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17 July 2005

Details from my summer trip

Wednesday we started out from home at around eleven o'clock. Headed East and went through Texas. Had lunch at Wendy's. Stopped for the night in Shreveport, LA. Had dinner at El Chico's. Living without internet is harsh. Watched Troy before bed.
Thursday morning woke up around 6-6:30am and got dressed and ready to leave by 7:30am. Headed down to Natchadoches and stopped at the visitor's center for information. Were directed to the Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site and various plantation houses. Went directly to the Fort and enjoyed a short informational video before walking the few hundred yards out to the reconstructed fort. Three period-dressed reinactors greeted us at the entrance to the fort and in the fort trading store. We walked around viewing the jail, barracks, church, store, and cannon post. The view of the river nearby was beautiful. We then went on to Oakland Plantation. Sunny hot weather greeted us as the humidity rose. We toured the general store there and the backroom reminded Mum of her grandfather's store when she was a little girl. The tour guide directed us to the pigeonery, the cook house, the Big house, the wash house, chicken and turkey coops, the slave house and tenant house as well as the cottage were the doctor stayed. The guide put up with Mum's heckling, old women's questions, and the German couple's accents (Their little girl was adorable). We then traveled down the road a little to the Melrose Plantation. The gift shop worker directed us to the Big House where we were added to a tour group viewing an introductory video. Outside we went to the Yucca House, African house, and various other cottages before returning to the Big House to view the dining room, Library, Boy's rooms, and the upstairs bedrooms and sitting rooms. Beautiful furnishings. Rain greeted us as we left and made getting back to the main highway difficult. Eventually we made it back and on our way to Vicksburg. On the way we saw some donkeys sharing a pasture with a couple of zebras. Once in Vicksburg, Miss. we had dinner at a Chinese resturant. Very good food.
Friday woke up in Mississippi at the little hotel. Had breakfast at McDonald's then headed to the Vicksburg National Military Park. Drove most of the Union route and stopped to see the remains of the USS Cairo. Had lunch at Krystal. Saw the Old Courthouse. Checked in at new hotel. Went shopping at the factory outlet nearby. Chinese for dinner again.
Saturday skipped breakfast. I stepped in an ant hill (quite fun). Lunch at a Wendy's near Jackson. Started driving for Tennessee. Made it into Mempis by midafternoon. Very nice hotel, the Madison Hotel. Had dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe on Beale Street and walked around people-watching. Bought some fake tattoos at Tater Red's and saw the goats at Silky O'Sullivan's.
Sunday we had breakfast at the hotel on the mezzanine floor. Went to the Mud Island River Park. Had lunch at the BBKing Blues Club. Swam in the hotel pool. Dinner at the King's Palace Cafe. Found out that Destiny's Child and Jay Z were staying at our hotel too.
Monday skipped breakfast. Had lunch at The Flying Saucer. Really good food for a bar. Then went to this movie theatre in a little mall type thing and saw Fantastic Four after we had some yummy Starbuck's. (Even though the girl at the register of Starbuck's was totally inept and needed a wakeup call. Really, how hard is it to remember which plain coffee you put hazelnut syrup in? We're not asking much. Just which has hazelnut.) Dinner at BB King's. They were totally busy but the food was still good. Then we walked back to the hotel and watched some tv.
Tuesday awake and checked out of the hotel by 7:30am. Drove almost straight through and made it home by 4pm. Nice.

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