh of what I think was a hotel on that island. People living on Sea Island have a community much like the Jekyll and St. Simons, but the difference is that this island is privately owned and does not belong to the State of Georgia.

In 1975, with the world economy in crisis and oil prices having risen from $3 to $12 per barrel, leaders from major industrialized countries began to form what later became known as the G8.

Each of the G8 world leaders from the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada and later Russia arrived in separate aircraft at Hunter Army Airfield near Savannah and were then flown by helicopter to Sea Island. President Bush also had the option of inviting leaders from other nations to participate in some of the meetings. As a result of the G8 leaders and leaders from the broader Middle East and North Africa, President Bush led the G8 in establishing an historic "Partnership for Progress and a Common Future" to support political, economic and social reform in the region. With leaders from developing countries in Africa, the G8 leaders discussed combating HIV/AIDS and polio, and promoting private sector-led growth to relieve poverty, and providing peacekeeping forces.

I don't even remember this meeting in the news, but I suppose those were not my best news watching days. I would bet that this part of Georgia was very much aware of it!