Gulfport and Biloxi

Gulfport Beach
 

Biloxi Beach

Shark Gift shop!!!!!

Lighthouse Marina

Thomas Jefferson statue and Presidential Library

House with Thomas Library in foreground where he wrote his Memoirs

Some of the beautiful old homes

From Hurricane only foundation and steps left

Took a drive today along Highway 90 along the shore from Gulfport to Biloxi.   Beautiful drive and the beach is beautiful.   I can see where  BP cleaned up the shoreline from the oil spill.  If you didn't know it had happened, you would not believe the difference.    The beautiful old homes along the highway are beautiful but the devastation from Hurricane Katrina can still be seen.   I was talking to one of our neighbors and they have seen a big improvement since the hurricane.   There are so many empty spaces where the old homes and restaurants stood is hard to believe.   I put a picture of the lot with the foundation and steps that are left standing.    You read about it and see pictures but to see first hand is very mind boggling.   We stopped  at Thomas Jefferson "Beauvoir" Mansion where his Presidential Library is...I have never been to Presidential Library before....First for us.....He did his memoirs from the small library......Love history so today was very interesting!!!

Gulfport Mississippi

Love this picture!!

Sunrise this morning see the duck in the mist flying across

Love the pic with the mist

Beautiful scenery along the route

Easter tree?????  Wow

Gulfport "Campground of the South"

Yesterday was a relax day.  Took a walk around the lake and got a pic of the duck.   Got up this morning and the temperature went down to -2 so this morning the fog on the lake was so pretty, could not resist taking a picture.   Left at 9:15am for a 2 hr drive to Gulfport.  Stopped at the Mississippi Tourist office and had to take a picture of the Easter Tree?????  Hadn't seen that before!!!  We have arrived and love the spot we are in.   Small world!!  as we are walking to pick our site, this truck stopped us and asked if we were driving the black truck.  Come to find out they are from Moncton New Brunswick.   Hilarious!!!  They are right beside us......Small World...

Mobile Alabama

Took a 45 min drive to Mobile Alabama.  Stopped at the Welcome Center(very friend staff) at Forte Conde and took the free bus ride(hop on hop off bus) thru the historic Mobile.   They recommended stopping at Wintzell's Oyster House for lunch.   It has been open since 1938 for 75 years and it was well worth it.   I had the grilled shrimp Po Boy Sandwich(so loaded with shrimp could hardly close the sandwich) and Gary had the Oyster Hush Puppy Basket.  Both were delicious.......Went by Battleship Park and got a picture of the historic USS Alabama moored in the park.......Great Day

 

Fort Conde and Welcome Center

Historic Buildings



Historic Buildings



Shrimp Po Boy Sandwich

Oyster and Hush Puppies

USS Alabama

 

Pensacola

 

Leisure Lake RV Park

 

Leisure Lake

Pensacola Beach Boardwalk

Doesn't it look like snow!!!!  Sand so white!!

 

Gary's Fired Oyster Dinner

Coconut Shrimp!!  Delicious!!

 

See the size!!!!!!

 

Yesterday we left Bradenton for Pensacola and it took about 8 hrs to accomplish.   We are staying at Leisure RV Park.  Today we drove into downtown Pensacola and took the bridge to Santa Rosa Island.  We saw the sign to Pensacola Beach and took the toll bridge over.  What a beautiful spot.  The sand is so white it looks like snow!!!!   We stopped for lunch at Flounder Chowder House.    Wow!!!  I had the coconut shrimp and you can see how big there are.  Had a dozen on my plate.  Could not even touch the fries.  Gary had the fried oysters.   Excellent meal.  

Our last days in Bradenton

It will be Amy's birthday tomorrow and she will be 60!!!!!  We had a party for her on Friday night with Gerry, Amy, Ashley, Mike, Donna, Roger, Chesley, Gary and I.   This morning we left at 6am so at 5:30am we put her Happy Birthday sign on the front lawn with balloons(Oh No, Sixty OOOO)
Happy Birthday Amy.....Love you...Carol And Gary

 

Thanks for making our stay with you so enjoyable.  Hard to believe it has been 5 1/2 weeks with a 9 day break while we were in Costa Rica....

Thanks Wendy

Hanging out at the villa

Papa putting new batteries in Xav's Saber

Picking up Xav from School, that is his teacher in green

The 2 pirates

The Skeleton Xav colored

Dad and Xav coloring

Wendy and Xav in La Fortuna

The Iguana hanging out in Wendy's yard

Had a great time in Costa Rica and thanks to Wendy for showing us so much of the Country.   Of Course, we picked the hottest time of the year to go but it was great.  The trip up to Arenal Volcano was awesome.    Gary's favourite restaurant was Tacobar followed by Punta Fusion(Awesome breakfast Burritos).   Love trying their dishes.   With the detours on the way home we got to see a lot of villages we would of missed.  Scenery was unbelievable and here are some pictures of Wendy and her family. Hugs to Wendy, Scott and Xavier!!!

Flowers and Fauna from Costa Rica

Living Fence

Gnarly Fence

Bird of Paradise Flower

Puff Flower comes in White and Pink

Pineapple Plant

They call this a shrimp plant

I have to say the flowers are so beautiful here and it is so funny to see their fences.  When they need a fence they grow plant a trees and when it gets big enough they cut the top off and put the barb wire on it.   I can just see them...hey I need a fence so give me 5 years......I love the gnarly one when they have cut it off so many times.......Had an awesome time....It is there hottest time of the year it has to be 40C with high humidity.......Great visiting with Wendy Xavier and Scott....Having our last dinner outdoors ......Life is good.....Tomorrow we head back to Florida