Majestic Mississippi River

Todd River (Dry), Alice Springs, Central Australia

Todd River Flowing

This morning at Sandy & Joe Bill's back yard, Meadolark Farm

Sunset over the Mississippi River, Vicksburg, MS

AD, Ret, Trish on banks of the Mississippi

I first heard of the Mississippi River as a schoolgirl at least 45 years ago, and finally got to see it in person for the first time 9 years ago. Since then I have walked in its trickling beginnings up in Minnesota and witnessed its energetic end in New Orleans, Louisiana. Yet everytime I see it, I cannot explain how it makes me feel. I loved the Todd River in Alice Springs (Central Australia) despite it being a predominantly dry, sandy river bed during the ten year drought of my youth, but it became a raging, frothy torrent when the rains came. I think it only flowed 3 times in the 8 years I lived in Alice Springs. But the Mississippi is something else. Like a majestic lady, she just keeps going through the ages...

Getting back to our travels, after we left our dear friends Joe Bill & Sandy at their Meadolark Farm in Arkansas today (see the photo I took as we sat outside & had our coffee on their back patio this morning), we drove south into Louisiana. Aunty Dympna had been wanting to have a meal at a traditional American Diner, so we stopped in at the Old South Diner. It was a bona fide diner and well patronised by locals which gave it authenticity. We ordered a variety of foods that Ret & AD were unfamiliar with (ie Hush Puppies (like a herbed, cornmeal dumpling, deep fried), deep fried okra & turnip greens (like spinach)) to accompany our main meals of blackened catfish and pork chops.

After our daily stop at Walmart and Walgreens stores, we crossed the mighty Mississip and crossed from Louisiana into Mississippi state, and immediately took the next exit (right on the river) to our Ameristar Casino Hotel & RV Park in Vickburg, MS. Less than 50 miles west of Jackson. We checked AD & Ret into a lovely double queen bed room on the 4th floor overlooking the Mississippi, and we went around the corner to our spacious RV Park complete with free wifi and cable TV. Both hotel guests and RV guests get complimentary passes to the breakfast buffet at the Casino. If breakfast is anything like the buffet dinner we had there tonight, we won't have to eat for the rest of the day. But I know we will! After dinner we went outside and enjoyed the amazing sight of the sun setting over the Mississippi River. All this and heaven too???