Alabama and Gulf Coast observations

This afternoon we arrived at a Louisiana State Park outside of New Orleans (Nawluns) after traveling from Gulf Shores, Alabama which is south of Mobile.

We avoided I-10 and drove along US90 so that we could stick close to the gulf coast line. We were amazed at the obliteration of the coast line from Biloxi to Pass Christian, Mississippi - a distance of about 40 to 50 miles.

These communities are located RIGHT on the coast line. The highway is approximately 200 feet from the water for miles and miles. Across the road from the highway there used to be many, many (probably thousands) of beautiful old southern homes. You know the kind, where the rich people lived and vacationed. Now, with a few exceptions, they're all gone. Nothing left but vacant lots and foundations. Commercial buildings too. Great tracts of empty weed filled lots. The only businesses and hotels look as if they've been built in the last 5 years. Truly amazing.

We liked southern Alabama a lot (Mississippi not so much). Beautiful country with wonderful farms and hardwood forests. Lots of water and, of course, many beautiful old homes.

Here are a couple of other observations that we made: Rural Alabama has gorgeous public schools. Every one looks new and some could pass for country clubs. I've always thought that Alabama has one of the worst school systems in the country but, if that's true, you can't tell from looking at the facilities.

There are way too many check cashing and title loan businesses in the south. Let's all thank the Oregon legislature for basically outlawing such businesses.

All of the south could use a basic course in land use planning. From Mobile to New Orleans it is basically one long strip of retail commercial. You've never seen so many McDonalds and Waffle Houses.

We're going to stay in New Orleans for two nights so that we can tour the French Quarter and get a look at the areas that were hardest hit by Katrina. We're also hoping to drive south as far as we can so that we can see where the Mississippi River empties into the Gulf of Mexico.