I got up a bit late, then spent some time talking to ffluffy, sending my youngest bro some sisterly advice on buying a car (unasked for advise, always the best kind) then was finally ready to leave. It was around 1:30 or 2 by this time. I bought some gas on base (not $4 thankfully, but getting there,) got some Chick-fil-A for lunch (no milkshake- doing my best to slim down a bit) and headed off on the familiar Hwy 10 towards Mobile.
Traffic came to a standstill outside of Mobile. I think it was just normal downtown traffic. I tried to find the am station advertised on the "turn to am (blank) when flashing for traffic info" but couldn't find it, and instead listened to a lawyer inform us regarding the importance of wills and that Alabama is a "right to work state" which really means "right to fire." So in Alabama your employer can fire you at any time for any cause. Except discrimination, which is hard to prove, I'm sure. I don't like your shirt. You're fired. Yikes.
On the way home I found a station playing the same DJ who I sometimes listen to at home. Delila. But back to Mobile and Pensacola.
This was the first interesting thing I spotted in Mobile. I believe I've cruised on this ship.
Downtown Mobile.
A tunnel under Mobile that goes down then back up.
USS Alabama. I think I will visit it next weekend. There is also an extensive aircraft display. Next weekend will be an aircraft weekend since it is also the "Angles Over the Bay" airshow here on Keesler.
My 11th state in 2 months. I wish there was an alternate yet equally as fast way to drive home through different states than the same ones I hit on the way out here. But because I live in Southern CA and I am currently in Southern MS, there is really no other options.
Downtown Pensacola. I came here because it was close to the state line. But my GPS temporarily failed and I was left without navigation or a plan. Good luck took me to a particularly historic section of Pensacola.
The Navy Pelican had a special place in the middle of the intersection.
The first historic item I spotted. Not too thrilling but I wasn't sure what else I might see, so I took a picture in case I came across nothing else picture worthy.
Kind of along the same lines as the above picture.
Close up of the plaque.
Who knew? Not me. But now I do.
The Mardis Gras beads are a nice touch.
Pensacola claims to be the oldest European settlement in the US. But my mom teaches grade school kids the oldest settlement is St. Augustine. So I looked it up and this is what Wikipedia has to say:
St Augustine: Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer and admiral Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, it is the oldest continuously occupied European-established city and port in the continental United States
Pensacola: In 1559 Tristan de Luna established a short-lived settlement at Pensacola Bay which became one of the first European-established settlements in what is now the continental United States; however, it was soon abandoned
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Look like grade school history is concerned with longevity rather than earliest.
On the steps of the historic society. Which was closed due to the lateness of the hour.
A very tall ship. I looked it up online and it has something to do with off shore oil platforms. The Boa Rover.
Plaza of the 5 flags. That would be Spanish, French, Great Britain, US and Confederate.
More info.
And more. It was a very well documented plaza.
The statue was sculpted by a retired Navy guy. Fitting for Pensacola, I think.
Some fancy yachts that I spied on. I think if I am ever fabulously wealthy I will get a boat.
Another view of the Boa Rover showing a crane that may or may not be on the ship. And a big bridge that went all the way across the bay.
Sun setting on Florida.
A sailboat from CA.
Looks like the owner is on quite the trip.
Congratulations Ben and Sara. Who had the honor of bringing Ben to this place and why did the info have to be written down?
Me in Pensacoloa.
The Checkmate has a solar panel. And a mop, although it is not visible in this picture.
Fancy moved to Florida, opened a bar, and changed her name and possibly her gender.
This sign was from 1991. Now the building appears to be a banquet hall. Although the local Navy clientele still frequents the location because it appeared the function going on was a Navy wedding. Lots of young men in dress whites.
Historic building of some kind.
The bell and clock from the original courthouse. It was neat to see how everything worked.
The time was accurate, but the bell did not sound on the hour.
Fire seems to have been a big problem back in the day. The location is now a bar.
Looks like New Orleans. The tour guide in NO told us even though were were in the French Quarter, the buildings were all Spanish due to a fire destroying the original French buildings and them being rebuild when it was under Spanish control. Pensacola seems overall very Spanish, hence the Spanish buildings.
I could have spent more time in Pensacola, although I would have needed to drive to a different section. And I never did make it to the beaches.
Some homeless men said "Hello, are you having a nice afternoon?" to me in the plaza with the Andrew Jackson bust. They were just being friendly but even so, I felt the lack of my dog's presence. I don't expect my dogs to protect me. But I do expect their presence to make someone at least think before doing something nefarious. If the bad person is crazy or on drugs then they probably aren't thinking and that expectation will not be met, but it is highly unusual for me to be walking anywhere with out the dogs, and the friendly homeless men made me think about that.
Some people might wonder what the point is of a Malinois that you say you don't expect them to protect you. I say, it seems pretty lame to rely on a dog for protection. Why not protect yourself? In my case, I just avoid situations where protection should be needed. My town is safe. I don't walk though a bad city at night. I only stop for gas right off the freeway and so on. I watched a video of a company that sells dogs trained especially for personal protection. A lady is sitting with her GSD by the side of a lovely river. A man walks up (out of no where) with a gun and threatens her with it. She pulls a gun from her handbag and shoots him. Then she drops the dog's leash and the dog rushes in and bites the man. I think the video did a good job showing what the real protection was. The trainer came on camera to praise the dog for acting as he was trained. If the lady had not had the gun and shot the man first (who already had his gun out) I don't think the dog would have been too much help, since the bad guy could have shot the lady (or the dog) before the dog was able to bite him. But the trainer isn't selling guns, he's selling dogs.
But luckily most mashers aren't carrying guns, and my dogs presence should keep me from being mashed or harassed.
Test on Tuesday, airshow this weekend. I might to the airshow on Saturday, then visit the USS Alabama on Sunday.
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