Last day in the Crescent City

Today we tried to pack in as much as possible. Early this morning we climbed aboard a carriage pulled along by a beautiful mule by the name of Elizabeth for a ride around the French Quarter. The area certainly has a different feel early in the day. It is quiet and not busy at all. As the day progresses it gets very busy and oh so noisy. Every bar and restaurant has a band and they play jazz loudly so, as you walk down the street passed the open windows and doors, you are 'assaulted' by music. In the afternoon we walked to Jackson Square to the Katrina museum. It was very interesting, sad and at times maddening. One can only hope as Hurricane Irma barrels towards Florida that they have learnt their lesson as to how to respond to the needs of the survivors. To think that, supposedly the greatest nation in the world treated people the way they did in the days after Katrina, is frightening and it is very easy to understand the despair and anger. We then wandered home along the famous Bourbon Street where the noise ramps up several decibels. We enjoyed one last drink in the glorious historic Carousel Bar in our gorgeous Hotel Monteleone before going back to our room to pack up ready for the long journey home.

No photos today as we have run out of time and need to get organised. The next time you hear from us will be when we are back on Australian soil on Monday 11 September. See you all then.

Cruising the Mighty Mississippi

After a leisurely breakfast we walked the short distance to the wharf area for our cruise along the Mississippi River on the historic Steamboat Natchez. We enjoyed views of the city and wharf and dock areas where the large cruise ships dock, before cruising a little further afield where some of the industry such as a huge sugar mill can be seen. The Mississippi is still a gateway to the Gulf of Mexico and beyond and therefore many large ships and barges can be seen up and down the river which is a massive 200 feet deep in its central channel. 

(Note the name of the tug boat 😂)

After disembarking we hopped on a trolley to the Riverwalk area before walking back to our hotel along the famous Canal Street which is lined with palm trees.

Our hotel has a carousel bar that actually rotates. On our return we sat at the bar for a while enjoying a cold drink. It really is a very unique experience. New Orleans is just beautiful. As you walk around the city you could actually forget that you are in the US. It is very unique and very European. 

New Orleans, Louisiana probably has more nicknames than any other American city. The most famous is The Big Easy. It describes the gentle, slow and easy-going way of life in New Orleans. New Orleans has other nicknames. One of them is The Crescent City. During the nineteenth century, new neighbourhoods expanded out from what is now known as the French Quarter. These areas followed the great curve of the Mississippi River, giving New Orleans the shape of a crescent. Another nickname is the Birthplace of Jazz because that kind of music started in New Orleans. It is also called Mardi Gras City for the wild celebrations and parades that take place there every year. And, there is a nickname that uses the short way to write New Orleans and Louisiana. It you do not want to use the complete name, you can call the city NOLA.

The Big Easy

After a short trip from Lafayette we arrived in New Orleans for a full day of sight-seeing. First stop was Mardi Gras World. Mardi Gras is a festival held in New Orleans on Shrove Tuesday. The floats and costumes are fabulous and all made at Mardi Gras World. We watched a short film that explained the custom of the parade and how they actually make the very elaborate floats. We were then able to tour the large factory where they are made. It was interesting and very colourful.

Stop number two was the Central Market area in the French quarter for lunch. Stephen and I walked around for a while before sampling the world famous Beignets (French doughnuts) and fried shrimp Po Boys (French bread roll). The architecture is very French.

Back on the bus we toured New Orleans looking at the various parishes (this is the only state in the USA where districts or counties are called parishes). The houses are incredible, as are the tree lined streets with their tiny 'pocket parks'. It is a simply beautiful city. We toured the most affluent areas and the poorest. We saw the devastation of Katrina, some 12 years on and we saw the growth and regeneration that is finally underway. We also visited one of New Orleans' famous above ground cemeteries. For the most part New Orleans is at sea level, in fact some areas are up to 11 feet below sea level. This means that when you dig a hole it actually fills with water, hence the use of tombs and vaults.

This evening we dined at the best restaurant in New Orleans called C.J.Fins. To say the food was delicious is an enormous understatement. In fact Stephen believes that the fish and scallop main he enjoyed was in fact the best seafood meal he has ever eaten. I must admit.....it was amazing.

We are now relaxing in our beautiful room at the historic Hotel Monteleone watching the weather channel which is reporting on Hurricane Irma which is due to hit the state of Florida head on over the weekend. We have been very lucky. Hurricane Harvey was to the left of us and Hurricane Irma to the right. However many people on our tour are booked to do a Caribbean cruise for 8 days, starting on Sunday. They have been told that they cannot fly into the area and that their cruise, if it goes ahead at all will be delayed until Wednesday next week and will be reduced to 4 days. They are all scrambling to make alternative arrangements as many of them have other tours booked for after the cruise as well. Scenic is doing its best to keep everyone informed but it is a constantly changing and very dangerous situation.

Natchez to Lafayette

Today was busy and HOT! The further south we go the hotter it gets. Our first stop was at the visitors centre for the Atchafalaya (ah-CHA-fa-LIE-ah) Basin. Atchafalaya is an American Indian word meaning Long River. A little further along we stopped for lunch at Johnny and Bucks' Diner, in the very small bayou town of Breaux Bridge. We enjoyed Catfish Po Boys which were absolutely yum. After lunch we drove the short distance to the swamp area where we boarded a flat bottom boat for a cruise through the swamp and bayou. It was absolutely stunning with plentiful bird life, lots and lots of turtles and a good number of alligators. It was so good but bloody hot!!!

Note: This is the second of two posts today so make sure you scroll down.

Memphis to Natchez

An early morning start saw us pull away from the hotel right on 8.00am. Next stop Frogmore Cotton Plantation. We toured the historic site where we were able to see an old steam cotton gin, slave quarters and cotton actually growing. We were treated to fresh lemonade and gospel singing. Frogmore is very proud of their history but it is also a working cotton farm and so we also had the opportunity to see how cotton is picked and packed in modern times. It was really interesting.

We then headed to our overnight stop in the historic town of Natchez which is on the banks of the mighty Mississippi River. Dinner was an experience. We ate at the home of a local family who have faithfully maintained their antebellum house. We enjoyed drinks in the garden before retiring inside to the dining room for a four course meal. The house has been in the family since 1880. The furniture and furnishing are all original, as was their clothing and their southern drawl was entertaining to listen to.

Natchez is known for its large number of original antebellum homes. Rosilie is just one of them.

We're Going to Graceland

We have been looking forward to our day at Graceland. Once you arrive in Memphis you drive through a very seedy and desolate area, which when Elvis was living here was actually rural, to what at first appears a very large commercial venture. Despite this and in memory of my dear Auntie Ine, who always referred to Elvis as 'her boyfriend', we walked through the gates with great expectations and we were not disappointed. People had told us that we would find the house disappointing as it was so small and in a way unassuming for the mega star that Elvis was, but it was his home and he obviously loved it. The house itself it actually a distance from the commercial outlet. A short ride in one of a fleet of small buses takes you up the the sweeping drive right to the front door. It truely is a time capsule of life in the sixties and seventies. We toured the living areas of the house which are all on the ground floor. We also saw the stables, his father's office, the museum that held many family treasures, memories and photographs, the grounds and his grave. The tour is accompanied by an iPad that has a very detailed interactive app that guides you through the house. It really was very well done. It was obvious that for many visitors that this was a pilgrimage. They lingered by Elvis' grave and some were even shedding a tear.

The second part of the tour, which was back in the newer much more commercial area, included several different large rooms that housed his expansive collection of automobiles, motorbikes and other toys, his numerous jumpsuits and costumes, his war time memorabilia, gifts from other performers, his gold and platinum records and other awards and a movie theatre that showed Elvis movies continuously. There were also numerous gift shops, a smokehouse restaurant named for his father Vernon and Gladys' Diner. Gladys was Elvis' mother.

Our next stop was the Lorraine Hotel, the place where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was unfortunately assassinated on 4 April 1968. The hotel now forms part of the new Civil Rights Museum.

Dinner was at B.B.Kings on the famous Beale Street. After dinner we strolled along Beale Street which was absolutely alive. Loud Blues music emanated from every establishment which was designated by a gaudy neon sign. It was very interesting but to be honest we didn't like it as much as the Broadway, Nashville.

Memphis is in the state of Mississippi which is the poorest state in the USA. It also has the lowest percentage of college graduates and the largest percentage (37.4%) of African Americans, although overall Washington DC actually has the highest percentage of African Americans (50.7), but it is a district and not a state.