Gulf Shores and Foley, Alabama

I am back to the Gulf again and checking out the tacky side of life....

There are no end to the T-shirt stores.

I don't know what these guys sell....maybe they just took a wrong turn in the Gulf.

Anyway it is a great place to stop and check the map for a place to spend the night.

Enough, already!

The Gulf Shores National Park is absolutely beautiful.  The barrier islands are easy to reach with a choice of many bridges from the mainland to the islands.

The day was overcast and slightly chilly so there were no sunbathers on the beach--I had it all to myself!

I parked for lunch then took a short nap while listening to the occasional gull and the waves lap the shore.  If I get any more relaxed I will just float away.

I drove into Foley for dinner and cousin, Jamie, recommended this restaurant.  I trust Jamie to know the best restaurants from coast to coast.  Besides--my maiden name is Lambert.

But any restaurant whose motto is "Home of throwed rolls--four generations and throwing" is a curiosity worth checking out.

And they really do 'throw rolls'!  That young man with the oven mitt on his hand came out of the kitchen shouting "anyone want a hot roll?"  When hands would go up in the air he would lob the most delicious hot and fluffy roll you can imagine right to your eager hand. I tried to catch one in motion with my camera but too many people were jumping up in the way.

Can you tell I'm having a ball?  Besides the delicious rolls I took home a doggy bag that was enough for the next two meals.

Foley, Alabama is a small town but the flowers and decorations were lovely.  The following pictures are for you Aunt Pauline....

As I was driving through Alabama I began to notice a scraping sound whenever I touched the brakes.  Before long the scraping was joined by a thunk, thunk that just kept getting louder.  I started looking for a mechanic but they were all way too busy or unwilling to take on a big job right before Thanksgiving. I avoided the freeways and downtown Mobile for fear the brakes would quit altogether--but I was getting desperate.