Around Mobile, Alabama

 

So because we liked where we were staying (Meaher State Park in Spanish Fort, Alabama), we decided to stay another day and checkout downtown Mobile -- the correct pronunciation is "Mo-beel" with a soft emphasis on the second syllable.

 

 

As a part of "always be prepared," modern Boy Scouts must keep their cell phone charged!  There were two groups in the park over the holiday weekend.

 

The USS Alabama Battleship is on display in Mobile Bay.  It was nicknamed "Lucky A" because the ship didn't lose a single American life to enemy fire during World War II.

 

On our way downtown.

 

We won't be going this route in the motorhome, though, because this tunnel is too low!  There are two tunnels which go under Mobile Bay. 

 

This is a Mardi Gras display inside the Welcome Center.

 

While they were doing the excavation for the tunnel we went through, they found the remnants of Fort Conde, so they reconstructed it on top of the tunnel.

 

 

Beautiful views from the upper level of the Fort.  Here you can see I-10 going under the Fort.

 

 

This is the Cruise Terminal which is not currently being used for that purpose, but for other civic events.

 

See the cannons?

 

Watch that doorway, Dave!

 

Then we took a drive around town. 

 

 

Balconies abound!

 

 

 

See the circular stairway?

 

Purple, gold and green -- Mardi Gras colors.

 

The hotels with balconies looking down on the street are booked a year in advance.  Silly me . . . I thought there was only one Mardi Gras Parade on Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.  Not so!  The parades can start two and a half weeks before, and some days have more than one parade!

 

This is the building that was in one of the previous pictures.

 

And returning "home" past Battleship Memorial Park.