Cruising  ~ The Cat’s Meow Style ~  August ~ November 2012

Our Circumnavigation of the Lower 48

Pt. 3 ~  From New York back to the Baja

 

 

We started our trek from Puerto Escondido, near Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico, on the Baja peninsula. We had gone to Arizona, west and north through California to Idaho, across the midwest to Ohio and then all the way north to Maine. We came down the east coast through Boston and New York City……….

                                                                       

          Squeak, our cruisin’ kitty, travels everywhere with us, and is very comfortable in the car       

 

After NYC, what comes next? Washington DC!!

 

                                                D.C.

 

Finally, we had some sunny weather. We walked our feet off in our nation’s capitol!  

We took the tour of the Capitol building, and we were both impressed with the tour and the building.

                       

                  Our Capitol building. We could not walk up the front steps because the podium for the swearing-in was being built.

 

We walked the entire length of the Mall….a long way with so much to see.

                                                                                                           

                                                   

                                                                Looking down the Mall                                                                                 Lincoln Memorial

 

                                                                 Martin at the Viet Nam Memorial wall

 

One day we “did” the museums along the Mall…as many as we could “do” in one day……there are such treasures here.

 

                                    The Air and Space Museum…awesome

 

 

                                                   

                           Museum of the American Indian, the newest museum                                                                    The amazing Museum of Art

 

 

                                                             North Carolina

 

After leaving D.C., we had a little car trouble, stopped in Myrtle Beach, North Carolina, where Martin found a good mechanic. We spent some extra time enjoying the beach, and even had great beach weather, and great food too!! Ribs, gumbo, catfish….YUM.

 

                                             Myrtle Beach from the pier                   

 

By this time, we knew we were in “Bubba land”…interesting. We were also in the land of…….

 

                                                                                                                                   

 

                                                South Carolina                                        

 

Charleston, SC, is where Martin spent his time in the Air Force. It has changed a bit since the ‘50’s….. We did get a glimpse of the plane he worked on, the Constellation, “Connie” for short. Not a good shot, but a glimpse.

 

                                                                                   

 

Charleston is a nice city, with an interesting mixture of cultures. We enjoyed walking through the City Market, going to the nearby islands, and driving along the low country.

 

                                        

                   A little place on Sullivan Island, outside of Charleston                                                                                       Down a Charleston area road

 

            Georgia

 

Robin had wanted to see Savannah, GA for many a moon, but when we finally got there, it was cold and windy, not real good weather for walking around. Still, we did see some beautiful spots. (Hurricane Sandy was wreaking havoc in the NYC area at the time.)

 

                                         

  Moss hangs from the trees in Savannah parks                                                          One of many mansions lining the parks

 

And, in this part of the country we were both enjoying the local culinary specialties, like great ribs, soft-shelled crab, gumbo, “low country jambalaya”, and lots of shrimp!

 

                                                                                                                        Florida 

 

Robin has yet another cousin, Jo Ellen, who lives in Niceville, FL, near the resort town of Destin. We had a nice visit, did some beach time, ate more good “suthin” food. Robin tried her first-ever chocolate martini!! O…Jo….you are a baaad influence!!!

 

                                        

                                                          Enjoying the beach at Destin                                                                                                Enjoying a chocolate martini, too!!

 

A good friend, Cheryl, from Robin’s California days, also lives in the FL panhandle, in Pascagula. Another opportunity for beach, food, fun.

 

                                          

                                               The white sugar sand beach of Pascagula                                                                                             Martin & Cheryl                                                               

 

This was our location during the presidential election….. WOW. The media onslaught….we were so glad when it was over!!! We are not used to that kind of noise!!!

                                               

 

 

 What comes after Florida? Why….Louisiana and New Orleans, of course!!!         Louisiana

 

 

                

                 Beignets n’ coffee, a staple of New O’rleans                                                                       Bubba Gump’s shrimp, another staple

 

                

                                    Jazz in the street                                                                                                                              A N.O. Indian

 

                

                     Wrought iron on interesting buildings                                                                                             A stop at Margaritaville!!

 

                

                                        Big Al’s blues at the Funky Pirate…                                                                        …and Zydeco down the street at the Bayou Club

 

…..and more. Wow. We enjoyed N.O. so much we have decided to return in October!!

 

And then, the long drive across the middle of the states, again. There really isn’t much out there, is there?? Not even gas stations.

 

 

Well, we finally completed our circumnavigation, getting back into Phoenix, AZ once again, with just enough time for some quick shopping, re-packing the car, and heading off for Puerto Escondido. Whew!!! A two-month trip that grew into three months. WOW. What a trip!!!

 

But WAIT!!! We were not quite yet done……….. 

                                                                                                                                     Baja California Sur, MX

 

 

 

              We still had more driving to do, through some beautiful desert, on the Baja peninsula.

 

When we arrived on the east coast of the Baja, we found a luscious green floor of cactus and all kinds of trees, bushes, and vines! What a beautiful sight! Butterflies were everywhere, cactus were blooming…. A very nice welcome home.

 

We found a green desert on the east coast of Baja                      

 

Well, it looks like you made it through the entire voyage, with us. Thanks so much for coming along! We enjoy sharing our adventures by land and by sea with friends like you.  We have a couple of other “special” pages for you to see from our circumnavigation of the lower 48, so come on back soon for some more……..Cruising ~ The Cat’s Meow Style!