Killing Two Mockingbirds with One Stone

The end is near, so we decided it was high time to drive to the Literary Capital of Alabama: Monroeville.
Spawning not one, but two literary greats, Nelle Harper Lee and Truman Capote, the town had been on our radar for a while.
The museum is housed in the old courthouse, whose design was the model for the courtroom setting in the film "To Kill a Mockingbird."

The museum is awesome! I mean, where else can you actually go into an old courtroom, touch everything, sit everywhere, take pictures, and have the whole room to yourself? In Monroeville on a Friday afternoon. That's where!

 Order in the Court!!

 Contemplative Juror

The town of Monroeville stages a theatrical version of "To Kill a Mockingbird" every year, with the local townspeople as the actors.  The photo above shows part of the set design behind the courthouse.

Where else to eat lunch after that, than Radley's Fountain Grille?! 

(Insert photo, which we forgot to take. I guess we'll have to come back.) 

Thanks for living history with me today!

Until next time,

Nadine

From St. Petersburg with Love

While I've always wanted to visit (and still do) the Russian St. Petersburg, one week off wasn't really conducive to traveling across continents. So we opted for the warm & sunny St. Pete instead.

Less travel time, less passport hassle, more parrots, more baseball. 

 We stayed at the Hollander Hotel. The patio was perfect for writing postcards, watching the afternoon storm, and having a drink!

 The locals seem to have a love-hate relationship with The Pier. Once a destination full of restaurants, shops, and an aquarium, it was officially closed to the public in May of 2013 to be demolished. It didn't get demolished, there were plans to revamp it, those fell through. Now it just sits there. I actually quite enjoy the decrepit 70's look and wish someone would shoot a horror film there. 

One can always hope...

 Oh, did I mention we rented a gigantic truck? The Beetle could have parked on the bed. It was a bit intimidating, but also cool to be up so high. 

 My favorite seabird: a pelican with a passion for mischief. He dive-bombed the seagulls, making them scatter into the 4 winds. 

 The Dali Museum

"The only difference between myself and a Madman is the fact that I am not mad."

 St. Pete at night

 St. Pete during the day

Thank you for spring breaking with me today!

Until next time,

Nadine