Traveling Home

We could drive the entire way home from the Alabama Coast in one long day - but why have one long day when you can have two pleasant short ones!  We started north on US 59 and followed it to Interstate 65 where we headed north towards Birmingham. Somewhere along the way I think around Montgomery we saw a huge Hyundi Plant - maybe Jeff and Robin's was made there!  Several huge car manufacturing plants in Alabama.  We skirted around Birmingham and found our Comfort Inn in Trussville on the northside of the city.  Pleasant day with not too much traffic but nothing extraordinary about the day.  We stopped near Greeneville where we spent the night going south for a quick lunch.

Hyundi Plant

We reviewed all the restaurants nearby and chose Konomi -  a highly rated Japanese restaurant planning to have Tempura and a noodle dish.  We did just that - certainly not a 4 or 5 star Japanese restaurant in our book but of course we are picky.  The Tempura was cooked well and was good - but the Tempura Sauce which is supposed to be made with Saki - not so good.  The noodle dish we split was fine and we got plenty to eat but it was definitely did not meet the 4 1/2 star rating it was given on TripAdvisor. 

Veggie and Shrimp Tempura

After a good nights sleep we headed north again on I 59 across the rest of AL and into GA.  Again not an exciting trip but the traffic was not too heavy and the miles clipped by.  We were soon in TN and headed north on I 75.  The news had reported a concrete barrier had fallen from an overpass near the I 24 and I 75 intersection.  It was unclear exactly where the damage occurred but reports showed the northbound lanes traveling OK.  This was true but the southbound side was down to one lane and backed up for probably 5 miles.  We were glad we were headed north!  

I 75 North Traffic Backup

We were back in redbud territory and they were in full bloom.  Definitely not much else in bloom so we get to enjoy spring all over again as we near home.  Arriving home late afternoon we were pleased to see Jane's Carolina Jasmine blooming as well as the jonquils and pansies planted last fall in hopes they would all bloom together...and they waited for us.  Guess the cold spell while we were gone kept them from blooming because they were in full bud when we left.

Red Bud

Our greeting upon arrival at home!

Good to be home! Really struggled to have photos for today!

Blue Angels and a bit of the beach

We have visited the Museum at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola at least twice - maybe three times. It is one of the best military museums and we have visited quite a few!  Today was the first practice day for the Blue Angels and since we were close why not - Ben had seen them when they were in Tri Cities once years ago but I had not seen them - well maybe once years ago at the Gray Fair but only faint memories.  We needed to be there well before the 11:30 show time. 

The drive over from Gulf Shores took about 45 minutes.  Crowds attend - did not do justice for what we encountered.  Lines and lines at gates, parking in way way overflow areas, and people - lots of people.  We will not be going into the museum today!  We walked quite a way and then took a golf cart ferry the last maybe 1/2 mile.  I asked the guy driving the golf cart about how many people he thought would be there - he said this time of year 8,000 - 9,000.  In the summer he said maybe twice that!  Lots of great traffic directors - we assumed naval recruits. ID and bag checks several times.  We found a nice spot on a hillside and were soon surrounded with people.  Cute little 18 month old beside us was really loving all the people and later the planes.

This was before it got really crowded!

We got there about 11:00 and the show started right at 11:30 lasting about 45 minutes.  They were well prepared - lots of port-a-potties, traffic directors, caps, shirts, and drinks.  The planes were a delight to watch, such precision in their work. I managed to get a few photos no easy feat since you had to anticipate the speed and direction to get them right.  Ben I think got some video.  Bright blue skies and temps in the 60's made for a perfect day.

Getting back out took longer than getting in since everyone was leaving at once.  We headed back towards Gulf Shore and stopped along the way in Perdito Beach FL for lunch.  We picked the number two restaurant because it was beach side instead of bay side.  We made a great choice - the Crab Trap.  It had outside seating as well as inside - we sat on a covered patio overlooking the gulf.  We chose Peel and Eat Shrimp, Warm Crab Dip with Pita Bread, and Ben finally had his Oysters on the Half Shell.  He has had oysters 2 or 3 times but kept wanting the raw ones....finally did it!  All the food was GREAT!  We are giving them the award for best food of the trip.  After our lunch we walked down to the beach from the parking lot and sat looking out over the smooth water for about half an hour.  Too cold for really getting in the water but needed to get a bit of beach fix before we left! Clear calm water and oh so white fine sand.

Ben at the Crab Trap

Ben's 3 Oysters

Crab Dip

Peel and Eat Shrimp

Pure White Sand and the Gulf of Mexico

Back to our hotel for a short rest and make a few plans for the trip home as we leave tomorrow.  We had a quick supper at the Diner where we had been earlier in the week.  Jane had a hamburger and Ben a waffle and ham....he had really liked the ham earlier in the week and Jane really was not hungry so that was the decider!   The place was really crowded - we did not have to wait but there was a long line when we left about 6:30.  Lines at all the restaurants - glad we are not here in the main season!

Jane wanted to stop in the Rouses Grocery down from our hotel - it is a Gulf Coast family grocery chain.  It was interesting to see all the local crawfish special items.  Crawfish Pies, Huge containers of Crab boil.

This does not do justice - these were larger than the regular salt container

A Mix

Or buy the real thing

Fun day!

Carnival and Battleships

The day was a definite improvement over yesterday!  We had breakfast and left for Mobile by 9:30.  We wanted to visit the Mobile Carnival Museum for Jane and the USS Alabama Battleship for Ben.  The sun was shining and the temperature in the 60's.  A long sleeve shirt felt good but the sun was bright and we were certainly feeling 100% more like we were on a beach vacation than yesterday!  The trip takes about an hour and as we approached Mobile realized we were going through a tunnel. Interesting way to enter downtown Mobile.  Ben remembers being here before but I only recall traveling through on I 10.  The tunnel is under a part of the bay and long enough for you to lose satellite and phone coverage.

Waze took us directly to the Carnival Museum and they had great parking.  The downtown area has the wonderful wrought iron trim on houses looking like downtown New Orleans.  Traffic was not bad at all.  The museum was nice - small but it tells the story of Mardi Gras in Mobile - the original celebrations started here early in the 1800's.  We watched the short film and then toured two floors of displays of all sorts - some floats and lots of costumes.  They of course throw beads from floats and some years ago began throwing small Moon Pies and they were a huge hit.  Now they toss 3.5 million small Moon Pies during the Mardi Gras Season each year.  When the hostess realized we were from TN she was so pleased to connect us with the Moon Pies!  (They are made in Chattanooga).  The King and Queen Royal Trains were something else - they weigh between 30 - 40 pounds for the Queen and as much as 75 for the King.  Sometimes particularly for the Queen they put roller skates on the trains so they are not relying on the Queen to move it.  I will attach a couple of the photos - we probably saw 20 or more of the costumes.  The cost to be a royal is extensive - only 30-40 families in Mobile can afford to be queen or king.  There are several of the secret societies that host the various parades and other events each year.  The event in Mobile is more family focused than the NOLA Mardi Gras.  One interesting thing we saw was a trumpet that is a near match to Ben's old one that Daniel (grandson) is now playing.  When they had it restored for him to use - we discovered it was made in 1939 and is a really good instrument compared to some they are making today.  This trumpet was used by one of the famous players here from years past.

Ben and Jane Playing

A Queen's Dress

And the Queen's Train

A King - a bit of train to side

Even the Children get in on the fun

Trumpet like Daniel's

After enjoying the museum we looked around a bit downtown and decided to drive out towards the bay and the USS Alabama to search for a place for lunch...so back through the tunnel and we found Felix Fish Camp and enjoyed lunch looking out over the bay. Ben had "Hook Line and Sinker Oysters - Rockefeller - and two other types and a bowl of Turtle Soup that he said was excellent. Jane had saute' Red Fish and Fried Green Tomatoes.  Both were super good.  You can see from the parking lot it was busy.  With no time to search for ratings we chose it by how full the parking lot was - and it was a winner!

Hook Line and Sinker Oysters

Saute' Red Fish

After lunch we headed the short way to the USS Alabama.  There were also many planes and a submarine to look at.  We toured the Battleship watching a short film that explained how the guns were loaded and fired.  This Battleship earned I believe 10 stars for taking part in major battles during WW II and did not sustain any damage from enemy fire.  Reading the battles it took part in was like reading a list of most of the Pacific Battles you have heard of over the years.  It also served off Scotland and Norway.  Ben climbed up and down the ladders more than Jane did but it was a fun tour. 

We drove back to Gulf Shores and collapsed for a short rest before heading out for some dinner.  The first restaurant we chose had a very long line of people waiting so we moved on and had an excellent dinner of grilled Red Fish at Acme Oyster House. Yes Jane had Red Fish twice and it was great both times.

Tomorrow we plan to head east to Pensacola and see the Blue Angels.