Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Had to say good-bye to Michelle and Lanny (and a few other guests of the Island House RV Park) before we left Grand Isle on Monday.

Picture we took of Michelle and Lanny

before we left.

And, how could we forget Baby Girl who actually

came over to us to say "good-bye."

(She knew we were leaving.)

Driving off of the island on the new 8-mile bridge on Monday.

We arrived at the Farr Park Equestrian Center and RV Campground in Baton Rouge later that afternoon, and spent the week exploring Baton Rouge. We both agree. Baton Rouge is in our top five favorite cities that we have visited. It is a beautiful city right on the Mississippi River, not too large and not too small. And, there is so much to do. It seems that every weekend there is some event scheduled. And, there are lots of biking trails, art museums, plantations, casinos, and more eating places than you can imagine. Not sure we would want to be here in the summertime, though. So we took lots of pictures.

Visited the Old State Capitol the first day.

First floor of the Old State Capitol

Second floor of the Old State Capitol

Walkway along the Mississippi River

The USS Kidd WW-11 Destroyer

 with the bridge in the background

We also visited the Louisiana Art & Science Museum, Planetarium, and the Ancient Egypt Gallery. We really enjoyed the Egyptian artifacts, including seeing an actual 2,300-year-old mummy. I mean we saw the actual face!! We were not allowed to take any pictures.

We were determined to see at least one plantation. There were lots to choose from. So we read the reviews posted by other people on the various plantations and settled in on Houmas House, also called "The Sugar Palace." It had its beginnings in the 1770's.

The Houmas House Plantation and Gardens

Our guide in period custom was named Susan.

The clock on the mantel once belonged

to Marie Antoinette.

This statute of Abraham Lincoln was so real, you could feel

the veins in his hand. No wonder. It was sculptured by Gutzon

Borglum, the same guy who did Mount Rushmore in Rapid City.

He did four of these statutes, but only two are still around.

Doesn't it seem odd that one of these rare valuable statutes of 

Lincoln resides in the south?

Yes - Opium, Morphine, and Arsenic were

freely available back then.

Part of the Houmas House gardens

More of the Houmas House gardens

Today, we attended a local Art Fest where we saw

beautiful pottery, jewelry, paintings and photographs.

(Love the trees in this area.)

Current Louisiana State Capitol Building

Each of the steps leading up to the Capitol building contains

the name of a State and the year it was admitted to the union.

The legislative room on the first floor of the Capitol.

This is Baton Rouge (looking East) as seen from the 27th floor 

of the State Capitol Building.

Looking South into downtown Baton Rouge

Showing the barges on the Mississippi River

A river tug boat at dock on the Mississippi River

as the sun is setting over the river near our RV park

Well, Mr. Jerry and Miss Mary (as we have been called over and over again here in the South) will be starting up the RV and heading further North tomorrow to Arkansas. 

Have a great week ahead, everyone.