Saturday 24th January 2015

Saturday 24th January 2015

We were up quite early this morning to finish packing. That done we left our bags at the hotel and walked into town. There were quite a few people about, mostly those seeking brunch at one of the many restaurants offering it. Our reservation at the Court of Two Sisters was at 11 am.  After a stroll around the French Quarter, we found the restaurant but we're a bit early so passed the time with a spicy Bloody Mary at the bar. The rest of our Road Scholar group arrived and we were shown to our tables beside the courtyard of the building. The brunch was are ally good buffet which contained almost all the food imaginable, hot, cold, wet, dry and just about everything else as well as a lot of desserts. It was a great temptation to go up more than once to the buffet. There was also an egg, omelet and eggs Benedict station. As this was our last gathering before we parted we took some photographs of the tables to try to get everyone in.

The story of the restaurant

A morning pipe-opener

The courtyard of the restaurant

The substantial buffet brunch

Part of our group

Another table with our fearless leader Carolyn at center

Another table of Questers

...and another.

Our Road Scholar guide Lauree.

Soon after midday, we left, went out into the street where and impromptu group was playing. 

The impromptu jazz band playing on the street, I just love the guy in the wheelchair in the foreground who was reading the Wall Street Journal, only in New Orleans....?

We found a cab and took it to the hotel where we picked up our bags and left for the airport. At the airport we obtained our rental car, loaded up and set off on Rte 61 for Baton Rouge and points north. We followed Rte 61 to Natchez and then followed the Natchez Trace for a few miles although it did not prove of much greater interest than Rte 61 had so we rejoined that road and headed for Vicksburg. We arrived at Vicksburg at dusk and were mightily disappointed in the town. 

The sun setting over the Mississippi at Vicksburg

It seems to be dominated by casinos and there is almost nowhere even to get a coffee. Although the sun was setting over the Mississippi, that was about the only attraction. Lincoln might have said that: “Vicksburg was the key to winning the Civil War” as it gave the Union control of the Mississippi, but I am sure he would be as disappointed in how the city has turned out as we were. We settled for coffee at a McDonalds, refueled the car and headed for Oxford. This was quite a long run on Rtes 20 and then 55. We arrived at the Inn at Ole Miss at about 9.30 pm after what will be one of the longest legs of the drive home. The Inn is very grand and situated on the university campus. Unfortunately, we were too late to have dinner at the City Grocery but we will go there tomorrow. MAC was still able to take the shuttle into town but I was tired and decided to rest. 

So that was the first leg of our trip home. Tomorrow we will visit the campus and the town of Oxford. We will also eat at City Grocery which is a very well known restaurant in Oxford. The we will be off to Memphis.