People who know me know that I am prone to exaggerate at times, overreact, even underreact, like when I first set eyes on the Statue Of Liberty I fainted, but when I saw Taylor Swift in the Tokyo airport and she offered me her autograph I thanked her but said "I don't collect paper..."so imagine my reaction visiting Mobile's Gulf Quest National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico the first time yesterday - for the first time in my life I do not exaggerate: I found it to be a masterpiece of nautical present and past, an interactive super-adventure featuring five stories of absolutely cool and stunning stuff.
Never mind that I learned a lot about the Mobile Port, cargo and container ships, military and passenger ships, steamboats and tug boats, Gulf of Mexico seafood (loved the Fishing Rodeo film (we have the biggest in the country!) and history of Oysters) and even more about planet earth and other planets, moons and stars, during a 3-D presentation by Gulf Quest's Stuart...ticket prices vary based on your age and I was able to convince them I am a "senior" (hate that word but love the perks?) and paid $11.00 admission....
Up on the fifth floor "ship deck" where Elaine and Sharon guided me through a ship navigation simulator - I was a tugboat captain and was supposed to park a load of cargo containers on the dock. If they won't tell how I did, I won't either...the simulator has several options for navigating different classes of ships through fair or even foul weather, and these activities are included in the price of the admission ticket... From here you can walk outside to the aft deck and see real ship operations on the Mobile River. I saw the Bob Hope Navy supply ship and the Comfort Mercy ship. Next door at the Cruise Terminal I looked for the ship that is supposed to take me on a world cruise, but I couldn't find it....anybody?
On the bow of the "ship" you are outside with a very nice, close-up view of the city skyline and most of downtown and beyond... (I am an old salt at this point...) I spent a few hours inside and outside Gulf Quest, enjoying the many simulators and interactive kiosks that bring you inside various operations conducted by and on ships, especially on the Gulf of Mexico...
There is also a new exhibit in the name of Alabama born E.O. Wilson, an ecologist and entomologist of international acclaim...without giving away everything let's just say in this exhibit room on 3A of the ship you can feed candy to ants....did I feel like a kid in a candy store? I did, but rest assured there is lots to enjoy and learn for adults as well. I didn't catch every single exhibit but in two hours got to most....you could spend all day here...the museum is open Wednesday-Saturday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, children under 5 get in free....if you are driving I-10 East just get off at exit 26A and this takes you directly to the museum, bypassing downtown traffic. The exit signs even tell you Gulf Quest and Cruise terminal - the cruise terminal is right next door...
Having worked up an appetite, I went downtown in search of lunch. A neighbor had asked me if I had been to Rooster's and I had not. He didn't say any more, perhaps thinking I must not know everything there is to know about downtown Mobile, so I stopped in around 2:30....what first impressed me was most of the tables were occupied. I will share one of my culinary dining secrets if you promise to keep it just between us, but if a restaurant is still busy after the official lunch hour, there's a very good chance the food and service are excellent...I began with one of their house margarita's, meaning they make their own mix (confirmed with the waitress.) She asked if I wanted salt or sugar on the glass rim and I said yes - sugar on one side, salt on the other because I couldn't decide. It tasted like the real thing and went well with a Guy Fieri recommended Surf and Turf burrito - his recommendation is stamped on the menu. The waitress had to drive a forklift out of the kitchen to deliver the burrito, as it was large enough to feed everyone currently in the restaurant and at least half of the Tabernacle Choir...fortunately it was split in half, so I ate half and took the other half home for dinner. You don't need me to confirm that it was delicious, with Guy's stamp of approval I'm just some guy who agrees...another unusual, cool thing about Rooster's is their in-house literacy program - they bring the check out in a paperback book. This place! Well, it's right on Dauphin Street and besides burritos there are a lot of taco items, a bunch of Latin food entrees including some vegetarian, so if you are a connoisseur of Latin food, Rooster's will be on your restaurant dream list...
USA Today readers voted The Africatown Heritage House as one of America's top 10 new museums, and I can confirm during a recent visit it definitely is...
After some stormy weather last night nature decided to bless us with a gorgeous blue sky if not cool day, just in time for the lighting of the Mardi Gras tree today at 5:30 PM in Mardi Gras Park downtown...and King Cakes are selling like hotcakes (hey, somehow that analogy worked...)
Everybody including The Mobile Rundown , is talking about a Forbes magazine article that names the Port of Mobile as the second fastest growing port in the U.S. over the past 10 years...I knew all my hard work would finally pay off...I want to thank the Mayor, City Council, Alabama Port Authority and local businesses for all the help - I couldn't have done it without you...
After a successful, roaring in Mardi Gras celebration last night, Braided River Brewing Co. is determined to keep the momentum going and they have The Cordial Brothers performing Dark Side of the Moon Pie live on St Louis Street today at 5:00 PM, giving you enough time to watch them and head over to the lighting of the tree at Government and Royal...
WKRG threw a big retirement part of weathermeister Alan Sealls, who doesn't know that even though he is leaving the station we still expect regular weather updates from him on social media...Alan has at least three published books in bookstores everywhere and it would be very unweatherly of you not to check in to those...also at WKRG News Five morning host Jessica Taloney is taking a sabbatical from hosting to focus on family...I definitely know getting up before the crack of dawn is about as exciting as canned sardines on crackers...
If you didn't already buy at ticket for The People's Room of Mobile's An Evening with Eric Erdman, (tonight) then you waited too long and you will now have to meander along Dauphin Street wallowing in self-pity because you realize old habits die hard and the one where you wait too long to buy tickets to hot events still sticks to you like corn on a cob...but there are four - count them - four beer breweries downtown and plenty of clubs, bars, restaurants and even a movie theater on Dauphin showing the new "The Color Purple"...
In Langan Park the Mobile Museum of Art will feature "Behind the Scenes with Kurtis Thomas" on Thursday, January 11th with tours at 5, 6 and 7PM. It's an RSVP event only and free for members or $5.00 for non-members. Email marybeth.lursen@mobilemuseumofart.com for details...
Looking forward to more day trips, exploration of Mobile and beyond...so much to see and do in our own backyard, which really makes the brow wrinkle and eyebrows raise when you hear someone say there's nothing to do in Mobile....huh?...
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