Sweet Home Charlotte

I returned Saturday from a short trip to Charlotte, North Carolina, my first visit ever. What a contrast to where I live, here people have to plant and nurture every tree that grows because they do not naturally grow except along the river beds. In Charlotte forests thrive and must be cleared in order to build streets and neighborhoods. Trees line just about every street and boulevard and in the older neighborhoods form a beautiful canopy over the roads. There seem to be many broad leaf varieties and some pines. I noticed acorns and walnuts crunching underfoot in many of the parking lots with trees around. The large trees also make for some blind curves and difficulty reading street signs when driving around.

Charlotte has a beautiful skyline and wonderful amenities for its residents like a light rail line system into Uptown and opportunities for many outdoor and cultural activities as well as sporting events. It is attracting many young professionals as a banking center and there are many transplants here from other regions. Southern hospitality can still be noticed in the friendly and relaxed way that people interact. The local realtor couldn’t have been kinder in devoting her time to giving us a two day tour of the neighborhoods. The local servers chatted and answered questions about the cuisine. What a great place to live!

E #2 will be leaving Colorado this week to start her new career there. Here are some photos of the area with the last ones of her new home in a condo on the upper level looking out over the woods and pool. Photos include: the leaf canopy over a street, some homes in the historic area, Uptown skyscrapers with Em, welcome sign, whitewater center, her new office, and finally her new place.