THAT IS A BIG OLE BASS

PRO SHOP  :)

The other day when I got to meet my blog bud Jennifer, we meet at Disney World for men.

I have been to this place many a times, but I have been to the one in Nashvegas, not the one in L.A. (Lower Alabama).  Can I tell you that this particular one is HUGE!

I did not go in the day Jennifer and I meet, but we did stop in there on our way out of town.

Don't we look happy to be there? 

At least L.L. is happy.   Actually while I was taking the picture, he was telling me the whole time "Turn around and take my picture with the Army guys!"  He goes to the other side of me and poses with the Army guys.

I really don't know who they were or where they were from, but they were in blue trucks and they were wearing camouflage.  If they were actually Army guys, I don't know.  It made him happy though.

This is what is flowing outside as you walk in.....

 

Would you look at this sign, is it not so true!

As you pass through the doors you see this.....

Let the choir of Angels sing for the men.

 

Here are a few pictures of the store.....

 

Behind this aquarium is a whole labyrinth of nooks and cranny's.....

That lead you to the second floor of this place....

I am sure there are other Bass Pro Shops out there this big, but of the two I have been to, this is by far the biggest.  :)'

 

 

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.  :)

YOU & ME GOING FISHING IN THE DARK

 

One of the many things we did at The Grand Marriott was fish.  Ok let me back up, I did not fish, I took pictures of the fish.  :)

If you remember from a previous post our room looked right out onto the pier.

This was actually so fun and relaxing, we could just sit on our balcony and watch the guys and the kids fish.  The Grand provides cane poles and fresh bait a/k/a squid for you to use.  So don't worry that you did not bring your own pole, you can use theirs.

We had our own pole though, not because we brought them, but because we had to go buy us a new one.  (Don't tell me men don't need an excuse to shop)

 

Lets go fishing......

 

Anna & Syd

 

A.C. getting a fish off his line

Syd and one of her big catches!

Let me show you something that everyone was catching. 

This is some freaky kind of vampire trout.  At least that's what we called it.

At one point my precious daughter was trying to bring one in with a cane pole and jerked it up out of the water.  All I heard was watch out, and as I turned my head, she hit me with one of those fish.    I think she meant to do it.

One other crazy thing that was caught, was an eel!! 

He just happened to be swimming by and got caught up in the line.  He is an evil looking thing!

 

Big Logan caught this next little fish and decided to use it as bait.

Lil Logan was a getting bit whiny (imagine that) so I went and put him in the bed.  A little while later I here knocking at the door.  I go answer it thinking it was probably Syd.  A.C. was at the door and said get your camera you have to come see this.  We jump out of the bed and go to see this....

Big Logan had caught this with that fishy he had caught earlier.  By this time Lil Logan was awake and wanting to go back out there so I let him.  About 30 minutes later, a get a knock at the door.  A.C. and Logan had brought me this.....

They had found another crab! 

We had so much fun out on the pier every night.  It was a great time for some family fun!  Its an experience I hope they remember forever.  :)