Friday: Natchez to Baton Rouge to New Orleans

I knew when I looked out the hotel window in Natchez at 6:30 Friday morning that it was going to be a day that required coping.  The sky was gray and the window was dripping with moisture.  Humidity had to be close to 100%.

We were scheduled for a lot of driving, which was fine because we could stay in our air conditioned car much of the time. Crossing from Mississippi into Louisiana, our first stop was St Francisville, where there were two plantations we wanted to see. 

Surrounded by huge live oaks, Myrtle Plantation is a beauty.

 But she is named after the old, moss draped crepe myrtle trees.

 The pond has cypress trees.  Originally a buffalo wallow, then a pit for digging clay for bricks, it is now a lovely green pond with a gazebo on an island.

 Bald Cypress trees grow in swamp water.  But the roots need to breathe, so they send up "knees" above the surface of the water to get air. 

 Like many of these old plantation houses, this one is open to the public for lodging and for event venues. 

 Younger crepe myrtles are in full bloom here and everywhere.

 We waited on the back porch for our tour of the house to start. 

 Photos were allowed only in the entry hall.

 This house is said to be haunted. In fact, can you see the face of a restless spirit in the aging mirror? Hint-her nose is touching the reflection of the door frame corner. 

Our next stop was Rosedown Plantation, where we just toured the garden. 

Yes, that is an alley of old live oak.

Of course we couldn't drive by a state capitol without stopping.  Baton Rouge is right on the Mississippi River too. What we saw of the area around the capitol building was very impressive. 

 In 1931 Governor Huey Long commissioned America's tallest capitol. Four years later he was assassinated here. 

 The interior is very richly decorated with marble and murals. 

 The view from the observation deck on the 27th floor really shows off the city.

By about 3:30 in the afternoon we finally reached our final destination, New Orleans.  It was very hot and we were tired, but after resting a bit we did venture out to the Riverwalk just to check in once again with that mighty river.

Then we rested and cooled down until it was time to meet up with family for some pre-wedding fun at the rehearsal dinner.

Here I am looking silly with my sister Laurie, my brother Don and my brother-in-law Arnie.  Tom is behind the camera. Don is the father of the groom. 

And now our adventures in New Orleans begin.