Joseph was the guide for a tour of two plantations and a ride on an airboat. During my trip I generally have some directed type activity along with time to just explore. At first I had a hard time understanding Joseph. He is New Orleans born and raised. It was amusing a few times what I thought I heard, used to pee on things, and what he actually said, appeared on stage there. After a short while my understanding improved and I understood pretty well. T...

Guiding through the bayou on an airboat is like nothing that can be described. The environment is so very unique. The Lilly pads in the various stages of new growth and old growth look like a village from Dr. Seuss. There are so many different types of plants that you just cannot take it all in. Frogs, butterflies and the biggest spiders I have ever seen. The boat stopped with a web right above our heads and a huge spider above. We did see some gators,...

Oak Alley is a very famous plantation due in large part to the oak trees. There are fourteen 300-year-old oak trees seven on each side that form a lane leading to the river. Oak Alley is quite a bit different than the Laura planation reflecting more of the American influence. The house was completely restored by the last owners who purchased the home in 1925 and restored it to its grandeur. The house remained in the family until the 1970's when it became p...

The first plantation was a restored Creole plantation called Laura built in 1820. The guide conducts the tour by telling the story of the house through the families that lived there. The house is very practical in design. A few of the slave quarters remain and I was stunned to learn that they were lived in until the 1970's by descendants of the former slaves. The Brer Rabbit stories were originally documented in one of those quarters. The Plantations are...

New Orleans was quite busy this weekend because there was a Saints game. There were buses full of Cowboy and Saints fans driving up and down Canal Street screaming at the folks walking around. They seemed to be having a good time but the people on the sidewalk just had a quizzical look on their face. I really think you have to be there or more likely be drunk for that to be fun. New Orleans was colder than expected. I was surprised to hear several locals s...