Saturday, February 6, 2016

First week in Southern Mississippi

We got here (Buccaneer State Park, Waveland, MS) on the 1st and it was foggy when we got here so we couldn't really check things out. Tuesday was no different since there was a big storm coming in that night. So we drove around a little but really couldn't see much. There was a donut place(Granny's Donuts) we drove by and of course had to try. They were pretty good and want to go back and try their hot breakfast before we leave. The storm came and we survived, luckily we only got a lot of heavy rain but none of the tornados they predicted. However, counties north of us did see some of the tornados unfortunately. But it was a sleepless night for us and of course a train had to come through during the storm so that really freaked me out. I have always heard a tornado sounds like a train. Louie told me that if it was it would have been too late for us to seek shelter at that point. Luckily it wasn't and we were safe.

Wednesday we took a tour of Stennis Space Center, this is a test center for NASA. It was really neat. It is like a military base, you must get a pass to get on the installation, it has all the amenities of a military base, expect housing. It even has it own zip code, and 2 colleges have campuses there. We got to go out and see some of the test pads, but they weren't testing anything the day we went. To be able to go on the tour you must start at Infinity Center and this is like an interactive space museum. We got to see some really neat things. We stopped by the welcome center next door to get some info. They had it all decorated with Mardi Gras garb. They take Mardi Gras very serious down here even though we aren't in New Orleans. There are parades going on everywhere. Later we went to Bay St. Louis to the Veterans Memorial and ate at The Blind Tiger.

Thursday we went to Gulfport to a car museum, not real impressive and small but it was something to do. We went on the Navy base to see a Seabee Museum but once again we couldn't find it and Louie said we weren't driving around like we did at Fort Stewart to try and find it so we just went to the exchange and picked up a few things and checked out the campground on the base. (If we ever come back this way we will go there. We will feel much safer then where we are right now. We really don't like the area we are at and are cutting our visit short because of it.) We then stopped by to see the Friendship Tree. I didn't take pictures of it because it is on a campuses and there was nowhere to park during the week. So we will go back on a weekend. However, legend says it is over 400 years old and was bearing nuts before Columbus came to America. It is huge!! (Pictures to come.) We came back to the campground and started hard and heavy back to trying to get some of our weight off, making sure we get 10,000 steps, 5 miles, and 10 floors in a day. And of course we always overdue it the first day and did 15 floors continuously.

This is were I lost a day somewhere. I woke up Friday morning thinking Thursday was Wednesday all day and Friday was Thursday. Boy have I been screwed up ever since. But I guess it really doesn't matter since we have no agenda.

So Friday the 5th, we had breakfast at Tato Nuts (donuts). Let me just say delish!!!! They rank right up there with Round Rock Donuts and even come warm. I am just really glad they aren't close by. (One of my weaknesses.) Drove down to the Gulf Islands National Seashore Visitors Center and learned about how the barrier islands were years ago and how they have changed over the years. Who knew they actually move west and how they help protect the mainland from weather. It is crazy how nature works. Once we left there we went and seen the Mississippi Veterans Memorial Park and a model train museum (This was disappointing too after seeing the one in Indiana last year, but I guess you have to start somewhere. What was neat about it was some of the trains were made out of Legos.). On the way back we stopped at the harbor in Gulfport to see a giant pipe laying ship. After we got back we went and made sure we got all our goals in for the day and when it came time to do the stairs to get the floors in I was very sore from the day before but I got it done. We had a date night, which is something we never do since we never go anywhere after about 3. But we eat out during the day and don't call it date night. It was just something different for us and enjoyed it. We ate at Trapani's in Bay St. Louis. Louie had Flounder stuffed with crab and he said it was very good. He loves his seafood and fish. Me on the other hand not so much, I had a salad(trying to be good after the donuts....lol). Oh, I didn't  mention that the campground filled up real quick last night. There are people everywhere. We are hoping most of them are just here for the weekend or Mardi Gras.

Today we stopped at Biloxi's Visitor's Center and Lighthouse. Seen the USS Biloxi Mast and then headed down to see the Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum. We had to make sure we got back to the trailer before all the parades and festivities began today. We had lunch at Bubba Gump's and then headed back home. Louie said we are taking a break from our goals for the day today and will make up for it in the morning before we do anything. He said he has some different stuff for us to do. I may not be able to move after this is all over with.

 The pier, you can't even see the parking lot from all the fog,
 Where we are staying.
 The water was coming up over the cement barriers from the storm blowing in.
 Mardi Gras headdress at the Mississippi welcome center.
 A lunar lander that was used for training at the welcome center.
 An eagle sculptor at the Infinity Center made out of a tree and metal.

 NOAA on Stennis Space Center.

 This test pad can test 2 at a time.
 This test pad has one in it ready to test and only holds one.

 A 4D (I guess that is what it is called) screen at the Infinity Center.
 Lunar rock.
 Sleeping quarters for an astronaut on a space shuttle.
 Louie tried landing a space shuttle and crashed. I am glad he will never be going into space and expected to land.
 At the Blind Tiger with our hostess Smiley.
 Veterans Memorial in Bay St. Louis.
 Louie now wants an old Army Jeep. The car beside it was in a movie.
 This is what the beach looks like where we are now. I want my Carrabelle beach back.
 Donuts from Tato Nuts in Ocean Springs. Soooo Gooood!!!!
 This was neat.
 Vietnam Veterans memorial at the Mississippi Veterans Memorial Park.
 The bridge for the train was turned so boats can go through.
 A Lego train at the train museum.
 A pipe layer ship in Gulfport harbor.
 Gulfport lighthouse.
 There are trees carved all over along the coast for memorials of Katrina victims. This one is at Gulfport Harbor.
 Another one with angels carved on it. This one is at Bay St. Louis.
 Biloxi lighthouse.
 The King and Queens headdresses and costumes from one of the Mardi Gras parades at the Biloxi visitors center.
 USS Biloxi mast at the small craft harbor in Biloxi.
 Old Oyster dredgers from the Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum.
 This machine peels shrimp.
 The bell from the USS Biloxi.
 A lighthouse lens.



I have every day planned out the rest of our time while we are here since we decided to cut our trip short and want to go back to Carrabelle. So I will have lots of stuff to share with you during this trip. I hope you all are enjoying everything we have seen as much as we have. Until next time.

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