Destrehan Plantation and the Mississippi

   I seriously do not understand why anyone built a city on all this water.  What were they thinking of?  We drove on Interstate 10 from Lafayette to Kenner (just outside New Orleans).  Large portions of the Interstate were built on piers over swamp, bayou, or river.  One section was 16 miles long with nothing under us but alligators, snakes, and mud.  We also crossed bridges that had to go really high up so that the big ships could pass under them.  I really don't like these tall bridges, but the view was spectacular.
    We got into our campground at lunch time so we chatted with the manager about nearby places to visit.  Our campground is right on the river road which follows the Mississippi, and just down the road is one of the dozens of old plantations.  Destrahan was built in 1787, and is the oldest documented plantation home in the Lower Mississippi Valley.  Indigo was initially the primary plantation crop, but ultimately sugar cane made the plantation very successful.
    The story of the plantation was also the story of slavery in this part of the country.  Our guide told us that slaves owned by the French in Louisiana fared better than those who were owned by English.  He also made it clear that it was not a good life for the slaves, just better.  Interesting perspective, I think.
    As we drove beside the levee along the river, we talked about the Katrina flooding.  I said that I wished we could see more of the river.  Rick told me that the campground was probably at a lower level than the river, so without the levee we would be swimming.  Freaked me out a little.  We stopped in Kenner which is an historic river town, The riverfront park had a lookout at the top of the levee.  We stopped to climb up and look out at the river which, fortunately, was NOT higher than our campground.  It will have to go up about 25 feet before we have to worry and I think by the time it gets that high we could be halfway home.
   So we sat on top of the levee and watched some huge ships go up and down the river.  The sun was setting and there was a nice breeze.  A perfect evening on the river.