We awoke to a big close rainbow on the port side of the boat this morning. It was very scenic.
I don’t know why but we are docked in Vidalia, LA for our
port call in Natchez, MS today. Clay said we arrived about 11:30pm last night. Breakfast
is back to 7:30am. We are on the complimentary Natchez City Tour at 9am. There
is only one other tour offered during our ½ day here and that one is $45 to
Frogmore Plantation at 8:30am. Otherwise they are running a shuttle service all
morning every 30 minutes or so. (That is what they needed in Greenville!)
The tour was OK even if the guide was disorganized. Natchez is a
little town full of old homes. Evidently they were Union sympathizers and did
not suffer much damage. The highlight of the tour was a guided tour of
Longwood. Longwood is the largest octagonal home in America. It was begun
before the Civil War and left uncompleted to this day. I had seen a TV show or
2 about it, or else have seen the same TV twice, but didn’t realize the name of
it so didn’t expect it. It was a pleasant surprise. We were all back onboard and sailing by lunchtime.
Today is Eagle Society day so they have to have us all captive and onboard.
Lunch today was first course of crab & corn bisque or salad. Entrée was
salmon salad or BBQ baby back ribs. Dessert was peach strudel or ice cream. I
special ordered a grilled cheese sandwich. It was good.
Right after lunch, Mike our Riverlorian had
arranged for a friend with a old small plane to do a flyby. There is a short video in the photos for today. Around 2:15pm, he came flying
upriver and he dropped lower and circled us several times. We were in the
process of passing a houseboat and were sailing side by side for the entire
time and they had to wonder what was happening. It was pretty exciting.
Later
in the afternoon, Robert announced kite flying but as soon as the first one was
launched there was thunder so that was shut down pretty quickly. Robert said he
would leave the kites out by the calliope so people could use them whenever
they wanted or take them home. It was a very busy afternoon for the 2
complimentary self-service laundry machines. Mom & Judy went to Devina’s
arts and crafts class to make ribbon leis. I flew a kite for a few minutes later in the afternoon, but
then saw lightening again. I got another chance to fly one another day and I did take that kite home. That was nice.
Dinner was first course of spinach & goat cheese salad
or oysters Rockefeller. Entrée was chicken, pork tenderloin or crab cake.
Dessert was red velvet cake or apple streusel pie or ice cream. Our waiter at
lunch and dinner today was Jake and he was just as good as Damin, but quieter.
We are happy to have better service here in the final days, but it is too
little too late to bring any of us back to ACL.
We should be docking around 11:30pm tonight in Baton Rouge.
We are signed up for the complimentary rural life tour at 9am. There is also a
historic Baton Rouge tour at 9am. The boat sails at 12:30pm for New Orleans. We
should arrive in New Orleans about 11:30pm again and we are off the boat by
8:30pm on the next morning. Mom & Judy fly home in the afternoon and Clay & I
will stay in New Orleans for 3 nights.
There was a spectacular sunset tonight. We got our tip envelopes on the bed tonight. The end is in sight.
