Second Half of October 2011

                         We’re still on the road! ………

In St. Augustine, we visited Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of youth. 
I tried the water …… but it’s not working  J

Next stop – Miami Florida where we spent time visiting with our friend Sandi Space.  We have known Sandi for 44 years.  Mike and Ray were in the Marine Corps together.  Sandi introduced us to her birds ….. beautiful and colorful. 
We had a great time with Sandi.

Moving south, we went to Key West Florida.  We stayed at a
wonderful RV park right on the water.  It was tropical paradise.

Sunrise right out our front window.  It was so beautiful.

Key West is over 100 miles from the Florida mainland …. out in the ocean
and is only 90 miles from Cuba.

On Key West, we toured Henry Truman’s secondary Whitehouse.  We learned
that President Truman was quite a character.

Mallory Square at sunset …….. so much fun!  There were street performers,
folks selling their wares.  The cruise ships were in. 
It was so much of a carnival atmosphere.

Sunset was magnificent!

After we left Key West, we drove north on the west side of Florida.
After a few days of driving, we stopped in
Dothan Alabama to visit with our friends Tom and Linda West.   

We spent two nights parked at their house.  Mike and Tom played golf
while Linda and I checked out the local quilt stores.  

Then we drove to Panama City Florida each of us in our own motorhomes. 
We had a great seafood dinner and watched the fishermen on the
dock haul in fish as the sun set in the Gulf of Mexico.

Tom and Linda headed back to Dothan and we continued to the National Naval Air Museum at Pensacola Florida. 

Pensacola is the home of the Blue Angels.  The air museum was outstanding.  

Moving on – we headed to New Orleans Louisiana.  What an interesting town.  The architecture is beautiful.  Many parts of the city are very old.  Many of the people live in areas that have no yard and their front doors open directly onto the very narrow streets.  We took a short ride on the Mississippi River.  We had beignets (French donuts) at the famous Café Dumond.  We took a great tour of the effects of hurricane Katrina and we took a horse drawn carriage tour of the French Quarter.

Heading north, we traveled through Mississippi and into Memphis Tennessee.  We toured Graceland……..the home of Elvis Presley.  The house is in the exact condition it was 35 years ago when Elvis lived there.  We saw his old cars ..... his old clothes …… his airplanes ……. A museum about his 1968 comeback (after years of making movies) ….. we toured the record company where Elvis recorded his first record…..

Elvis was a remarkable man - and what a voice!

After the tours, we went into the downtown of Memphis …… the famous
Beale Street.  There were some blues players on the street ….
 Many restaurants.  Quite the night spot.

Our trip continues …….. stay tuned.