Point Clear 11/20/12

Tuesday 11/20 we connected with Charlie Crawford from Bama Belle. We last saw Charlie at Green Turtle Bay in October when we rented a car to visit Nashville. He moved on more quickly after that because he was finishing his trip. He crossed his wake in Mobile, his home base. His home marina is next door to Dog River Marina and he lives about 5 minutes away.

He stopped by and suggested lunch. We met Mary, his crew from Michigan, at The Compleat Angler Restaurant, right on Mobile Bay. You can see Mobile in the distance. Evidently the bay is very shallow except in the channel. We ate outside and got caught up. It was colder than I thought it would be so Mary loaned me a jacket to put over my brand new long sleeved t-shirt. I can't wait till we can we warm again on a consistent basis.

 
This is a ring toss game that sounds hard when sober but is probably impossible with a few beers. May be an idea for Venetian?

The restaurant has a really neat aquarium filled with hermit crabs. They look like little painted shells but little hermit crabs live inside. They were sleeping when we got there. I guess they come out at night! They have races!! The one with the dog face is really fast. Could have fooled me!!

 Then we went across the road to Gator Alley to see the alligators. Only they were sleeping too. No gators in sight. But the sculpture was interesting.

And the signs are very informative. Mary and Charlie said in the warmer weather there are gators everywhere. Sure...

Mary had to go to work so Charlie took us to Fairhope to see a portion we did not see on Sunday. The gardens at the Municipal Wharf are just amazing. I love roses. This rose garden smelled like heaven.

 Critter alert: Pelicans everywhere. Just hanging out waiting to be photographed.

A trip to Fairhope would not be complete without a stop at the Grand Hotel at Point Clear. This hotel opened in 1847 and is still here despite frequent hurricanes. The last one that caused problems was Katrina when the water rushed through the complex taking out the first floor. The hotel (owned by Marriott) just reopened a year or so ago after a $15 million renovation. It is truly magnificent.

 Every afternoon at 4pm they have a little re-enactment of the great battles that took place here in the Civil War. The drummer plays a tatoo and the other two guys march with him from the famous fireplace (original to the building - rebuilt in the renovation in the original style).

 This is a six sided fireplace. They serve tea around here in the afternoon.

The restaurant is a 4 diamond rated restaurant. This is the chef's garden, facing the bay.

We walked outside and waited for the three member team to march around the building to the cannon pointing into the bay. There are live oaks everywhere - a very stately tree. 

 Here they come!

We said the pledge of allegiance and the fellow in the white pants told us how Point Clear figured into history. 

 Then they shot off the cannon!! It was very loud.

We strolled around the grounds to watch the sunset from the gazebo.

This teradactyl walked over to the gazebo, hung out for a minute, pooped, then took off. It was a moment to treasure.

Back to the sunset.

 We strolled to the bar, Bucky's Bar, in honor of Bucky a long time server who worked at the hotel for about 60 years until he died a few years ago. He had a wonderful memory for names. Charlie told a story of a friend of his who came to the bar a few times. About 10 years later he was walking through the Philadelphia airport when he heard someone call him by  name. It was Bucky!!

 Kermit had a cigar and we all had wine. You can see the sunset reflected in the windows behind Kermit.

 Bucky's patio has fire pits to gather around - a very relaxing way to take in the sunset.

We rode home through Fairhope, lit for the holidays.