March 19: Simmesport - St. Francisville, LA

We've begun to see huge, old plantation houses since crossing the Atchafalaya River (affectionately known as the "Falaya") east of Simmesport. This particular house sits near the river itself, and was a cannon-target for Union gunboats running the Falaya during the Civil War. Seven cannonballs were removed from the walls!
     In addition to notable houses, we've found notable food in the lowlands between the Falaya and Mississippi Rivers: bread pudding with pecan praline sauce being a favorite!
     We crossed the mighty Mississippi River on a ferry. What a wide, wide river! It took about ten minutes to get from the town of New Roads,on the west bank, to the town of St. Francisville, on the east.