Part 2 of our Viking Mississippi Delta Explorer Adventure – Mississippi

Natchez, Mississippi

Our first stop in the state of Mississippi was the town of Natchez which sits on a bluff above the Mississippi River. The fog was thick when we arrived.

We took a bus tour through the town of Natchez with a great local guide. We visited a museum featuring old historic photographs depicting life in Natchez through the years before touring Magnolia Hall located in Natchez. The Natchez Garden Club owns the home and lovingly restored it. Mardi Gras decorations and flower arrangements from a recent flower show were displayed around the home.

We stopped at on overlook on the top of the bluff for a look at the river. The light was not good for a photograph but I couldn’t resist taking a picture of our ship anyway.

Vicksburg, Mississippi – Vicksburg National Military Park

This was our third visit to the Vicksburg National Military Park. On our previous visits we drove through the park on our own. This time we were on a bus with a guide who told us about the battle of Vicksburg and pointed out important sites of the battle. I enjoyed hearing the details about this pivotal battle of the Civil War. The day ended with a beautiful sunset over the river.

Greenville, Mississippi – Steve Azar’s Mississippi and the B. B. King Museum

Greenville, Mississippi is the self-proclaimed heart and soul of the Delta. The City of Greenville has received a Trademark on the title “Hot Tamale Capital of the World” from the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Jim Henson, who created the Muppets, was born at the hospital in Greenville and grew up in the nearby town of Leland where he made his first Kermit the Frog puppet out of his mother’s green bathrobe.

One of the highlights of the entire cruise an event called “Steve Azar’s Mississippi”. We enjoyed a delicious brunch of local foods and a live concert with Greenville native Steve Azar. The event was held in the beautiful Jake and Freda Stein Hall located at the E. E. Bass Cultural Center in downtown Greenville. We had a nice conversation outside with Steve Azar before the show.

Servers brought each course to the tables. The meal started with a Bloody Mary. The first course was delicious hot tamales. The second course was fried catfish and hush puppies. Next up was pulled pork barbeque, rolls, rice, and macaroni and cheese. Near the end of the show we had a toast with moonshine followed by banana pudding for desert.

The show began while we were eating. We were entertained by stories about the state of Mississippi and the culture of the Delta. The music was great and included the song “One Mississippi”, Mississippi’s new official state song written by Steve Azar. The video is of the band performing the first two stanzas of the song.

After the fantastic show we boarded a bus for a 30 minute ride to the town of Indianola to visit the B.B. King Museum. We had another entertaining local guide who told us lots of fun stories and pointed out points of interest. The museum was filled with memorabilia and was very well done. Seeing another beautiful sunset over the river was a great way to end the day.

Final Day on Ole Man River

Our final day on the ship was a perfect day for watching the barges on the river as we cruised from Greenville to Memphis, Tennessee. The last sunset over the river was spectacular.

We had a fun week aboard the beautiful Viking Mississippi. The crew was excellent, stateroom spacious, food delicious, music outstanding, and the excursions were fun with great local guides.