Gulf Islands National Seashore

We just left the Gulf Islands National Seashore, which is a really cool place, with beautiful white sand beaches, a real fort (Fort Pickens) and some BIG guns.  

We started our visit last Sunday by taking a drive to Pensacola Beach, where we accidentally found ourselves in the middle of the staging area for their Mardi Gras parade. It was really fun to see all people dressed in costumes and hear the music as we drove along side the floats.  We even got some beads.  But, unfortunately grandma forgot her camera.  But here are some photos from last year's parade she found on another blog.

On Monday we drove the motorhome over the Gulf Islands National Seashore campground, which was only a few steps from the beach. 

We took a great ranger led tour of the fort which was built in the early 1820s and was used by the military to defend Pensacola until just after World War II. 

But best of all I got to sit on one of the 6" guns that were put on the beach in World War II to protect our country.  Check out the white sand and water on the beach behind me.

Carrabelle Beach, Florida

Today we drove the road along the Gulf Coast of Florida to Fort Walton Beach.  Along the way we traveled through lots of small beach towns and saw lots of beaches, but we just had to stop at Carrabelle Beach at a beach side picnic area for a late breakfast and walk on the beach.   Here's some photos of me at the picnic area and on the beach.

 

  

 

The sand was really soft and white and the sun was really bright, but it was very cold today.

We also took the dogs for a walk on the beach.  They were fun to watch.  It was Toby's first time at a beach, so he was running back and forth checking out everything and he just had to stop and sniff every seashell and piece of seaweed he saw. 

Carabelle Beach is famous for the role it played in 1943 when soldiers used the beach for training as they prepared for the Invasion of Normandy.  Here's a link to the historical marker that tells all about it. 

Grandpa and grandma also took some time to walk on the beach to watch the sunset tonight.  They didn't take me or the dogs this time and didn't take any photos.  Maybe they will take us next time. 

Christmas Monkey's Excellent Adventure

After living with Jacqueline in 2009, she sent me through the post office in Ontario, California to Grandma's South Dakota mail forwarding service in Rapid City, South Dakota, where it was very cold and snowy. When Grandma told the mail forwarding company to send her mail they put my box inside another box with a lot of letters and magazines and shipped me to Grandma in Wachula, Florida. Although I was in a dark box I wasn't afraid because I knew that I would be going on a fun traveling adventure in Grandma's and Grandpa's new motorhome.


Grandma and Grandpa picked up their mail at the post office on February 4th and they were soooo surprised to find me. They were very happy that I came to live with them. As soon as they got home they put me in the driver's seat to take my picture .... don't I look comfy. 


They don't really let me drive though.

This year they promised to take me to some really fun places, take my picture and let me blog to let you know what I am doing and how much fun I am having.  You can leave me a message below and I'll be sure to read them.