Part 5

Chapter 6. Road Trip Continues Shreveport, LOUISIANNA

We left Natchez after breakfast for the remainder of our road trip up to Shreveport for Robert’s next game. It was a nice drive that only took a few hours. We stopped for lunch at another of Fiko‘s favorite restaurants … Applebee’s. In Fiko’s honor I ordered the fajitas … yes Fiko they were great!!!! That night we headed to Robert’s game at LSU at Shreveport, yet again it was a close game. Unfortunately the team lost, which meant the Wolfpack dropped to equal 3rd on ladder from first place :0(. Noah had a lot of fun running around after game and made friends with a little boy who has also been trekking the country side to follow the team with his family.

Chapter 7. Back to Natchez, MISSISSIPPI

We decided that we would drive back to New Orleans in two stages instead of risking a 7 hour drive direct with Noah. Sadly for us the highway closed and we sat in traffic that turned a two hour drive in four hours! Luckily Noah slept for a lot of it but was hungry when he woke up and we were stuck in traffic. So after what was an incredibly slow and painful drive we arrived in Natchez. As we drove into town we went past another of the Antebellum Homes Stanton Hall. Since we had time we decided to do the tour and have a look around inside. As expected Noah cracked it as soon as we got inside and the cranky old lady leading the tour told us to leave because Noah was “very distracting”. So mum took him outside (as she had done a similar tour last year) and I continued on the tour. Stanton Hall, is a magnificent Greek Revival mansion, built in 1857 for a cotton magnate and his family. No expense was spared , from immense Corinthian columns topped with iron capitals to silver door knobs and hinges, 14ft golden mirrors and grand bronze chandeliers. The house is five levels and includes a 17ft tall first-floor hallway, three parlors and six bedrooms. We were not allowed to take photos inside the house but as you can imagine from the photos outside it is an amazing house.

After the tour is was time to get back to Delicia’s house and get ready for the big Mardi Gras parade. Of course it’s Murphy’s Law that today the weather had turned bad and it had been raining all day! We made our way to the Mystic krewe of Alpheus Parade route around 6pm, when we got there we were greeted by two policemen who looked very board so we sat with them as we figured it was as good a spot as any. As it got closer to start time there was apparently a lot of umming and arring if they would cancel the parade due to the weather. Thankfully for us they didn’t … even though mum, Noah and I (and the entire police force of Natchez) were pretty much the only people out to watch the parade!!! And Noah fell asleep in his stroller just before the parade started!!!! There were about a dozen or so floats and police cars with sirens and flashing lights…Noah still managed to sleep through it all. Delicia and Dr Tom’s float was fantastic they were dressed as pimps and lady’s of the night…very funny. Sadly the pictures did not turn out very good and you can't tell which is their float. After the parade we went back to one of the other couples who were on the float’s house for dinner. We enjoyed pizza, pasta, crawfish chowder and salad. Very yummy. Dessert was of course a traditional King Cake for Mardi Gras.

Chapter 8. Back in New Orleans, LOUISIANNA

The next morning we watch Margret’s basketball game before heading off to New Orleans to meet up with Robert, Teshara, Jan and Charles. During the game Noah provided the half time entertainment by walking out onto centre court, just as he got out there the buzzer went off and Noah got a freight and pulled one of his funny little faces and had the grandstand laughing at him… He hates to be the centre of attention!!!! hahahaha

We were back in New Orleans by lunch time and arranged to meet with Robert and his girlfriend Teshara and Jan and Charles (some of you will remember them from our wedding). We had a long leisurely lunch, the restaurant just happened to be on the Mardi Gras parade route so we sat and enjoyed the parade from a safe distance!!!

After a nice afternoon at our hotel with Robert and Teshara we headed off for another does of basketball at Loyola. Unfortunately the game resulted in another loss for Robert’s team.

Love to all

PS Uncle Bruce you may have noticed all the driving we have been doing ... that's when I get the blogs done!!!!

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