Mobile

We thought of pressing on to New Orleans, just an hour down the road, but Mobile appeared through the mist and seemed irresistible. Who ever stayed in Mobile Alabama that you know?

So here we are - and it seems we're the only ones here.

Mobile was a port furiously fought over by the British and the French, by the Americans during the civil war and by the civil rights movement during the 60's. And with all of that the fight seems to have plain got up and left (along with most of the industry, trade and people). Once a fabulously wealthy town when the cotton trade existed, Mobile now seems to survive on seasonal tourist business in summer. After the middle of town was torn down (urban blight) in the late 60s or early 70's only one downtown street remains - Dauphin Street. Old Edwardian, Victorian and Deco buildings now house bars and restaurants for the most part, loan shops and second hand furniture places for the rest. It is really pretty, actually, but there is no one here. How business survives is beyond me.

For all that they have a great little museum that tells the racy and racist stories of the town's heyday. People are without fail frienndly and seem proud of their town.

We're planning on walking 5 or so blocks for dinner at Wintzell's oyster house and I can't shake the image of Captain Oates, stepping out of the tent he shared with Scott in Antartica, saying "I may be some time . . "