Kevin had a conference in New Orleans and he let me tag along with him. I've always wanted to go. I don't know why? I think the south is so interesting. They have their own culture within our larger American culture. Their own food, their own accent, their own traditions and history; it's fascinating. We flew into New Orleans and then drove to Natchez, Mississippi and this is the Bed and Breakfast we stayed in. It was right on the banks of the Mississippi River. It was gorgeous.
How big is the Mississippi? HUGE! It was even bigger than normal when we were there because it was flooding.
Kevin was kind enough to go for a run with me the next morning. No he isn't a runner but being a natural athlete can just wake up and run 5 miles, no problem. It kind of makes me mad, but I'm sure grateful that he can be my running partner at times like these. While we were running we saw white-tail deer, cardinals, and we heard all these different kinds of birds. We saw this little African American Baptist church in the woods with a little cemetery, we saw beautiful homes and small little shacks. It was so different and fascinating. We ran along the river but we could only see it every so often because the trees were so thick and dense; it was amazing! I told Kevin while we were running, 'we are in the serious deep south." It was so interesting, I love going new places.
The B&B we stayed at gave us a voucher to have breakfast at another B&B called Dunleith, which turned out to be this fabulous plantation house. 
Isn't it just what you think of when you think of southern plantation homes?
On the grounds of this home was this enormous magnolia tree. The main tree had sprung new magnolia trees all around it so it looked like one big tree. It was like a family of trees that all came from one tree and were still connected to that tree and to each other; it was beautiful. 
Isn't it just what you think of when you think of southern plantation homes?
On the grounds of this home was this enormous magnolia tree. The main tree had sprung new magnolia trees all around it so it looked like one big tree. It was like a family of trees that all came from one tree and were still connected to that tree and to each other; it was beautiful. 
Yeah, I could get used to living in a house like that.
While we were there the Mississippi River was flooding. Thankfully Natchez was on a 200 foot bluff overlooking the River. On the other side of the river in Louisiana they were having all sorts of issues. 
Next we went on a tour of another plantation home. The house had this long driveway with huge magnolia trees that are just dripping with Spanish moss; it was so southern. 
And how fabulous is this house? This is a house that was built by a man with so much money he didn't know what to do with it, because he relied on the labor of slaves. He started it right before the Civil War and then he died during the War. When the War was over, his widow was left with hardly anything and so the house was left unfinished. The entire outside and the first floor are done but the rest is just framed. 
I love trees, which is interesting because I live in Utah, which is kind of a desert they tell me. But I love trees. When we visit the East I am in awe of the trees! And the south has some fabulous trees. They don't have cold winters so these trees grow and grow and grow all year long and they were huge!
On the grounds was this old building that used to be the slaves quarters. Which is really sad but as a history teacher, so interesting to have history staring right back at you.
While we were touring another plantation house Kevin saw that is had a golf course in it's back yard and I just couldn't keep him away!
This was another slave quarters that housed 'house slaves'. Again, it was so sad but also so interesting in a historical way.
This bush is covered in gardenias! It smelled amazing! I so wish I could grow this at my house, even if I do live in the desert.
Another gorgeous and idyllic plantation house; I just want one for my very own.
On Sunday we had some time to sight-see all around the city. This is the St. Louis Cathedral right in the French Quarter. 
It was beautiful, just beautiful.
This statue is of Andrew Jackson and it is right in front of the St. Louis Cathedral. Again the history teacher in me was in history heaven!
The food lover in me was also in food heaven. Hello beignets. If you don't know what beignets are, they are kind of like fried donuts or scones that are special to New Orleans and they are De-lici-ous. I highly recommend them.
Next we went on a tour of another plantation home. The house had this long driveway with huge magnolia trees that are just dripping with Spanish moss; it was so southern. 
And how fabulous is this house? This is a house that was built by a man with so much money he didn't know what to do with it, because he relied on the labor of slaves. He started it right before the Civil War and then he died during the War. When the War was over, his widow was left with hardly anything and so the house was left unfinished. The entire outside and the first floor are done but the rest is just framed. 
I love trees, which is interesting because I live in Utah, which is kind of a desert they tell me. But I love trees. When we visit the East I am in awe of the trees! And the south has some fabulous trees. They don't have cold winters so these trees grow and grow and grow all year long and they were huge!
On the grounds was this old building that used to be the slaves quarters. Which is really sad but as a history teacher, so interesting to have history staring right back at you.
While we were touring another plantation house Kevin saw that is had a golf course in it's back yard and I just couldn't keep him away!
This was another slave quarters that housed 'house slaves'. Again, it was so sad but also so interesting in a historical way.
This bush is covered in gardenias! It smelled amazing! I so wish I could grow this at my house, even if I do live in the desert.
Another gorgeous and idyllic plantation house; I just want one for my very own. After Natchez we drove back to New Orleans. We had to bring back the rental car full of gas so we were frantic to find a gas station before the rental place closed. We found one, but it was definitely the scariest gas station we had ever been to. The Scariest! What a welcome to New Orleans, scary!
Thankfully we made it to our beautiful hotel that was right on Bourbon Street. Bourbon Street is gross. Wow, what a culture shock. Our hotel was amazing though, it was an oasis of peace, coolness, and calm in the sea of crazy that is New Orleans.
Kevin's conference was right on the Mississippi River so I captured this picture of a riverboat; again, so idyllic.
On Sunday we had some time to sight-see all around the city. This is the St. Louis Cathedral right in the French Quarter. It was beautiful, just beautiful. 
This statue is of Andrew Jackson and it is right in front of the St. Louis Cathedral. Again the history teacher in me was in history heaven!
The food lover in me was also in food heaven. Hello beignets. If you don't know what beignets are, they are kind of like fried donuts or scones that are special to New Orleans and they are De-lici-ous. I highly recommend them. We ate the best food in New Orleans and I mean the best. It was fabulous. I had fried tomatoes stuffed with goat cheese, delicious BBQ oysters, BBQ shrimp, and fish, fish, and more fish. Oh it was so good, I'm still thinking about it.
We also tried to visit the cemetery but it closed at 3:00 in the afternoon. We took these pictures from the gate and around the perimeter. 
After dinner on Sunday, which by the way was fabulous, Kevin and I took a trolley ride into the Garden District and to the Audubon Park. We loved seeing all the old mansions in New Orleans.
On our last night we went to a restaurant in the French Market area of New Orleans, which turned out to be my favorite part of New Orleans.
If you look closely you can see Mardi Gras beads in their trees...
Wow, New Orleans was interesting. Don't know if I'll go back, ever. It was neat to see, the hotel was Amazing (thank goodness), but I didn't love it. I really liked Mississippi. Seeing the 'deep south' that I have only read about was so neat but New Orleans was really smelly and dirty. Interesting though, I will give you that New Orleans, you are interesting.
After dinner on Sunday, which by the way was fabulous, Kevin and I took a trolley ride into the Garden District and to the Audubon Park. We loved seeing all the old mansions in New Orleans.
On our last night we went to a restaurant in the French Market area of New Orleans, which turned out to be my favorite part of New Orleans.
If you look closely you can see Mardi Gras beads in their trees...Wow, New Orleans was interesting. Don't know if I'll go back, ever. It was neat to see, the hotel was Amazing (thank goodness), but I didn't love it. I really liked Mississippi. Seeing the 'deep south' that I have only read about was so neat but New Orleans was really smelly and dirty. Interesting though, I will give you that New Orleans, you are interesting.We found some Mardi Gras masks for the girls in New Orleans, they were thrilled with their gifts to say the least.
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