Each day in this town brings more surprises. Every street corner contains an unusual structure. There are parks and gardens, curious enclaves, broken-down alleyways, antiquated saloons and even an upscale salon where I got my hair cut. I went back to Stanton Hall (seen above) and took some more pictures. Every angle of this landmark provides a different and equally compelling point of view.

Even when you get up closer, it looks completely different. I think the same could be said of the town itself. I’ve been exploring it mostly on foot. And even though it is laid out in a simple grid pattern, I keep finding myself getting lost. This is due in part to there being so many side-streets between the main boulevards. I find that I can’t resist strolling down them. Sometimes you come out of one of these back ways and end up nearly stepping into a private garden.

This one above is a few doors down from The 1888 Wensel House Bed & Breakfast (below) which is run by my friends Ron and Mimi Miller. I went there for breakfast a few days ago. Not only is the house exquisitely furnished with fine antiques and elegant paintings, but the food is delicious and plentiful: rashers of bacon, grits and pancakes, sausage and scrambled eggs, biscuits and fresh fruit salad. Ron and Mimi are consummate hosts, entertaining their guests with snatches gleaned from the lengthy history of Natchez.

Across the street is a stylish little stucco house painted a rich terra cotta red. It reminds me very much of my own house in Athens, NY in terms of size and shape. I only wish I didn’t have vinyl siding on mine. So far I haven’t seen any vinyl siding in downtown Natchez.

In other subtle ways Natchez reminds me of Athens which is also a river town. The Mississippi is certainly grander and wider than the Hudson is around Athens, but the sense of ebb and flow of river traffic and the historic lifestyle along the river is very much the same. Natchez is certainly cleaner, and much better preserved. I was told that this is due in part to the immense success of Gone with the Wind in the 30s. Residents went to a great deal of trouble to restore and maintain their properties here both in response to and as a result of the rage for antebellum architecture following the premiere of the film. But with stately churches, such as the First Presbyterian, below, it’s no wonder that the Natchez’s citizens make a point of keeping it well-maintained.

So far the weather here, for March, has been spectacular. I feel very lucky not to be ensconced in upstate New York right now as I know it is cold and wet there. We’ve had nothing but clear blue skies and temperatures in the 60s and 70s here, except for Monday when we had severe thunderstorms, followed by a cold spell. Liberating it is to be able to doff my winter coat and walk to the gym I just joined in my work-out clothes. I’m trying to work off the calories I’ve incurred by snacking at places like this aptly named bistro below:

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The downtown area is surprisingly quiet in the daytime. And I must confess that I haven’t ventured out at night. This gives the area a serenity I’ve not encountered in any city but it also gives it a slightly Twilight Zone atmosphere, as if it were a set or a make-believe village, like the story Rod Serling told of a person trapped inside a toy belonging to a giant child.

All in all, I’ve only just begun to scratch the surface. There’s too much to take in, too many ways to go. For now, I’m content to simply soak in the details.

My main goal, of course, is to simply vanish into the landscape and get some serious work done. So most of the time I’m in my hideaway working. I can’t think of a better way to spend a vacation.

After traveling from New York via stop-overs in Virginia, Georgia, and Florida, I finally rolled into my final destination, Natchez on the Mississippi River, on Friday night. From the moment I turned into St. Catherine Street, I knew I had arrived. Every corner of this small city exudes a Southern grace and charm. I’ll be writing much more about my impressions of Natchez as the month progresses. I’ve rented a small apartment here in an old carriage house. It’s completely ideal for my purposes despite (or because of) its faintly “honeymoon cottage” ambiance. But for now I am just posting a few snapshots so I don’t have to inundate my friends with laborious emails and downloads. So if you are interested, please check in later to find out more about what makes Natchez one of the finest rivertowns in America.

Stanton Hall (above).

Wilkins Town House Bed and Breakfast on side street. Typical of the charm of the historic downtown district. It used to be the Chamber of Commerce many years ago.

I’m not sure exactly what this building is, but it appears to be a club or private association of some kind. It reminds me of some of the fancier Flagler buildings in Palm Beach.

Above is the rear-view of Choctaw, one of the larger B&B’s. Front facade below.

The grandeur of these homes is astonishing considering that right behind it is an abandoned old warehouse with wonderful vintage advertising signs.

Click on the images above to see them full-size. As you can see, I got a little carried away snapping pictures of it. Maybe it’s because the Natchez Coffee House was closed.

The cafe is on Franklin Street where there are several arcades filled with high-end and low-end antique shops and galleries. I’m not sure which “end” these outdoor statues belong on.

Every block is full of surprises. Below is an art deco movie theatre that could just as easily be in Miami Beach.

There is much more to show you. So stay tuned. No doubt I’ll succumb to the thrill of taking one of the horse-and-buggy ride tours, and I’ll be sure to fill you in on all the old wives’ tales about ghosts and goblins in the antebellum mansions.

It’s a magical little city that takes time to fully savor.