Oak Alley Plantation, Louisiana

Happy Valentines from New Orleans - 2014

Today we headed out of the city early to visit a plantation north up the Mississippi River. The House was built in 1837  by the Creole (French-American) Family Roman.  The fourteen pairs of 335 year old Live Oaks leading to the house are stunning.  Among others this plantation was in the films
Hush Hush, Sweet Charlotte in 1965 and Primary Colors in 1997.  The exterior of the plantation house contrasts against the slave quarters. It is hard to imagine slaves and owners in this day and age.  

 The inhumanity of holding, working, and punishing other humans is unfathomable.  We do not credit enough the Africans who built the early American economy of the South.  Do you recognize this scene?  

This was a neighboring plantation, Felicity.  The plantation house and gazebo were a part of the setting for Twelve Years a Slave.

While the plantation owners wined and dined on the inside of their lovely home, the people who made it possible lived in tight quarters and had to grow and tend their own vegetables at night after a long days work in the field.  We were greeted at the door by a vivacious "hooped skirt" belle who guided us through the plantation house.

Parlor Table, Apples soaked in rum fro the women, glasses of rum for the men.
Note the Courting Candle.  Father after meeting the suitor twist-measured the length of  appropriate courtship time.

Master Bedroom and Nursery

Note low dining table.  Average height of men in 1800's was 5'4", women less than 5'.

When all was said and done, I had to sit on the veranda and sip a mint julep!

Is it noon yet? Oops I don't have on my hoop skirt

Did you know that a mint julep is made with bourbon, mint, and powdered sugar on crushed ice? They brought iced down to the south from glaciers up north...far north, then buried it underground to keep it through the long hot and humid summers.   The julep was very good. Unfortunately, I don't remember much on the way back to New Orleans.  Ha!  What a great nap.  This must have been what the southern belles did too.  Good thing Russ didn't have one.

Tomorrow is the first Mardi Gras Parade, yeah!  Then we return to Sacramento on Sunday evening.

All is well with the Worrall Travel R's