Heading South from Tennessee we landed in Hattiesburg MS. We got into the Southern spirit by having Alligator gumbo for dinner.
Aligator gumbo by
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This town has a very cute downtown core. Our preconception was that Alabama and Mississippi would be vast fields of cotton and Tobacco and that Louisiana would be a big swamp. Wow, were we wrong. These states are lush and green and covered with trees. The biggest crop in Louisiana is not seafood, soybeans or rice, but trees!
hattiesburg by
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Arriving at the gulf coast we were greeted by a cooling salt breeze.
Sara on the gulf coast by
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New Orleans also really surprised us. The French Quarter is so quaint. The architecture is a mix of French and Spanish styles. We did a lot of walking around the narrow streets and along the Mississippi River Walk.
Dan new orleans by
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New Orleans by
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New Orleans by
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Cathedral by
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wraught iron by
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Bourbon Street is certainly a different place before and after dusk! There are all kinds of people in wild costumes.
parade by
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game day by
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Bourbon street by
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Sara with alien by
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The hotel was near the Cathedral, which when lit at night is stunning.
shadow by
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Heading out on the water we learned the difference between a Swamp and a Bayou. We found out what Creole life on the river was like. There were a whole lot of Gators too.
swamp tour by
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swamp tour by
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swamp tour by
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swamp tour by
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swamp tour by
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swamp tour by
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dan and aligator by
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There are three types of Plantations and we visited the Laura Creole Plantation. The docent we had was very good and her heavy accent made the stories she told so much better. The house has been restored and is surrounded by 200-year-old live Oak trees. The rest of the grounds contain as yet un-restored out buildings including slave houses.
live oak by
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Laura plantation by
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Laura plantation by
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