Subject: Postcard from Pensacola, Florida

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Sunday we woke to better visibility as we could again see the surf and beach from our balcony. We have been pretty lucky on the trip as the heavy rain is still coming down in the southern part of the country in the states just to our north. Today we are going to spend the day around Pensacola doing miscellaneous sightseeing.

We started off by stopping by the old lighthouse which is right next door to the lodge. It was not open today but we were able to walk around the grounds and the other night we saw its light beacon so while it is no longer used by ships they must still keep it going for traditional reasons. Next to the lighthouse we drove by the beach condos (also available for renting by military personnel) and the campgrounds. All the properties looked very nice and were neatly maintained.

Next, we went over to the old 19th century Fort Barrancas which is on the base grounds. It was built just above an old Spanish fort from the 18th century. Both are run by the National Park Service and open to all visitors. The fort was constructed of all bricks and built in the 1830’s at the same time Fort Jefferson was being built down in the Dry Tortugas. I’ve also visited Fort Jefferson which is the largest brick structure in the world.

Next we went on a drive out to Pensacola Beach to see the beaches and the state park which is out on the very tip and across Pensacola Bay from Fort Barrancas. Together, they were sister forts guarding the bay. That fort was undated and used for coastal watch through WWII. On the way there we stopped for lunch at a place on Pensacola Beach by the name of “Peg Leg Pete’s”. Eleanor had picked it out and it was another GREAT place to eat!! We have been very lucky on this trip getting great eateries and I’ll give most of that credit to Eleanor and Dennis as they have a knack for picking out good places. After lunch we then drove out to see the fort and also the beaches which were billed as the whitest sand beaches in Florida. I’ve haven’t seen all the beaches in Florida but these were the whitest I’ve seen so it’s probably true. Of course with the BP oil spill looming off the coast they may not be this white the next time we come down.

After the Pensacola Beach tour, it was back to downtown Pensacola where we drove around for a while just looking at the various buildings and neighborhoods. Then we went off to eat one last time at McGuire’s as we were too full on Thursday to sample the dessert and I so wanted to try the desserts. Again, we were not disappointed by the restaurant selection but the dessert put us all in a state of overindulgence.