Image 1 of 71
A quirky eating place in Gulfport MS once featured on "Diners Drive-ins and Dives"
Image 2 of 71
It was a nice day, so we sat outdoors
Image 3 of 71
Wonder if this wiring passes code?
Image 4 of 71
Most of the boats in the Gulfport Harbor seem to be shrimpers
Image 5 of 71
After Katrina, buildings closest to the water were built on stilts
Image 6 of 71
Some were built higher than others
Image 7 of 71
Looks like a great place for the next hurricane party
Image 8 of 71
We liked the name. Didn't try the chicken, though
Image 9 of 71
The beautiful white sand beach stretches 28 miles along the Mississippi gulf coast.
Image 10 of 71
It's an artificial beach - the sand is dredged from the gulf bottom about 4 miles out
Image 11 of 71
We hope it'll be packed with tourists during the summer
Image 12 of 71
The skeletal remains of many live oak trees killed by Katrina have been turned into wonderful works of art
Image 13 of 71
As you'd expect, most have a water-related theme
Image 14 of 71
The "3 Angels" commemorates the three people (and one dog) who clung to this oak tree for 4 hours to survive Katrina
Image 15 of 71
It's not a real lighthouse - the real one is 12 miles off shore on an island.
Image 16 of 71
This tree barely survived the hurricane and is still making a comeback
Image 17 of 71
The Biloxi MS lighthouse is cast iron, dates to 1848, is still in use, and is the only known working lighthouse in a median strip of a major highway
Image 18 of 71
The White House Hotel dates to 1895, and has survived every hurricane since.
Image 19 of 71
The "Biloxi Tourist Train" provided an interesting tour of the city.
Image 20 of 71
The Catholic Church got a major face lift when repairing Katrina storm damage
Image 21 of 71
They claim the Weather Witch is Biloxi's most-photographed thing. She tells you which way the wind blows, and if you can't see her, it's nightime.
Image 22 of 71
Biloxi city hall is pretty spectacular
Image 23 of 71
The Hard Rock Casino was a week away from opening when Katrina struck. 11 years later, they're about to try opening again.
Image 24 of 71
A large community of Vietnamese refugees operate many of these smaller shrimp boats
Image 25 of 71
The bigger trawlers are mostly family owned and operated by people who've been doing it for generations.
Image 26 of 71
The museum houses many works by artist Georgia O'Keefe and potter George Ohr.
Image 27 of 71
That's the museum's back side. Those "pods" on the right house temporary exhibits
Image 28 of 71
Nice repurposing of an old gas station . .
Image 29 of 71
The Redding House dates to around 1900, and is a popular wedding venue
Image 30 of 71
That's a "shotgun" house - the front and back doors line up for ventillation - the trolley didn't let us stop for beignets.
Image 31 of 71
The Magnolia Hotel dates from 1847, and has suffered major damage from both hurricane Camille and Katrina.
Image 32 of 71
Today it houses a Mardi Gras museum, stocked with lots of extravagant costumes
Image 33 of 71
People actually wear things like this during the Mardi Gras parades
Image 34 of 71
There's mile after mile of vacant beach front property that housed homes and hotels before Katrina
Image 35 of 71
In some places, you can see remnants of what used to be there
Image 36 of 71
Today it's for sale with prices posted of around $1000 an acre
Image 37 of 71
We had a little rain in our Mississippi RV park - about 3" in 4 hrs.
Image 38 of 71
In Robert LA, we stayed in Jellystone Park - and were greeted by Yogi!
Image 39 of 71
It's 24 miles across the Lake Pontchartrain causeway - you can see the New Orleans skyline on the horizon
Image 40 of 71
We came for one last visit to Cafe Du Monde and those marvelous fresh beignets.
Image 41 of 71
But while we were at it, we wandered the French Quarter around Jackson Square
Image 42 of 71
Some of the streets are permanently closed for artists to show and sell their works
Image 43 of 71
Lots of people were taking the mule-drawn carriage rides
Image 44 of 71
This guy had a marvelous routine - all in improvised rhyme - to generate donations
Image 45 of 71
The former Jax brewery now houses many shops and eateries
Image 46 of 71
The Moonwalk along the Mississippi River is a great place to people-watch
Image 47 of 71
It's not named because of its appeal at night - but for former mayor Moon Landrau who helped get it developed
Image 48 of 71
There are street performers everywhere, some of them pretty good
Image 49 of 71
Segway tours are popular as well . . we saw two groups in a very short time
Image 50 of 71
Nothing says "Mississippi River" like a paddle-wheel steamer
Image 51 of 71
The Natchez is one of a very few riverboats still powered by steam
Image 52 of 71
We've always wondered why the trolley tracks aren't straighter . . .
Image 53 of 71
New Orleans is a magical place - some say "black magical" - and it's one of our favorite cities
Image 54 of 71
And the Cafe Du Monde seems this crowded all the time
Image 55 of 71
We tried to add another National Park to our tally, but it was closed
Image 56 of 71
They say this Joan of Arc statue on Decatur Street is the original and the one in Paris is the copy. The French, understandably, don't agree.
Image 57 of 71
Once upon a time, this is how the meat was sold in the French Market
Image 58 of 71
Lots of construction and street closures in the French Quarter made auto navigation next to impossible
Image 59 of 71
St Louis Cathedral is the oldest cathedral in the US, dating to 1727. But this building, on the site of two previous, was completed in 1850.
Image 60 of 71
Lunch break at the French Market Cafe. And NO - that's not Luther Pierson on the left.
Image 61 of 71
Lambert's is a local institution in the Gulf Shores AL area
Image 62 of 71
Throwed rolls, long lines, kitchy decor, really good food
Image 63 of 71
The Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival drew us out
Image 64 of 71
We were in line for almost an hour to get a parking place
Image 65 of 71
We came to see the evening "glow"
Image 66 of 71
There was a concurrent carnival
Image 67 of 71
There were about 40 balloons inflated that night
Image 68 of 71
As it got darker, more of them glowed
Image 69 of 71
The hometown Foley AL balloon was one of the last to inflate
Image 70 of 71
They never could get them all glowing at any one time
Image 71 of 71
This is about as many as were simultaneouly lit . . so we'll end here.