We have been having a blast in Mobile, AL. Our friends, Nicole and Chuck and there awesome kids have been wonderful hosts. So much so that we are thinking about adding a few extra days to this stop.
We arrived in Mobile around 10p on Thursday night to be greeted by Nicole and Chuck. They helped me pull this big rig into their driveway where it fits nicely. We chatted for a bit before the kids and I climbed into our beds in the RV and were knocked out almost instantly.
The next morning started with a yummy breakfast of yaya grits with my oldest Jr Nomad. We snuck away and walked three houses down to the converted coffee shop. This coffee shop was quaint and I really enjoyed the one on one time with my son. We walked back, with grits and sausage biscuits in hand for the other two, to be greeted by them wide awake and ready for the day.
We started our day off quickly with a walk through the neighborhood. I snapped a bazillion photos and really enjoyed the scenery. After the walk we relaxed a bit before lunch. Chuck cooked some yummy beans and rice and sausage for us all. We scarfed down our food and headed out the door to join Nicole and her boys at a 4H program. While her boys were in class we ended up bopping around town. Nicole ran me from place to place so that I could inquire on who could fix my generator. I didn’t have much luck but did get an appoint for Monday.
After their class was over we decided to kill an hour at the science museum. The kids had a blast and didn’t want to leave. Note to self: if we only have an hour to explore don’t even bother teasing the kids with a trip to a museum.
We returned from the museum to the best homemade fettuccine ever. Chuck is a master in the kitchen. The homemade pasta smothered in alfredo sauce with chicken and broccoli and a side of collard greens and french baguette was the perfect meal before heading to the Mobile art crawl.
What can I say about the art crawl? We had a blast. Experiencing the hustle and bustle in the center of town, the music, the people, the food, and of course the art was an excellent way to end the day. The kids danced in the middle of the square, we watch some dynamic street performers, talked to many new people and tried our hand at interpreting art. We wore ourselves our at the art crawl and by the time we got home we were all ready to get back to our rig and snuggle into our spaces.
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| Nay watched the street dancers |
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| And then put on a show of his own... he got the cheers and applauds he was hoping for ;-) |
The kids slept in the next morning and I spent those quiet hours getting some work done. For those that wonder how get anything accomplished on the road that how. I let my kids sleep in and and spend those early hours (and sometimes quiet late night hours) cranking out the work.
Those working hours passed quickly, too quickly, and before I knew it our friends were waiting on us. We jumped up, bathed, stuffed some swimwear and food in a bag and off we went. We headed down to Dauphin Island for the first Mardi Gras parade of the season. People around this area are pretty passionate about Mardi Gras here and claim that it was actually this area that started it and not New Orleans. Hmmmmmm. Interesting. By the excitement of the people lined up along the street to watch the parade I think I just might believe that. There was a lot of tailgating, a lot more drinking, some corn hole and frisbee being played. Children ran around and the streets were littered with purple, green, and gold beads. I looked like a professional football game was about to start and not a Mardi Gras parade.
Before the parade we visited the Dauphine Island Estrarium. It was a neat little museum with a lot of interactive parts. My kids touched a live shark and sting ray for example. We toured the place and learned about aquatic life and I got some great photos. It was well worth the $24 I paid for me and the kids to get in.
The parade was AWESOME. We had a blast! My kids are used to parades where you sit and wave at the floats as they pass by. Never could they have imagined what a Mardi Gras parade was like until they experienced it. Once the first float came by and tossed handfuls of beads, toys, and goodies off the float it was on. The quickly got the concept of waving, jumping, running, yelling, and begging for the treats the floats were delivering. That was certainly an experience I’m glad I got to witness. I tried my hand at periscope during the event and I think I got the hang of it, so expect more periscoping from us in the near future.
After the parade we decided to hit the beach since we were right there. We had packed our swimwear because we considered doing the polar plunge but as soon as that freezing cold water hit our toes we all threw that idea out the window. Instead we climbed the rocks that lined the shore and searched the sands for beach treasures.
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| Random tractors along the edge of the beach |
All in all yesterday and the day before were really good days. We are loving our time here in Mobile with our friends. Now it’s time to get up and get ready for the next adventure. We are off to Pensacola, FL for the day.
So until I meet you on the road or see you around the globe… Peace, Love, and Mardi Gras
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