Just visited the Heart of Dixie, my 49th state

I never set out to visit all 50 states, but just the other day I visited my 49th, the great state of Alabama. I road tripped from New Orleans to Vicksburg, Mississippi where I was on a press trip filming a video. After my assignment I headed southeast to the Gulf Coast town of Fairhope, Alabama, which is not far from Mobile. My home base for the visit was at the extraordinary Marriott Grand Hotel, and grand it was!

The Grand Hotel in Point Clear is over 150 years old and is situated on a pristine point along the Gulf Coast in Mobile Bay. The views from the balcony of my room were simply splendid, in one direction I could see the bay, in the other the marina filled with luxurious yachts. In the distance, I could also see the lush golf course.

I arrived just in time to see the daily cannon firing, which is a salute honoring our military. The entire ceremony lasted about 20 minutes and stared with a miniature parade through the property with flag-bearer and drummer leading the way. This was followed by a presentation explaining the reason behind the production, followed by a pledging of the flag that included the audience.

The weather could not be more perfect, so with just a couple hours of light left, I set off to take some photos of the property and surrounding area. Please check back for the full write-up and video from my road trip to Fairhope/Point Clear, Alabama.