The evening view over Birmingham from Vulcan. September 25, 2026.The sign that sent us to the stairs at Vulcan.Vulcan above the steps, seen from the grounds.Ribs and fried green tomatoes at Dreamland.The Civil Rights Memorial Center, photographed from outside.The Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery. September 26, 2026.A detail from the relief map of Alabama that caught my attention in Montgomery.The Original Oyster House near Mobile. September 26, 2026.Fish and grits at the lunch table, with beans and rice alongside.The marsh beside the restaurant, with water just beyond the parking area.USS Alabama from the grounds, with a propeller on display in front.Outdoor exhibits with the Mobile skyline beyond.A Coast Guard helicopter among the outdoor aircraft displays.A jet viewed from behind on the battleship grounds.Jackson Square and the cathedral on Sunday morning. September 27, 2026.The first evening in New Orleans. September 26, 2026.The market: food counters, hanging lights and a steady flow of people.Street signs and balcony ironwork at Gov. Nicholls and North Rampart.The Joan of Arc statue, one of the monuments along the morning walk.Café du Monde, photographed from the sidewalk.The City of New Orleans riverboat at the waterfront earlier in the day.A Canal streetcar in the midday sun.The shrimp plate at Superior Seafood, with potatoes and green beans.The riverboat and waterfront seen across the river during the afternoon.The courthouse in Algiers, photographed during the afternoon.A pond and footbridge on the afternoon walk.A trumpet in hand: a musician’s statue in the park.A passing ship beneath the bridge as the evening light changed.The New Orleans skyline across the Mississippi at sunset. September 27, 2026.