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Baton Rouge, Louisiana – 2/15/2017

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February 15, 2017 (Wednesday)

We slept well, even with no pillow cases and only one towel. We got up and went to a nearby Cracker Barrel to have breakfast and coffee.

Cracker Barrel menu.

When we were full we headed out to the Capitol. We found a parking spot in the front of the grounds but decided to take a loop around before we parked. By the time we went around and saw the whole area, the parking area was pretty full and there were school buses in others. We finally did find a spot, got out and then walked the grounds.

Tallest building in Baton Rouge.
Tallest Capitol in the United States.
Across the street from the capitol.
Our selfie.
Needs a cleaning.

We saw the statue of Huey Long, under which he is buried. Huey was the Governor of Louisiana, then a Senator and was killed in the Capitol. The grounds where the statue was located were absolutely beautiful.

Huey Long statue and burial site.
Beautiful grounds very well maintained.
Pioneers and defenders of Louisiana.
Limestone from Alabama.
Beautiful reliefs.

We walked up the steps that had the names of the states on each step, except one step had two states because they only had 49 steps.

Grumpy counting the steps and states.

We got through security with some nice security officers who made fun of Michael in his shorts. It was very cold, grey and windy today. We got inside the Capitol and asked about a tour and were told they had a self-guided tour. I started exploring and Michael started taking pictures.

Entrance with security.
Brass relief map of Louisiana.

Nice state seal.
There are 4 beautiful statues in the lobby.

We explored the Senate and the House of Representatives and while we were on the 1st floor a nicely dressed man approached Michael and said something about him being brave (referring to his shorts). He asked where Michael was from and they started a conversation which I walked into a few minutes later. Come to find out this man was an Assemblyman in the House of Representatives, Terry Brown. What a great guy. Loved talking to him. He took us on a private/personal tour of the Capitol building and he knew all the history. He told how he was related to Huey Long, pointed out the Speaker of the House, the head of the Transportation Department for Louisiana, and others. He also told us about the “to do” that was happening (we noticed camera crews around) involving a politician who had gotten in trouble due to spousal abuse and other things. Such a great time talking and learning about the history from a person who knew his stuff. Loved it. Love when things like this happen.

Representative Terry Brown, with Grumpy, what a great guy. Felt comfortable talking about everything political, past, present, and future. Really enjoyed the generosity of his time.
His chamber.
Mr. Brown would point out different folks and tell us who they were and what they did.
Mr. Brown took us to the spot where Huey Long was shot. The news reports that he was shot by the physician son in law that Mr Long planned to gerrymander out of office.
Bullet holes in the hallway where Huey Long was shot.
Representative Brown told us the Dr was in a rage and shot Huey Long to death because he had spread rumors that his wife was a mulatto, which in 1930 would have made her a social outcast.
Another bullet hole.
Artist rendition of the shooting. Rep. Brown told us Huey’s dying words were, “I have so much left to do.”
Porcelain urns which were a gift from France. Louisiana was the only state with two official languages, English and French.
Grand art deco throughout.
In homage to state agriculture.
Artful light fixtures.
On the left are the flags that have flown over Louisiana; England, France, Spain, Louisiana (The Nation), Florida (The Nation), Texas, the Confederacy, and the United States.
The materials are opulent and exquisite.
Grand twin mirrors on the second floor.
Nice ceilings.
The doors tell a story in each panel.

Relief panels in the doors.
Artful.
Beautiful details.
Tiny, beautiful elevators lead up to the observation deck.
Selfie from the top.

Good rules.
Missouri River.
Capitol grounds. Center of photo is statue and burial site of Huey Long.
Grand and makes me think of Ayn Rand and “Atlas Shrugged.”
View from the observation deck is spectacular.

After we left the Capitol we drove to Jackson, Mississippi – about a four hour drive. Lovely drive. We got into our Days Inn (another “Go Fast” stay for under $40.00) and it’s quite lovely. More modern and updated. We were a little worried because there was a rather large group of young men checking in. I teased that they had better be quiet or they’d be hearing my screaming voice. Their teacher/coach said they would be quiet, he was sure of it. By the look on his face – I believed him and we haven’t heard anything from any of them.

Michael and I did laundry here at the hotel, then we went and had Chinese dinner down the street at a placed called “Fortune Chinese.” Pretty good. Unusual in that as you walk in, it’s a store and a restaurant. It smelled like some of the restaurants we ate at in China, but a smell you get used to as you sit and eat. Food was quite good.

That was our day. Hope yours was great!