DAY 6 (Oct. 4, 2011) NATCHEZ – COTTON COUNTRY – LAFAYETTE

We crossed into Louisiana, stopped at Frogmore Cotton Plantation & Gins. We joined a costumed guide to get insight into the contrasts between a working cotton plantation of the early 1800s and a modern cotton plantation and gin of today.


In the afternoon we experienced the Cajun culture first-hand during our visit to Vermilionville, a recreated Acadian village which re-enacted life in the Acadiana area between 1765 and 1890. In the evening, we went for dinner aqt the "Pont Breaux" restaurant at Breaux Bridge. Jay Cormier and his Cajun band were playing music.  We both had fried catfish for dinner.  It was very good.


I also spoke on the phone to my very distant cousin, Hardy Duhon of Lafayette. We will be visiting him and his wife, Maudrey. on Oct 7 (after the bus tour).

Day 5 (Oct.3, 2011) MEMPHIS – NATCHEZ

This morning we entered the state of Mississippi and headed downriver to Natchez, a charming town located on a bluff above the Mississippi River.

On the way we stopped to a "Cracker Barrel" in Jackson for lunch.  Then west through Vickdburg and south to Natchez.

In Natchez, hundreds of 19th century southern homes still grace the bluff, lovingly preserved to their antebellum grandeur. We viewed the best sights in town and joined a guided tour of Stanton Hall, the palatial home of a Mississippi cotton broker, built just before the Civil War. We learned about the gracious lifestyle that existed once upon a time in old Natchez. For dinner, we enjoyed a Highlight Dinner at a beautiful Natchez mansion, "Magnolia Hall", where the elegant service, atmosphere and garb of our hosts brought us back to that bygone era.

Day 4, Memphis (Graceland and Sun Recording Studio)

Oct. 2, 2011

This morning we left the hotel at 9:20am and picked up the church-goers on our way to Graceland.


We visited Elvis Presley's amazing Graceland, the King's final resting place. Graceland is a one-of-a-kind journey through Elvis' humble beginnings and rise to superstardom with an up-close and personal look at his influence which forever changed music.

Then a visit too Sun Recording Studio in the afternoon. This is where the recording careers of Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley (and many others) began.  A very small building for all it accomplished.


At 5pm we went to the Peabody Hotel to see the ducks walk the red carpet from the fountain in the lobby to the elevator to their penthouse on the roof. (Google it!)  Tons of people in the lobby to witness this daily event.

Lafayette - Oct. 8, 2011

We rented a car yesterday in New Orleans.  We are now in Lafayette at least for another day.

Yesterday, we met with Hardy and Maudrey Duhon at their home.  They took us for dinner at a local seafood restaurant and then toured the city.  Today we went by ourselves to the Acadian Village and a few other places. The Duhons were busy with other commitments.  We will be back with them tomorrow.  Not sure where they will take us but Maudrey will have BBQ'd steak with crawfish étouffé for us for dinner at their house.

We both have colds.  Other than that, all is well.

DAY 3 (Oct 1, 2011) NASHVILLE – MEMPHIS (2 nights)

This morning we visited the famous Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum, a treasure trove of historic country video clips, recorded music, fabulous costumes, instruments and other memorabilia which tell the story of country music.

Now I can say I played in Nashville!  I played "On the Sunny Side of the Street" at the visitor's centre dountown Nashville.  Mind you, I think there were only two other people present in the room other than Michelle (and they were employees of the centre). It still counts!

At about 12:30pm, we headed to Memphis, the city of soul, rhythm and blues.

We stopped in Jackson, TN, at the Casey Jones village at around 2:30pm and then continued to Memphis.

In Memphis, we had a city tour and learned about Memphis' role in the birth of the Blues and Rock 'n' Roll. We saw Beale Street, BB King's Blues Club, the Mississippi River and the infamous Lorraine Hotel, and then to our hotel in Memphis, The Marriott.  At 6:30pm we back to Beale St. for dinner at the Blues City Café.  We both had catfish and it was very good.

Michelle with Elvis at the Country Music Hall of Fame, Nashville, Tennessee.

Ted playing Nashville, Oct. 1, 2011

Day 2 (Sep. 30, 2011) NASHVILLE SIGHTSEEING – LYNCHBURG – GRAND OLE OPRY

This morning to Lynchburg (about 90 minuted southeast of Nashville): The weather was cool and windy, but clear. We join a whiskey expert and tour the Jack Daniel's Distillery, the oldest registered distillery in the USA and producer of the famous "Old No. 7" whiskey.

The tour was great even though Lynchburg is in a "dry county" and no liquor can be served there.  We had a great lunch at Jack Daniel's - pulled pork, chicken, beans, potato salad, cooked apples stewed in Jack Daniel's, and very, very sweet pecan pie.

We arrived back in Nashville around 2:45pm.  Again, we walked around the Honky Tonk area and ate at National Underground pub before going back to our resort.

At 6:30 we headed for the Grand Ole Opry. Seats on the second row from the stage, but very much to the side.  Mike Snider, Jim Ed Brown, The Whites, Little Jimmy Dickens, and the band Exile were some of the acts.  It was a great show.

Chet and Ted, Downtown Nashville

Chet, Ted and the Bang This Twins

A street performer, Broadway St., Nashville, TN

Little Jimmy Dickens, Grand Ole Opry, Nashville, TN, Sep. 30, 2011

Jim Ed Brown, Grand Ole Opry, Nashville, TN, Sep. 30, 2011

The band Exile, Grand Ole Opry, Nashville, TN, Sep. 30, 2011

Day 1, To Nashville, Tennessee (Sep. 29, 2011)

Flew from Halifax to Newark then on to Nashville, arriving at the Gaylord Opryland Resort around noon.

What a place! Over 2800 rooms! Even a river meanders inside the resort, all under glass, complete with a boat or two taking people around the facility. Must have cost several billions in construction to put it all together.

I (Ted) was constantly getting lost.  Michelle had a much better sense of direction.

At about 3pm we took a shuttle bus to downtown Nashville, about 30 minutes away.  We spent a couple hours around Broadway St. where most of the action and Honky Tonks are.  We had dinner there before heading back to the resort for a "meet and greet".  The afternoon was very hot at about 30 deg. C.

A view of our resort as we were approaching landing at the Nashville airport.