Up early as we needed to pack, have breakfast and get on the road. We have a long drive before us today. New Orleans to Tupelo via the Natchez Trace Parkway.
Thankfully all the bad weather from last night had gone, skies were high cloud with blue skies.collected the car from valet parking, got directions to get onto I10 West and off we went. Easy to find the Interstate and we eventually got to I55 going to Jackson. We travelled for over 20 miles across swamp land, it is no surprise that they have an issue with flooding in this part of the world.
Filled up with gas, Sarnie got chatting to the attendant, she really wanted to go to London. They all say "I just lurve your accent", it is soooo funny.
An easy drive to Jackson, transferred to Natchez Trace Parkway just after the city limits. We followed the road, stopping at some of the historical sights. The reservoir was a really beautiful setting, so quiet and calm as was the whole of the ride to Tupelo.
We stopped for a bite to eat in Pizza Hut. Food was good and plentiful, we had pizza and salad bar. The girl who served us was really good but as for the others......... Staff here fall into one of two categories, they either are really switched on, can't do enough to help you and give great customer service, or they just can't be bothered! For some it looks like everything is just too much trouble, even breathing. It looks like most of the ones that fall into the second category are only good at one thing....... Eating!!!!!!!
Refreshed and full up, off we went towards Tupelo. We stopped at the visitor centre on the Parkway. Really nice setting, rockers on the porch, trees all around for the shade. It was quite hot by now, temp was in the mid 80's. Got talking to a really nice man in the centre. He was a local guy, a true hillbilly as he put it, an ex Vietnam vet. He gave us some interesting things to look out for along the way to Tupelo.
Finally arrived in Tupelo about 5pm, managed to find the motel without too much difficulty and checked in. Room was a good size, aircon old fashioned and a bit noisy, but room was clean with good facilities and only $100 for the night.
We found out that it was graduation weekend, some 400+ students were graduating, so all their families where in town!
Deneka on the front desk advised us of 2 places to eat, Connie's, real home cooking and The Blue Canoe. We checked on opening times and Connie's closed at 8pm and we thought that would be too much of a rush to get there, so we opted for the Blue Canoe.
The Blue Canoe has live music, so we booked a cab for 8.30 and off we went.
It was only an $8 ride, so about 7 mins away. We took the cab co's number for a return trip later.
Our cab driver was female, had been to England and was really nice and chatty. We pulled up to the restaurant and in we went after paying a $5 cover charge for the band.
I can only describe the Blue Canoe as a shack with a stage! However, it was pretty full, only a couple of tables. We waited to be seated but the waitress said "You folks just sit y'all down wherever you want,"
We chose a table with a Union Jack table cloth and started to look around. There was a big stage to our right and a couple were tuning up and doing sound checks. He wore a big cowboy hat and she looked like a cross between Lulu and Sheryl Crow.
We were given 3 pages of beers on sale, most of which we had never heard of and some which were nearly 10% in strength but we opted for a favourite, Peroni.
We chose wings to start. They did "wet" and "dry" wings. We chose 6 of each, went for the mild dry ones, some of the coatings came with a health warning as they were so hot, and Cajun for the wet ones.
Everything is cooked to order, so after a little while up they came.
The mild dry ones nearly blew our heads off they were so hot, both in temperature and taste. After w bites my lips were tingling.
More beers were called for and Sandra went to the toilet. When she got back she mentioned some young black guy had tried to go in the ladies toilet and she had said "what you doing?" He straight away picked up on her accent and got chatting to her.
As we got another beer, he game over with his girlfriend and introduced her to Sandra and we got
chatting. He spoke sooooo fast it was difficult to understand what he was saying but he was
mimicking a London accent. He was called Mark and was a car salesman, a right "geezer". He was really funny. A little while later he brought over his friend and introduced him to us as well. Mark seemed really proud to know us and wanted to introduce us to all his friends.
The band started playing and the sound man came and sat at out table to check the sound levels. He had been to London many years ago so he chatted to us for a bit and then went off to check the sound in the place.
This place was a wooden shack, graffiti and paintings on the walls but it was so busy. Customers of all ages we coming and going, there were even a group of Japanese or Koreans. One of them had to keep going to the bar as I'm sure he was the only one that spoke any English.
We ordered shrimp skewers for mains, they were delicious. Very filling.
The duo played a mix of country/blues and rock. They were pretty good if a little self indulgent at times.
I went to the toilet and had to queue, one of the Japanese guys was in the queue and he mentioned the time waiting. In fact he said it was a " very rong rine!"
We paid our check, got the waitress to call us a cab and came home.
The cab driver was so big Sandra couldn't sit in the seat behind him. He was so laid back, literally, it wasn't true. It was like being with one of the boys in the "hood".
We got home safely though and went to bed.
It was a truly great night in a local joint with good food, good music and nice people despite our reservations when we entered the place.
We will remember our time in Tupelo for a long time!
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