2010 Bellingrath Gardens & Baton Rouge (12/20/2010)

Monday, December 20, 2010

After dinner, we headed towards Belllingrath Gardens and Home (http://www.bellingrath.org/) near Theodore, AL. We were surprised to see a long line out to where we parked the car. We were not the only ones to come out on this cool night to view the "Magic Christmas in Lights" display.

Due to global climate change, we have "Ice on Earth":

Ha, ha, just kidding! It says "Peace on Earth."

We reached the entrance to purchase tickets.

I wanted the combination ticket for the grounds and house tour. However, the kids selling tickets decided the house tours ended at 8:00 pm, which was the current time.
Rose Garden fountain:

Poinsettia "tree" in the Conservatory:

A gorgeous cream-colored white Poinsettia:

Winter Rose Poinsettias:

Cascade of lights:

Forest of blue and green trees across the Great Lawn:

When we arrived at the Bellingrath Home, I went to peek in the doorway at interior decorations, and saw a sign indicating the last tour was at 8:30 pm. Oh, we could have made it! Then a young couple came up and told us they had just purchased house-tour tickets from a lady around the corner. So we went to buy "at-the-door" tickets for $9 each, instead of the $8 they would have cost with the combination ticket. But! We only had $26 in cash, short one dollar. The lady took pity on us, and let us go ahead on the tour.

Overlooking Mirror Lake:

Poinsettia in lights:

Nativity in the Gazebo Garden:

Asian-American Garden display with pagoda and fireworks:

It was a full moon night as we returned to our car and drove into Mississippi. Stayed at a Super 8 Motel near Pascagoula. Our first room did not have running water (in the shower)...

Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Ate our complimentary breakfast and were back on I-10 heading into Louisiana. We took a "detour" to Baton Rouge for our State Capitol (http://www.crt.state.la.us/tourism/capitol/) photos.

The tallest state capitol in the U.S. was built in 1932 and is at one end of the Capitol Gardens.

Gov. Huey P. Long is buried in the English Garden where he can view the capitol building he had built.

Red Cedars: 

"The Pioneers"

Entrance, and a step for every state (48):

"The Patriots"

The Capitol through the branches of a live oak and red cedars:

Next: New Orleans.