Moon over the Mississippi

We got more than our money's worth on our Natchez Steamboat cruise that Travis, I, the kids, my parents and Holly went on for Dawson's birthday.

Rounding the bend in the river, the tour guide was telling us about Algiers, in the 15th of the 17 New Orleans "wards," located directly across the Mississippi River from the French Quarter. An interesting history lesson about Algiers is that it is believed to have gotten it's name because the proximity of Algiers to the French Quarter reminded the French of the proximity of Algeria to France, or because the land looked like Algeria (viewed from water) to a soldier who had seen to the country from a ship.

Algiers is a diamond in the rough, according to our tour guide. He proudly told about how the area is fairly little known to tourists, but most of the buildings, built in the 1800s, are still standing and are lived in and used.

We Kansans were all sitting in our deck chairs, soaking up the sun and viewing the pretty gingerbread-like rooftops we saw over the levee.

Just then a jet-skiier flew around the bend with a lady on the back and both waved at us "tourists." The tour guide noted that it is NOT a good idea to jet-ski on the Mississippi, which gave us all a chuckle.

A group of four young men, standing on the levee near the bank of the River, waved at us as we passed, as well. We waved back then most of the Natchez cruisers diverted their attention out ahead of the boat to whatever the tour guide was talking about.

Curious about the pretty little rooftops I was seeing and wondering what was over the levee, I kept looking at the little Algiers community, which was now located directly behind the four young men standing on the bank of the river. I wasn't listening to the tour guide.

Movement caught my eye and I looked at the four young men standing on the banks of the Mississippi just in time to catch a full moon! That's right, one of the guys just turned around and pulled his pants down. Now, there is nothing cute to me about a stranger's backside, but I just started laughing histerically, because it was just funny.

Nobody else seemed to notice or care because most were listening to the guide. "Travis, look!" I said, and pointed toward the guys (still laughing histerically). "That guy is mooning us!" Holly heard me and had been watching them as well. We all got a good laugh.

"What? Mooning???" Madalynn asked as she turned around, thankfully at the same time the guy pulled his pants up!

What a hoot! One thing is for sure. I now go into New Orleans expecting to see or experience something strange, shocking or quarky, so I won't be surprised when the "experience" or "sight" comes!