Vicksburg, Mississippi 2.0

The guys left at 6 am and headed to Natchez, Mississippi. There's an awesome bike road called the Natchez Trace Parkway. They LOVED it. The Ladies slept in and LOVED it.

Margaret and I decided to attend worship at the church we passed on the way to dinner last night. The sign said 10:45 worship, but we found out that it was wrong. We arrived sometime between 10:15 and 10:30. When we were a block away we heard this raucous music. It was LOUD! And there were instruments! I was expecting some old time hymns. I told Margaret I didn't think I could do this and she scoffed. We devised a plan so that if we wanted to leave we wouldn't be disrespectful to them.

We started walking up the steps and the doors flew open and a man smiled and grabbed us and pulled us in. We couldn't hear a thing he said because it was so LOUD. We sat in one of the back pews where he led us. We looked around. It was definitely "which two things are not like the others". We were the only white people there and I was most definitely the casually dressed one there. Margaret packs an entire wardrobe on the back of the bike. She has three pairs of boots, flip flops, sneakers, and HEELS!

They have a group of women on stage with a lead singer that is belting out a song that we have NEVER heard. There are people of front dancing, hands held high and waving in the air, stomping feet, and plenty of people shouting praises to Jesus. So right away I know I'm not fitting in here. But I did clap and sway.

They sang until 10:45, did announcements (which we could not understand more than a third of what they were saying with that deep south accent coupled with the black dialect). It was Youth Sunday so they had a precious group of children singing. Then there was a modern liturgical dance by 5 gorgeous young women. The preacher finally took the podium around 11 and preached until 12:30! Then he began prophesying and we finally left at 1 so we wouldn't miss our brunch reservations. There was so much going on....they took the chairs off the stage and packed them away backstage, they girls performed, then they brought the chairs back. There was constantly something being done.

We were loved and hugged by everyone. They were all so welcoming. We considered this a very rich cultural experience. It was also a very good (long, but good) sermon. I may start shouting out, lifting my hands high, clapping and dancing the Sunday when I return :)

We went back to the Anchuca Inn for brunch. We met the owners and took a tour of the place. It is beautiful. The men returned from their ride in time to join us so that was wonderful. Then we walked (in the stifling heat where I thought I would just die because I can't breath this heavy air...oh no, I might be whining) to the museum at the old courthouse. All this is within three blocks of our B&B, so it's not like we're hiking. Anyway, let's just say that the history lessons were VERY different than what we all learned in our school books. I must say that this version is probably a little closer to what happened down here. It definitely fits in with what I would expect from people.

This area is extremely poor. We've been talking to the Inn keepers, workers, etc. (and they're all white) and they chalk it up to history and graft. Mississippi was the richest state prior to the war and within 4 years it became the poorest....and has never recovered. They are at the bottom of the barrel in all categories that count. We found out that about two blocks over begins the poor black area....and it is so sad. Everyone seems gracious, just very poor. The church we attended this am talked about their missionaries....they're working in the surrounding blocks.

We rode to Cracker Barrel for dinner. I think I'm over it now.....unless I stick to their breakfast and cobbler....which they've changed! The waitress said they don't have a daily cobbler special anymore! They have mixed berries with berry ice cream! Oh no!

Dave may be getting a new phone. He had his in the front pocket of his mesh jacket, that he wore over his cooling vest. With all that dampness it has caused his screen to be so dark you can't read a thing. It's been a couple of days and it hasn't dried out. I Googled the nearest Apple store and couldn't find one in this state! LOL!!!!! I know he did it on purpose so he could get the newer version ;)