Back from Buhluhxi

I just discovered that I neglected to Publish this -- back in 2012!

Mike and I have ventured out of Baton Rouge in the past year, but have been too slothful to write about it (blame the Scrabble app on Kindle Fire), so rather than letting our latest trip get cold, I'll post about it now and try to catch up on the intervening trips later.

Being on a restricted travel budget this year (who isn't?), we've made the best of it by exploring locations a bit closer to home. Our latest was a trip to Biloxi, Mississippi over the Mardi Gras holiday. We've seen the ads for the Beau Rivage Casino and Biloxi's white sand beaches, and had located it on the map, but it wasn't until we were actually read to go that we discovered it's only a 2-hour drive, barely farther away than New Orleans. All this time, we could have been popping over for a quick spin on the slots, if only we'd known!

Because it was such a short, leisurely trip, we stopped at the rest area just across the border near the NASA Stennis Space Center (how often do you get to stop at a NASA rest area?), and discovered that the Infinity Science Center will soon be opening. A return trip in on the calendar. Only an hour away -- and I get the senior discount!

We opted to take the I-90 scenic route, because we had the time, but I doubt we'll do it again. Much of it is scenic, yes, but much of it is stoplights and strip malls. Soon, we arrived at the Balmoral Inn, just off I-90 within walking distance of the beach and the mall. As you know by now, we make a point of staying in historic properties and are particularly fond of restored properties from the 40s, 50s, and 60s. In that regard, the Balmoral Inn did not disappoint. We were also looking to save a few dollars by eating a few meals in. We were given room 5, the one with the parrot murals, which I found wonderfully kitschy. The two-room apartments are large for the price, and fully furnished. It was great to come back after a day out and sink down into a comfortable couch to relax, but not so great that Sunday night when we discovered that the television in the living room did not pick up PBS and we were in danger of missing the final installment of "Downton Abbey!" Thankfully, the cable was working properly in the bedroom, so we witnessed Lady Mary's confession, although on the very small screen. (By the way, her anguished cry, "I shall be your Tess" inspired me to finally read "Tess of the D'Urbervilles.")

The bathroom retains its original flooring and tiled walls, which we loved. The king size bed was very comfortable and we slept very well. The closet area in the bedroom is the largest I've ever encountered. The kitchenette included a large pantry and the cutest little countertop disherwasher -- where have you been all my life! However, I should have known not to trust a man when he says that the kitchen is "fully stocked." Stove and refrigerator in working order -- yes. Plates, cups, glasses, bowls, flatware -- yes. Decent knives -- no. Cooking utensils -- no. Pots and saucepans -- yes. Baking sheet or baking pan -- no. No towels, dishcloths, or sponges. No paper towels or napkins. Detergent packs for the dishwasher -- yes. No dishwashing liquid for the pans that won't fit in the dishwasher. No salt or pepper. First thing I did on returning home was to put together a "necessities" kit for the next time we stay in a self-catering unit.

The bad -- the carpets desperately need to be changed; the pillows and towels need to be replaced.The Inn caters to long-term guests (they have weekly and even monthly rates) and many of them are regulars. I imagine they bring their own pillows and towels and kitchen necessities. There is a washer and dryer on site, so it would be simple enough to wash your own.

Monday we drove into Biloxi and parked at the Hard Rock Casino. Mike had done some research and was set on doing the Biloxi Shrimping Trip. I was not as excited by the idea, but decided to go along for the ride (literally). We were both disappointed. As a harbor tour, it was very nice, if a bit Katrina-heavy. As a "shrimping trip," it borders on false advertising. We were crowded onto the upper deck of the boat, along with a tour bus of seniors from the upper Midwest, and a dozen or so other independent tourists like ourselves. The "shrimping" consisted of a very small catch brought up a few minutes out and dumped into a box, where it was sorted and described. About a dozen people crowded around and, since not one of them moved away the entire trip, the rest of us had to sit and watch the scenery, which is somewhat bland. Neither of the crew said anything about moving aside so that others could see -- if they are going to act like children, then treat them like children -- despite the fact that we all paid the same rate.

The real excitement came when I felt my phone vibrating, picked it up to see the call coming from our home phone, answered, and listened to Lois telling me that our furnace was running and would not stop. She had come in to feed the cats, discovered that it was 95 degrees, tried to shut it off at the thermostat with no luck, called Mike over and he was no more successful, and was now looking for the circuit breakers to shut it off there. I told him where it was, and he shut it down. My heart sank as I tried to guess what it might cost us to repair the furnace, but I was so glad that we have such great neighbors.

As we approached the dock, the captain of the boat announced that there was a historical/cemetery tour just leaving, for those who were interested. We decided that we might as well. Again, it was a disappointment. The driver was certainly animated and pleasant enough, but her tour seemed to consist mainly of showing us the various Katrina high-water marks around Biloxi. The "cemetery tour" was a drive through the main road. She stopped to point out the high-water mark, but neglected to point out that it was right in front of Frank Ohr's grave. We both saw some wonderful architecture through the van windows, but she did not mention any of it. We've read about a different tour, which I think we'll try the next time, because Biloxi does have more history than just Katrina.