Day 36, Natchez Mississippi to Southhaven MS

Happy B-day Emily!!!!
More to come. jerr

Day 36, Natchez Mississippi to Southhaven MS

We ate breakfast at the hotel seated by a window looking into the courtyard.

The neat item there was a fire burning through the water spray. A nice buffet of scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon fried potatoes and grits. Good grits. The coffee’s brand name was Community Coffee, a delicious flavor. Our waitress asked if we wanted anything, I said is there some bacon out? She looked said a new batch was out and I could get as much as I wanted. I took a couple swigs of coffee and around the corner she came with a small plate piled high with bacon. Really nice, she was as pleasant as ever to talk to. Almost forgot the pears and warm peaches were a real treat.



As we were checking out against the wall was a glass framed forty star flag. It was said that it was the flag that was first draped over Grant's casket, pierced by Civil War bullets and given by a first Sargent. I mention it because Danielle and Abby saw Grant’s house in Galena Illinois a couple years ago.








Now down to see the river. The road we took down yesterday was blocked. We walked down the road, steep road to the bottom. The river had over flown the sandbags of yesterday. They were re-bagging the area around the casino; yes people were still going on board. I suspect they wanted to sell their story about the steamboat crashing into the bridge during the high water. After a slow, slow walk back up the road admiring some wild flowers along the way we looked at a couple of old homes with beautiful flowers blooming.












Off to the St. Mary Basilica, once the first Catholic Church built as a Cathedral. Also had a sign that the first name for the church was “Church of the Sorrowful Mother”, statue behind the priests house had a statue of her. What a beautiful inside, statues on ledges above the peoples heads over the pews,

‘The Crucifixion” a nice painting behind the alter, hanging on the wall are the Stations of the Cross similar in design to the ones in the New Ulm Cathedral.















Through the Melrose mansion we went. It was massive but the people who had lived there had many tradgies that would put gloom into the house. The first floor was for guests and nicely appointed with green drapperies (green was more expensive than gold and red). More nice woods and rugs. The upstairs was more frugel, they did not need to show off up here as only relatives would ever make it this far up in the house. The furnishings was really nice.

This dress was made of silk in Paris for the girls wedding. The wedding took place during bailing cotton and the father would not attend and therefore her mother neither. But she decorated a bedroom with wallpaper of draps and flower wall paper.








This was slave quarters, second floor, the first floor was used for household work. The quarters were called Dependency homes. Actually the Masters house was dependent on them 24 hours a day.










These were a little further off and housed the horse and garden workers. Not quite as nice but better than most. The owners even attended the wedding of a slave couple.

We left town going NORTH stopped for gas and ate at a Bonefish Grill in Madison MS. We split meal of four shrimp scampi with a small filet and potatoes Au gratin, a nice blend of cubed potatoes, mixed with a hard cheese so as nt to make them mushy, coated with panko crumbs and toasted, nice.

We then took the slow road to Jackson on the Natchez Trace. The road wound through the countryside at 50 MPH.

It was beauty at its best. It followed an old Indian trail (or trace) from Natchez to Nashville more than 500 miles long. THis trail was used by wagons early in the 19th century used by traders and settlers. Many people we ran into here were following the full trail We got off at Jackson.

jerr

Day 35, Natchez Mississippi, Eola Hotel, NEW

The storm you see going on down here is not by us. We had thought we would go to Jackson MS, but made a hard left to come here, not even knowing about the weather. Bright outside, doesn't look like anything coming.

Day 35, Natchez Mississippi

That morning we cut across the top of the lake to go to Memphis that evening. We stopped at the visitor center in Mississippi and picked up information. Here I found out that Jackson was the Capital, knew that once I guess but forgot. Shirleen was reading the info on Natchez and said it sounded neat. I saw a sign that said Natchez to the left, a hard left was made and we went through more scenic sights to the city.

When we pulled in the clouds were heavy and dark but a bit north of us. We picked up info and went to eat.

The Magnolia Grill under the hill was suggested. We got down there and the river is right there. A half block down was a gambling river boat, with a tug against the side and sandbags along the road. We could tell tings were different than usual. The river was running fast and flooding across the river could be seen. There was a Comfort Suites sandbagged over there and I thought we could probably get a heavily discounted first floor room that was vetoed. We went in for lunch and ordered, Shirleen a Samburger with American cheese with deep fried sweet potatoes. She asked for grilled onions and he didn’t know what they were?? I another crawfish Etouffeé over rice, yummy.

We went to the Johnson free-slave house. He was a barber and became a respected citizen but not equal to the white respected citizens. He had a great business and earned the respect. His problem was over a border dispute and the other guy killed him at the early age of 42 he was buried in the town cemetery and was the first black buried there.

With the rain coming we thought lets find a place to stay. A local renovated hotel was suggested; never know what they are like. After driving around and through the driveway but not being able to figure out how to get in, even front door didn’t look right. In this small town they have one way streets like St. Paul and to get anywhere was at least six blocks away. I went to the desk of the Natchez Eola Hotel http://www.natchezeola.com/ and saw that there was a physician meeting was being held there, figured out of my price range. I was able to get weekday rates with a queen balcony room, small but adequate and lovely. We had to get a suitcase in because we needed warmer and more respectable clothing. This is where the clothes I left on the bed at home would have come in handy. We also decided to eat there, they had some neat little biscuits that I liked; Shirleen a six ounce filet great tasting and I three pieces of catfish, although I ordered a fried catfish Etouffeé suspect my accent got things mixed up, he was also a little slow, glad we got there before the crowd came.

We took our car to a town presentation ‘Historic Natchez Pageant’ it has been put on for many years about 16 times a year. It depicts scenes of the Antebellum South of long ago, recreating the diversity and grandeur of historic Natchez, the oldest town on the Mississippi River. Young people played most of the parts, hoop skirts and handsome gentlemen.

A four piece orchestra, with two violins and piano and something else?? played before and all during the event. Children from around four and up played parts. They a skit with 10 to 14 year old girls and boys do a ribbon dance around a May pole, braiding the strips down the pole, neat.

A ballerina made us think of Abby.

Poor picture but the best part was when one of the town blacks came out and sang ‘Old Man River’ what a powerful voice, hesitations in the right places emphasized the plight. It struck us, as yesterday when we were standing along the river in New Orleans I said; it just keeps running, meaning the water goes to the gulf. Much like the song implies. It just keeps rolling along. Toward the end the confederate flag came running across the stage and the band struck up the confederate song. The crowd rose to there feet, three of us remained sitting.

A little later the flag came out and all sang the Anthem together. During the presentation the rain and thunder struck with flashes of lightning. We did not know that the cities Vicksburg and Jackson were getting beat up by the storm. We went to the car and it was a light drizzle, but warm. jerr

Day 34, from New Orleans to Slidell LA Sleep Inn,

We now had another day to do New Orleans!! Once off Bourbon Street it gets much cleaner. Seeing that there are no laws against drinking in public, this street has the bars and yuk. A side comment we ran into two gals we talked to yesterday twice today.

This is the hotel with Shirleen sitting on the porch.

We started off at Café Du Monde for our morning coffee and beignet.

Today during coffee there was a street group doing gospel type music. The banjo player was the straight man and the trumpet player was the comedian. He fleeced the crowd for tips and cd sales, but did it with a twist of humor. He held up a cd and said these are on sale but please don’t stampede, of course no one got up, then he said, OK go ahead and stampede. A roar goes up, much applause, I even tendered up as we left.

In the alley of the café we could watch them make the beignets, the guy I suspect ate many of these. Fun to watch, they have a device that flattens and cuts the dough.

He then carefully pulls the partially cut triangles with all the flour falling off and stacks them six deep and throws, yes throws them into hot oil, BEHIND him without looking. The oil splashes against the back and off they fry. He turns them once and after that side is brown he pushes the entire batch under the hot oil for the final cook. He takes them out and hands the off to a gal who places three on a plate or in a bag for take out and dumps a full cup of powdered sugar on top. Here is where a small amount becomes crystallized and gives it a great taste. I can still taste them.

We walked to the National Parks exhibit; they have a tour in the afternoon to come back to. We then walked around the streets and back to the hotel, sitting outside taking in the warmth of the sun. We then went to eat and found the Omni hotel’s restaurant Rib Room. They, as Brennan’s, buy the bread from a great baker in town, it is a soft inside with a semi-hard crust and gobs of butter not spread. Shirleen’s half roasted chicken with garlic flavored mashed potatoes and asparagus were great, my lightly fried red fish with ratatouille was superb.

The National Park tour was nice as we visited many of the places down by the Mississippi. The depth of the river at this point is 230 feet and ¾ of a mile wide, much deeper than I ever would have thought. Before the tour we had a special talk Lagniappe (a small gift) about the Barataria battle more at http://lsm.crt.state.la.us/cabildo/cab6.htm by Ranger Harold on the 1812 Battle of New Orleans, where the local pirate helped Jackson win the battle.

This is where we headed SOUTH along the east bank of the Mississippi River, most of the time you are beneath the levee and can’t see a thing. But the drive is slow and country-ish, with bayous and small lakes abound. After the 30 miles or so we made the turn back up to the ferry. We went all the way to the end to go through Bohemia, it no longer exists, may be Katrina blew it away. The ferry is subsidized by the local Parish. I got out of the car and befriended the engineer, Harold. We talked about the engines, 2 of them 1,200 HP, hydraulic and air systems. He talked about his dad, 91, had his clothes ripped off him but saved by Harold’s brother. There was not much there but there was not much left.

A couple sets of stairs but no house behind them, many FEMA trailers well kept but out in now-where’s-land. Sure these people have been forgotten but are they happy, YES.

Hunter said that they can live off the land and river, by catching, fish, oysters and crawfish. His pronunciation of oyster was off the chart but Shirleen caught on. The waves were rough and just as we were talking off from the dock, I noticed that a ship was coming up the river and the bow had just passed us. We went downriver a bit and swung behind the steamer.

From here we swung a hard left and continued down the levee toward the end of the road and river outlet. Past much destruction and trailers, again well kept. I really suspect these also will never see another home again. We did pass past the town where the center of Katrina passed, Buras. Now we get to the end of the road in Venice Louisiana and the GPS road quit but I didn’t. We drove toward some of the shipping port and fish boats. As we progressed Shirleen said, that water is to close to the road, a little, enough for the guys to park there trucks and do some fishing.

The view was at sunset and the big birds and pelicans were roosting out on the dead trees.

Turned around and went the other way, here we could see the Mississippi, which at this time was fogging with a ship headed out. This is what I wanted to see the end of the river where not many tread. Wish I had took a picture of the GPS at that time but thought of it later. Follow the river on the picture and see where we went to the end.

Now head north and find a place to stay, up the 70 miles or so to New Orleans and up to Slidell on the northeast side of Lake Pontchartrain. Luck was with us and we found one, Friday the air show had them taken. jerr

Day 33, New Orleans, a street off Bourbon Street, Cornstalk Fence Hotel

The car is fixed? Well we got it back at 6:05 this eve.

We just got back from Brennan's. jerr

Post for Michelle G.
Brennan's, the restaurant where banana's Foster was invented. Among the many we have had, these were exceptional.

This statue reminds me of the German-Bohemian statue in New Ulm. It shows the immigrants as a family, this in marble.

Commemorates the components of this area, Indian, religious and French.

Café Du Monde, the originator of the beignet, (ben yay) and flavorful chicory flavored coffee. A French donut without a hole and tons of powdered sugar.

YUMMY, says Jerr!!

Flowers reminded me of mom and her love of the petunia of the pink variety.

This hour program was a hoot. The piano player put on a good talk and tickled those keys quickly. The clarinet was also a joy to listen to, he looked caught up in the music beat and maybe something else to make his eye's buggy.

Café Amilie as we were walking by we thought, this looks like a nice place to eat lunch. As it turned out it was the courtyard of the Princess of Monaco court years ago. Shirleens roast beef sandwich on ciabatta bread was great, I had a cup of crawfish gumbo and a muffaletta sandwich, comprosed of ham, provolone, red pepper, green and black olive compoye on toasted ciabatta bread.

This shot from the front porch of the Cornstalk Hotel.

We took the St. Charles streetcar and went through the mansion quarters as you can see by the house below.

Shirleen had a filet mignon with a crispy potato wedge mashed potatoes, carrots and a cabernet reduced orange sauce.

I had a filet mignon accompanied byfried bananas in a warm creamy horseradish. Both great, not many better.
jerr

Day 432 Tuesday

Have a fine April Fools Day.

Also the favorite flower of Shirleen's of two days ago was not an azalia that the lady identified it is a Tung Oil tree: http://waynesword.palomar.edu/tungoil1.htm

Off for a tour of the city by trolley and then tackle the car thing. Then who knows what. jerr

Well to start the day we took the tour of N. O. Anther couple at our hotel went also, they from Ottawa vacationing in Florida and SC. The van was partially filled with guests of other hotels. Off we went through the French quarter into Ward 9. Katrina is much better understood through ones “minds eye”. It is the massiveness of the destruction, that part of the town with its many now open lots, few to ever be filled. The Fema trailer next to a dilapidated home is being rebuilt. To get back into the house they have to remove everything down to the studs. Then the family has to treat the black mold, according to city law, with a chemical at $8 per square foot. The hardest hit are those who are middle income and have traditionally paid there bills. There is little help, they have to eek it out on there own. The Cad dealer service guy owns a lot next to a levee. It was taken by the Corp of Engineers, but not paid for nor can the owner sell the house without jumping through hoops and the two in the Cad shop have taken hits. The guy sold his lot for $88K, before Katrina his lot alone was worth $250. His father had two lots worth about a half mil and he got $66K for the two. No rhyme or reason. My car troubles pale in comparison.

We went down St. Charles Street, garden areas. The houses on the front street were massive mansions with cared for gardens and shrubs, iron gates and a beautiful setting. The house adjoining it behind was run down or boarded up. This has always been typical and unseen by the people living here. That street is also the one that Mardi Gras goes down, all along the street, on the trees, lamp poles and anywhere they can hang Mardi Gras beads are wrapped on them never taken off.

We stopped at the local cemetery! They bury there dead above ground. Many of the markers have no names and are uncared for and when the cemetery needs a opening they can confiscated it. Not sure what they do with remains.

He showed us a marker with many family names on it and 88 bodies within. The families own the site and a yer plus a day after they died they take the little remains, suitcase full and wrap it and place it into a chamber in the front or behind the marker.

You may wonder how they retrieve the body, behind the center marker with the names on it can be removed. Behind the markers is a brick wall, this they brake through and remove the slightly embalmed body. They only embalm for the funeral, this aids in the quick decomposition, sure the heat doesn’t hurt.

Now for the event of the day, taking the car in. When we got there they said they would take care of us. They are paying for a 07 DTS Cad at Enterprise rent a car. Ours is somewhere inside the service area. Stopped by at 5:30 pm no ideas yet, I said not surprised. Stopped for a quick bit to eat at a Steak and Ale, just a chain but nice people.

We did go to a Mansion and Garden during the afternoon. As we went to it we passed a cemetery where the originating owner of Popeye’s Chicken and now Copelands restaurants was being laid to rest. The man found out he had cancer last December. Around the area was his #13 race car, motorcycle and racing speed boat, all painted yellow and black, flashy. He did have the ceremonial 5 band members play the tunes for the funeral dirge and then the jazz.

The setting is again in a large open area with many live oaks lining the way. The gardens were being spruced up for the weekend activity. Flowers blooming, neat stone work on the walkway and manicured lawn. We then went through the mansion. The original owners were Sears owners and another rich family. The matron of the family wanted to leave the mansion to the city of New Orleans for a place to exhibit her art and style. Homes walls from England and German. They would remove the walls and reconstruct in America.

Pretty

Pretty

Rock work and adjoining brick.

We brought 8 inches of snow to Denton Texas and street flooding water to the streets of New Orleans. Do you want us to stop by, what should we bring? jerr