This morning, we left New Orleans (and I almost cried). It was a driving day (on major highways) so it was a bit boring. However, it certainly does make one think about this country--how beautiful, diverse, and expansive it really is. It is amazing in the true sense of the word.
We pulled off the road to visit an Audubon center in Pascagoula River, Mississippi. Bob got to handle snakes, he saw a thousands of fiddler crabs in the wild, and bought a new field guide (that makes about 100). We learned about the banana spider and what it looks like, what they're trying to do to preserve the river because it has no dams and are trying to buy more land around it and categorize everything in the area. It was quite a neat set up they had. When we walked in, there were four kids (maybe junior high age) working with microscopes and specimens. The camp had just let out.
Bob has added quite a few new birds to his life list: white-faced ibis, laughing gull, Mississippi kite, and he forgot what others (duh!). We've seen a lot of wildlife (especially if road kills count).
We had breakfast, dinner, lunch (only meal of the day) at the Hurricane Brewery in Mobile, Alabama (me a Philly Cheesesteak, and Bob a buffalo burger--we both had a beer and sweet potato fries). Very good.
Weather: 98 degrees and 79% humidity (dropped down to 55%). Oy!
Today, we were in four states: Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and finally, Florida. We did go wading in the Gulf of Mexico--boy that water was HOT! but the beaches were white sand--it was very hot and humid, so we did not stay long and we were hungry.
Overnight in Marianna, Florida. Tomorrow, Savannah, but I think we'll be getting in at the wrong time and then we'll be in Charleston on a Sunday--woe is us!
Mookie: Gas in New Orleans was 2.67.
Tomorrow, we will be traveling off the major highways from Talahassee, FLA to Savannah, GA.
Ham everywhere, even in Bob's dreams, when he dreamt of a epileptic pig that he was trying to save
A shop window in Madrid
5 comments:
Charleston is beautiful. The downtown area by the waterfront is like 300 years old and just makes you want wear a hoop skirt and drink a mint julep! That southern heat and humidity has to be wearing. It would make me very crabby! At least the car is air-conditioned so you can drive right on through it as you make your way to Maine and cooler temps. It's getting warmer here, supposed to be 102 today, so I'm going in the pool this afternoon. We leave for Hawaii in two weeks. We hope the crazy dude in North Korea doesn't decide to launch his missile as threatened! ha ha
Bob:
Try to get Bachman's Sparow and Red-cockaded Woodpecker in Apalachicola National Forest.
http://www.floridaconservation.org/gfbt/birdtrip/bachmanssparrow.html
http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ssrs/story?id=3492
These birds are only found in southern pine forests, also check swamy areas for Swainson's Warbler, which responds readily to its song, if you've got it.
Here's a link to the song. If you download it, you can play it out the window.
Here's the link, and read swampy for swamy.
http://beemp3.com/download.php?file=4297401&song=Swainson%27s+Warbler
Mooki--loiks like we won't be able to see you befoe your hip surgery--sorry. It's been slow-going and we stayed he extra day in New Orleans. We'll probably blitz through the southern east coast (tough I wanted to spend some time in Delaware and RI and NC. A day in Savannah (unfortunately, a Sunday) and a day in Charleston comng up.
Hyman's Seafood on Meeting St. = amazing.. and affordable!(http://www.hymanseafood.com/)
We got dessert bought for us by the owners when we were there...
Make sure you take a stroll (or drive) down Rainbow Row and look at all the beautiful houses.
Also hung out a lot at Tommy Condon (Irish pub)... great beer and food -- and entertainment! (But if you want to stick to southern atmosphere, there are others to see)...
MUST get a sample of the fresh pralines downtown -- they give them away at the candy factories...Market Street and Kings Street = shopping (don't kill me dad)! If you want to go to the beach, Folly Beach is great... (Or you can swim in the fountain downtown like we did !)
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