Ladies and Gentlemen

 

I know that you are probably getting tired of hearing about my fantabulous trip down to Point Clear, AL, but that's what I got right know.  :)

I do have some other craftiness and makeovers, but my camera will not cooperate and upload my pictures, so your gonna have to wait. 

 

On to the tour.......

Every afternoon at 4:00 there is a ceremonial firing of the cannon at The Grand Marriott.

With lots of fanfare they march around the property following the American Flag.

When the parade stops, another gentleman gives a brief history of the hotel.....

(I found this information on the Hotel here...)

Opened in 1847 as the Point Clear Hotel by F.H. Chamberlain, the original 40-room hotel was located on the eastern shore of Alabama along Mobile Bay. Although only accessible by boat, the hotel was a gathering place for antebellum southern society. It became affectionately known as the "Queen of Southern Resorts" by devoted clientele.

During the Civil War, the hotel provided needed assistance to local Confederate soldiers. After the war, the hotel reopened on July 4, 1869, but the kitchen and main hotel building was soon after destroyed by fire. Unfortunately the records of the Civil War soldiers treated at the hotel-hospital were lost. Today, the "Confederate Memorial Cemetery" exists next to the eighteenth hole tee on the Azalea Course of the Lakewood Golf Club. This pays tribute to 150 soldiers, most of whom are unidentified.

The hotel continued to operate after the fire until well-known steamboat master, Captain H.C. Baldwin, bought the property and built a second hotel, The Grand, on the original site. Completed in 1875 and sold to James K. Glennon in 1890, The Grand remained the center of the south's social and leisure life.

In 1939, The Grand Hotel was purchased by Waterman Steamship Company, who demolished and rebuilt the establishment. The new hotel opened two years later, but was then used during World War II as an amphibious landing craft training center.

 

See that boat?

Yeah, he wouldn't get out of the way.  So Mr. Information guy announced the following into the Bay......

"Ladies and Gentleman of the Sea, I can not fire the cannon until you have cleared the area" 

His facial expression never changed, it was quite funny, but I guess you had to be there.  :)

After they cleared the area, we had the Pledge of Allegiance...

Then he primed the cannon....

Then 5, 4, 3, 2

1, FIRE!!!

 

And that was it.  Everyone went about there business after that.  Things like playing golf.  :)

Don't worry I have lots more pictures.  Between Donna and myself, I think we took over 1,000.  Yes a 1,000.  By the time I am done, you will think you went on vacation with me.  :)