Day 91 - Halloween / Plantations & Pat

Headed over to the Mississippi shoreline to check out a couple of plantations.   Los Angeles hasn't a thing on the bridges, overpasses, underpasses, and interchanges in the New Orleans area.

After crossing the river we took a river road to the plantations.  It is also a Hurricane Evacuation Route.

Raised sirens every mile or so.

The mirky swamps boarder the river.

The plantation has restored most of its buildings.   We went to two plantations, one was a guided one and a half hour walking tour that really was packed with facts about plantation life and slavery.

The "cage" below would have been in a hotel.   When the slave purchases were made the buyers slept in the rooms, while the slaves were kept below in the cages awaiting the trip to their new home.

The blacksmith shop.   A very important part of the plantation buildings.  It would be within sight of the big house.  The slaves cabins were a mile from the big house and never in sight of it.

Storage barns.

We toured inside the 'big house'.   This one, the owners lived in New Orleans and only occupied this place on occasion.  It was not very fancy inside but nice for the times.

The second plantation was much nicer.   We had lunch in the plantation house.

In the front of the house, 300 year old oak trees led the way to the big house.

If these trees could talk.   They have seen a Revolution against the British, Slavery at its worst,  A Civil War with brother fighting against brother, and now Mercedes and Tour Busses pull into the parking lot full of people who have come to look at the Plantation.  The stories they could tell.

In the rear, 150 year old trees formed a path from the other buildings to the big house.

Inside it was very nice even by today's standards.

Not everything done in this house would meet with today's standards however.   Saturday night was bath night.   The tub was drawn for the master.  When he finished bathing his wife would take a turn. Then the children starting with the oldest, sometimes as many as six kids.   Finally it was the infants turn.   NO, the bath water was not changed.  By the time the baby got a turn it was usually black from all of the dirt off of the previous bathers and the baby's body would sink into the shadows.  This is where the expression came from, "Careful not to throw the baby out with the bath water."  

The chandelier over the masters table was not a light fixture.

It had a rope leading to a bully in the ceiling in the corner of the room.  A slave girl would pull on it and it would swing back and forth fanning the guests.

A look from the front porch past the old oaks.  At the end of the walkway, was the river.  Now the river sits beyond the walkway end and behind a levy wall.

We went back to the trailer after the tours and regrouped to go down to The French Quarter and check out the Halloween festivities.

  Our first stop, as recommended to us by Cathy and by Eric, Pat O'Briens.

As the sun was setting the drinks came out.  And so did the drinkers.

Ghouls text too!

The party was getting started.  Bourbon street was closed to traffic and packed with celebration.

Oh to be 22 again.  

We left and went back to the trailer by 8pm.   It was fun to witness but my time to join in has passed. 

 Tomorrow  morning we are taking a boat ride in the Bayou and Swamp.  I will not be hung over or throwing up off the side of the boat.   How will your head be tomorrow morning?  Booo!