Where The Skies Are So Blue

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Ah, Sweet Home Alabama - our journey into the deep South. As we crossed the state border from Georgia it seemed as though time had stood still about 60 years ago and not in a good way. There are an interesting number of trailers and run-down houses dotted around with some hungry-looking horses hanging about but no real towns. We were beginning to be glad that we were only staying for 2 nights...... Our hotel was nice enough though and had a fridge (to keep the necessary alcohol) and a shower with a massaging head which is nice after lots of hours on the Greyhound bus.

We ventured into Montgomery town to check out the sights - the bible that is our Lonely Planet guide had said you could do it all in an afternoon and it wasn't wrong! They have this really cute little trolley tour that you can take for $1 and it shows you all the sights in about an hour (that's because it only goes 6mph not because there's that many sights in Montgomery). Having said that, we did see the house Martin Luther King used to live in and the church where he used to preach. We also saw the Civil Rights Memorial and the historic homes of old Alabama Town which was where Montgomery started out.

We went into the Alabama Historic Archives to check out some old portraits and artefacts from the Civil War and then on to the Alabama State Capitol for a look around. Both really nice buildings although they look very much like buildings from Washington so our photos are bound to be confusing.

After chili cheese dogs, fries and endless free refill drinks for lunch at the oldest hot dog joint in town (cheapest lunch ever!) we headed to the Rosa Parks Museum which has a really good re-enactment of the famous bus-seat protest which triggered Montogomery bus boycott and the rest of the Civil Rights movement - very interesting.

So, all in all, Alabama was not as bad as we were fearing when we showed up. It has been an experience (!) and although it is unlikely we will ever come back, we're glad we came to see it for ourselves! Next stop Tennessee - tracing the music in Nashville and Memphis.

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Comments

[stella]

fab trip....
All sounds pretty wonderful ; you certainly are packing the sight seeing in; wondered how you would get on in the deep south; some places are very weird - as are some of the people...best to keep heads down and say nothing in such circumstances; you will get out alive. Ibiza came and went ; great to get some sunshine on the shrivelled body; did the sunset thing at Cafe del Mar/Cafe mambo with cheap champagne on the rocks; getting down and dirty with the rich young things! Home now and doing the emails while still on leave - must be mad .....but great to get your blog and remember that there is still a great world out there..take care and keep blogging.. Stella

[Alexa]

WOW!
It all sounds so amazing. Just a touch of the green-eyed monster here. I was bowled over just by NYC, it must be so fantastic to do a proper trip. It's really great to read all your stories. Wedding was amazing. Look after each other and see you when you are back. xx