Sweet Home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet Home Alabama
Lord, I’m coming home to you
It is rich in history, and in the beautiful scenery. It isn’t hard to see why people are so enamored with it. From “Rocket City” or Huntsville as it is known – which is the home of the Apollo Lunar Landing, to the Mobile Carnival Museum – there is a lot to see, do and eat.
Photo by Andrew Robinson on Unsplash
History
George Washington Carver, Hank Williams, Helen Keller, Nat King Cole… The list goes on. But they are just a small part of the rich tapestry of the history of Alabama. The port of Mobile is over 300 years old and is the home of the Mardi Gras. So you will find the heart and soul of New Orleans without all of the tourists – which is a pretty sweet idea.
Selma, Alabama is on the U.S National Registry of Historic Places as it played a big part in the Civil Rights movement in the ‘60s. Edmund Pettus Bridge, where the confrontation between protesters and state troopers took place will always be one of the most notable.
Food
BBQ. You could probably just leave that there, but the BBQ is an integral part of the southern culture. It is worth noting that there as many BBQ joints as there are churches – so you are destined to be enjoying delicious food in the company of some very spiritual people.
Each pit master has their own style, and that means no two BBQ places are the same. From the rub to the smoke, it will give a different texture and flavor. The best thing to do to make sure that you get the best in the area is to ask the locals – they will point you in the right direction. A few that are worth stopping by are Dreamland Bar-B-Que in Tuscaloosa and Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur.
Beauty
A trip to the Tennessee River will take your breath away in no time at all, and the soft sandy beaches on the Gulf of Mexico is something you won’t forget in a hurry. If you want to take some photos, ones that are worth getting printed, then watching the sunset on the Fairhope Municipal Pier or along the Black Warrior River are going to be the place for you.
Sport
Of course, you can’t miss sport from this state. Although they don’t have a professional football or baseball team – they do have a thriving space for NASCAR, sport fishing, college football and golf. Which means, in terms of sport, there is a lot going on. So if you are into gold, check out The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail. It is a collection of 426 championship holes across 26 public golf courses – over 11 different sites! Interestingly the tees are marked by ability, not age or gender, so it is one of the most enjoyable gold experiences in the world.
Some places have a lot of soul. It is in the people, what they do, how they interact, and how they cook. The flavors of the south are robust, sweet and spicy – not too unlike the history.
Categories: Local Scenes Stuff
