Driving the Mississippi coast.

Today was a driving day. We had decided to stay one more day and do a driving trip along the Mississippi Coast to Bay St Louis, Pass Christian, Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula all on Hwy 90.

It was a beautiful day for this, cool but windy.

We drove slowly through the towns looking at the beautiful white sand beaches. We stopped so Budd could dip his toes in the Gulf of Mexico waters. He said it was "cold".

We stopped for coffee and a bathroom break in Pass Christian and for a tailgate lunch in Gulfport at a city park.

Looking right.

Looking left.

Clyda walking on the sand.

Beach has been machine cleaned.

The over riding thought by all of us was how many of the houses on the beach were just gone from Hurricane Katrina. The first block back from the beach is empty of buildings in most areas but the oak trees still stand. One block in, houses are being renovated or being newly built. It really shows the power of wind and the sea. The tidal surge in this area was reported to be 28 ft high. It is surprising how many oak trees survived.

In retrospect, the coast is much cleaner looking without the houses and businesses that were washed away. There is a sense of space now.

In Biloxi the casinos have come back with a vengeance, building bigger and higher than before Katrina.

 

 Slap yo Mama restaurant.

"Slap yo Mama" is a sprinkle on condiment which is salty and spicey at the same time. We didn't know there was a restaurant by that name.

We returned via I-10 to Slidell.

A very nice drive and one we would have missed with the RV's in tow.