“Can you hear me?” I whisper, standing, with my face inches from the whispering arch at the historic Battle House Hotel in Mobile, Alabama. My friend, Mary, is at the opposite end, ready to receive my message. “Let’s stick around and eavesdrop conversations,” she whispers. We turn to face one another, then giggle like tweenagers, happy to have taken the double-dog dare to test the famous phenomenon.
The whispering arch is only one of the surprises at this elegantly restored grand dame in the heart of an invigorated downtown Mobile. I’m blown away by the original Tiffany glass ceilings in the lobby and dining rooms and the trompe l’oeil murals. Among other signs of the $220 million renovation for the hotel known as “Mobile’s living room” is a 1920s mural that rings the Crystal Ball Room and the smashing chandeliers, plus the very luxurious twenty-first century guest rooms and totally organic spa.
When it comes to vacation destinations, the city of Mobile lives up to the motto, “over the top, under the radar”—particularly for families. And especially for Mardi Gras (also known as Fat Tuesday, the day of revelry before the austerity of Lent). Mobilians are quick to brag, “We were the first Mardi Gras” but as a former New Orleanian, I’m incensed. Alas, ‘tis true. The gargantuan celebration was first held in Mobile in 1840. It didn’t spread to New Orleans until 1857.
There are nearly as many similarities between the two celebrations as differences. Both cities have an extended Carnival season with numerous parades that take place long before the actual day. But while the merriment in New Orleans is wild and wooly with copious amounts of alcoholic beverages consumed, Mobile’s fete is family-focused with designated alcohol-free zones. In addition, the city has the only museum in the world dedicated to Mardi Gras costumes. Talk about over the top bling! (Mardi Gras 2010 is Tuesday, February 16.)
Museums!
One of my favorite things about downtown Mobile is the accessibility to museums, restaurants and shops. We stroll easily from the Battle House to the History Museum, the Mardi Gras Museum and The Exploreum, an interactive “edutainment” science center. I confess, it’s my favorite. I could live there—if my grandkids were along for the adventure.
In “My Body Works,” a gy-normous beating heart goes into cardiac arrest and its ever-faster beats bring medical “intervention” from museum goers. I test my blood pressure (happy to find I’m still alive) and calculate how many miles I need to walk to burn off the fried oysters and bread pudding I ate for lunch (oh my word!). I test my arm strength (no surprise, I’m a wuss); see how high I can jump (okay, stop laughing) and record the findings on my activity card. As I exit, I receive a health profile which I can compare to findings on my next visit (and there will be one). With interactive experiments, “breathing” dinosaur replicas and traveling exhibits, there is always something fun to see and do.
Mother Nature
After a day of museuming, we head to Five Rivers, a 250,000-acre wetland and water trail that reaches from Gadsden to Mobile. We climb aboard a skiff and encounter a flock of white pelicans that have stopped to rest before heading farther south. Our naturalist silences the engines. Overhead, the wide wing of the huge birds casts a large shadow over us. They soar as gracefully as a chorus of ballerinas dipping and swirling through the cloudless November sky. We’re mesmerized.
Glorious Bellingrath Gardens
Hooked on fresh air, we strike out for Bellingrath Gardens the next day. Our timing this mild November day is impeccable. By chance, we catch a dress rehearsal for Magic Christmas in Lights, known worldwide for the three-million light display that begins annually the day after Thanksgiving. If looking for a single reason to visit Mobile, this is it. The sixty-five-acre Gardens and original home of Mr. and Mrs. Walter D. Bellingrath, are worth seeing 364 days a year (closed Christmas Day).
