Tanked in Perdido Key and a Covered Bridge in Elberta
I’m currently at the gulf coast, near the Florida-Alabama border. Yes, near the infamous Florabama. I’ve been there a couple times, but tend to stay away when there are large events and crowds. It’s mostly a massive bar that serves food, and has nightly entertainment. And church on Sundays.
Wait, what? Church in a bar?
Welcome to the south!
This is not the only church in a bar in this area. There are two that I know of.
You must have questions. I know you have questions. I did.
Yes, they server alcohol during the service and many people go grab a drink before taking their seat.
No, the seats are not your traditional church pews, but rather uncomfortable seating with a bar in the same area.
In the case of the Florabama, it’s those uncomfortable plastic folding chairs. The service is large by local standards and held in an open-air tent that covers a large patio area off the bar. I have been to this service twice.
The other, which is a Unity Church that has moved between several bars/restaurants in my scant time here, the seating is whatever the bar/restaurant offers, be it uncomfortable wooden bar stools or worn-out booths. I attended this one on several occasions, but found the atmosphere most distracting. I don’t drink and don’t mind if I’m around it, but it was just weird to be in “church” with the constant noise of bar sounds competing with the sermon.
Funny story about the second one… I had never even heard of “church in a bar” until a friend of mine wanted to check out the new Unity Church in town. I had no idea what to expect, but thought this couldn’t possibly be a real thing. A small group of us went one Sunday morning.
At the bar/pizza restaurant, they had the usual coffee/tea/cookies station set up on the bar, where alcoholic drinks were also being served to the congregation. I was definitely surprised to see the bar was open on a Sunday morning – and that the congregants were ordering drinks before the service! Most notable, and a tad shocking, was that among the danishes and assorted snacks was a plate of small cookies, each of which had been cut into smaller quarters. Attached to the plate was a sign with writing in red marker: “CAUTION These cookies are made with CBD. Consume at your own risk and only eat a small portion.” I did not have any, but noticed one woman eating the small pieces as if they were M&Ms.
To each his own, but that’s just not my kind of church. I prefer the standard incense and regular snacks. Heck, I enjoy services that include meditation. But mimosas and CBD cookies just don’t strike me as “churchy”.
Ok, I do want to get to the topic of the post before this gets too long. (Too late? Too bad.)
A Rare Covered Bridge
In the small town of Elberta, Alabama, there is a covered bridge. It was built by the property owner some years ago.
Tanked in Perdido Key
I’m sure most of you have heard of the TV show “Tanked,” where they build cool, often large, custom fish tanks for folks, usually celebrities, and the occasional business. The Tanked folks built a small one for the Perdido Key Visitors Center.
Church in a bar? Those might have been my peeps a while back. But how about an AA meeting in a bar? I’ve been to one
If one knows he is crazy, he probably isn’t. My friends think that Ey am crazy because Ey don’t believe in spirituality of any kind. There is no existence beyond this one. There is no reward or punishment for being human. There are no devils or goblins or saints hovering about. Ey have resisted the brainwashing and indoctrination of superstition, mythology, and afterlife. Ey do not carry this burden.
Five years on the road in my Fox on a Ford, Ey have pondered the physical world of desert, oceans, and forests. Ey am content. Ey am mostly alone, but not lonely.
At night Ey am a tiny bug looking out into the vastness of the universe.
Ey am crazy, but Ey like myself this way
The Loneoutdoorsman
Loneoutdoorsman – Thank you for being a loyal fan – and for your generous PayPal donation! That was so sweet of you and I appreciate it, and your continued loyalty, very much!
I like your outlook and appreciate the view and agree with much of it.
Travel safely!