How I fell in love with St. Francisville

Years ago, when we still lived in Louisiana, the Hub and I were driving back from a meeting he had in New Orleans. Providentially, we had someone we trusted to stay with our kids for a few days and we seized the opportunity for me to travel with him to spend time together in the Crescent City when he was not in conference.
The rest of the time, I explored the city, another of my favorite places, on my own. I was careful to stay within the safety zones as I knew them.  I had a grand time as I always do in NOLA.
As we were leaving, someone mentioned a restaurant along the route recently opened by a former LSU Tiger of some repute who also happened to be a marvelous cook. By the time we made it to the other side of Nawlins, through gnarling traffic, the idea of stopping to for a sit down dinner seemed like a grand idea.
By the time we had dinner the idea of staying all night near the restaurant and heading home the next morning seemed like an even better idea. The restaurant, located in the tiny, scenic town of New Roads more than lived up to its reputation. We asked there, about accomodations for the night and were directed across the river to St. Francisville.
To say we stopped at the first place we saw is literal. We took the ferry across the mighty Mississippi, drove up the hill, took the first right and stayed the night at a bed and breakfastcalled The Shade Tree. (a separate blog about the Shade Tree to follow!)
The next morning, we drove back down the hill to see the view back across the river in the day light
The view was obscured, initially, by a heavy fog. The Hub didnt mind, too much, as there was a lady selling boiled peanuts at the landing. He bought one for "breakfast" and another for the road.
Just as we were about to turn around and head home, the fog began to lift and as it did, what was revealed was indeed spectacular. There, on the other side of the river, almost as if in a dream, set the most beautiful riverboat I have seen since the scene from Rhett and Scarletts honeymoon in Gone with The Wind.

And if I thought I could not be more excited about something, as we drove up the hill and into the fair city of St. Francisville. I was enchanted.I was also intrigued.
Until then I'd not paid all that much attention to this place that some have called Louisiana's best kept secret. As best I recall, the most I knew about it was that it was home to some haunted plantation houses. About those I was not too interested.
We didn't have a lot of time to spend in St. Francisville that first time but I was determined to come back ASAP.