You may think you know a town, but not really - until you walk it. There are sights, sounds, people and slices of life available only to pedestrians. So, park the car, lace the sneakers, and walk a mile in my shoes. Downtown is waiting. For a slow walk through a fast city, obtain a copy of the excellent brochure, Dauphin Street Historic District Walking Tour. The pamphlet, available at Fort Conde, provides maps, descriptions, drawings and information that guarantee you'll mutter, "I didn't know that," as you walk. For my day on the beat, I selected 10 of the 52 listed points of interest. I chose them for their architectural uniqueness, historical significance, or because they promised to be just plain fun to see. The other 42 documented spots are just as interesting. Don't skip any. On my quick tour, I accessed Mobile without an internal combustion engine. Walking allows you to feel the city. Its personality comes alive in hanging flower baskets, a storekeeper's smile, the aroma of fresh donuts, and other subtleties not noticed at 60 mph. Downtown is more then our history and government center. It is our heart, best explored on foot. STOP 1: DANIELS ELGIN & CO (2 Water Street) The first stop on my tour is a fully functional almost 150-year-old office complex. The cast iron facade, ordered from New York's Badger Iron Works, has lasted 148 years. The cast iron elements reflect the Venetian palazza style. Before you say, "They don't make them like that anymore," yes, they do. Badger Iron Works is still in business. STOP 2: VAN ANTWERP BUILDING (101 Dauphin Street) Today, the RSA Tower is our tallest skyscraper. But, in 1906, druggist Garet Van Antwerp built Mobile's first skyscraper. Not scraping as much sky, the 11-story structure was the first reinforced concrete building assembled in Mobile. Renowned architect George Rogers designed it. The rounded northeast corner contains a large emblem with the initials "GVA" - for Garet Van Antwerp. STOP 3: KREES BUILDING (115-117 Dauphin Street) Before super shopping centers and mega malls, Kress ruled. I worked here briefly as a teenager. Good to revisit an old friend. The 1907 five-and-dime store was designed by Seymour Burell. S.H. Kress & Co. was known for the distinctive architectural style of its stores. It had hardwood floors and ceiling fans. The soda fountain was a hub for news and gossip of World War I and II. Presently, the Kress building is vacant and for sale. It's a pity. STOP 4: RSA BATTLE HOUSE TOWER (11 N. Water Street) Look up - 745 feet, 35 stories. There are no official interior tours of Alabama's tallest building, but the reflective base is impressive. It mirrors surrounding city scenes. The tower's top spire can be seen 30 miles out in Mobile Bay. For a peek at an office interior, see page 52. STOP 5: BATTLE HOUSE HOTEL (26 N. Royal Street) President Woodrow Wilson spoke here. Confederate President Jefferson Davis slept here. Famous Confederate spy Belle Boyd signed the 1863 guest register. Walk into the lobby, look straight up and behold a mosaic in the round. Above your head, history is sculpted into a domed ceiling, including a stained glass rotunda and representations of the entities who once ruled Mobile. Also, check out the "whispering" arches that seem to magnify voices. STOP 6: BIENVILLE SQUARE Changing Bienville Square takes an act of Congress - literally. In 1824, the United States government granted this greenery to Mobile, stipulating that it would forever be a city park. For almost two centuries, we have happily obeyed the decree. Twenty-nine years older than New York's Central Park, Bienville Square has remained virtually unchanged. It is a hub for farmer's markets, concerts, art shows and special events, including February's American Cancer Society's Chili Cook Off. STOP 7: SAENGER THEATRE (6-8 Joachim Street) When it opened Jan. 19, 1927, local dignitaries proclaimed it "Mobile's entertainment palace." Little girls performed dance recitals here. Bob Hope hoofed it here, too. The Saenger was recently restored to glory days, when people dressed up to see a movie. Unless an event is playing, the building is locked. However, a peek through the front door reveals an impressive lobby. STOP 8: CATHEDRAL OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION (4. S. Claiborne Street) Witnessing sunrise over the golden twin domed spires is worth waking up early. The interior features German art glass windows, bronze, marble appointments and hand-carved stations of the cross. The massive worship center is open for daily mass services. All visitors should enter the sanctuary respectfully and quietly. A sign in front says "The cathedral belongs to all Mobile." We are very fortunate. STOP 9: SCOTTISH RITE TEMPLE (351 St. Francis Street) This is Mobile's finest example of Egyptian architecture. Okay, it's our only example of Egyptian architecture. But, I have never noticed this before: the twin sphinxes guarding the entrance are different colors - one is beige, the other white. Each has the head of a pharaoh and the body of Dolly Parton. The building is usually locked, but be sure to notice the massive front doors. They're twice as tall as you are. STOP 10: WINTZELL'S OYSTER HOUSE (601-605 Dauphin Street) They have shucked oysters on this block since 1938. Wintzell's Oyster House is the only commercial-use wooden building left on downtown Dauphin Street. Forget history for a few minutes and try the famous raw oysters or fried shrimp.