Sweet Home Alabama

Thanksgiving brought us to Foley, Alabama to visit my maternal grandparents for the long weekend.  Ben was a great sport, making the 11+ hour car ride with us, and we had a nice visit, a wonderful Thanksgiving meal, and explorations along the Gulf Coast.  Saturday, Ben and I had the opportunity to take a drive into Gulf Shores and head east towards Orange Beach.  We drove along the ocean road, comparing the resort atmosphere that we are so familiar with in Myrtle Beach, and admiring the large expanse of state park that splits highway 182.  Ben took some pictures of the beach resorts, and we took a nice walk through the fluffy, white sands along the Gulf Coast.

That afternoon, we went to downtown Foley for some more exploration.  The old train station that was part of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad is a centerpiece of the downtown area.  There are 4 stationary cars on the old tracks, including the engine and a caboose.

We also looked at the Magnolia Inn, which is a large bed and breakfast on Main Street.  There is quite a juxtaposition between the historical architecture of the main house, the modern connecting bridge to the restaurant with a gigantic crystal chandelier, and the Art Nouveau influenced sign in the front lawn.  As it was adorned for the holiday season, it drew even more attention to itself, so we decided to step inside.  The inside was no less bizarre and over the top.  Large classical architectural elements, including oversized pediments and busts, adorned the main lounge area off the entry, and the furniture was extremely traditional and stiff.  In the word of my grandmother, "The furniture in the lounge is the most uncomfortable furniture I have ever had to sit in."

It was quite interesting taking in all of these elements, but it seems that much of the South chooses to be "over the top."  Regardless of the styles, it seems that the proprietor of this particular establishment chose whichever style was her liking to incorporate into the decor and exterior of the property.  Not exactly the best idea, but somehow in all the hodge-podge of the mess that was this bed and breakfast, there was a distinct charm to it.  It had a home-like quality, where everything had a story and history to it, and that if the walls could talk, they would have some interesting stories to tell of all the people that had come through the doors.  Much of the South is like this, and we have much more exploring to do...