Original subtitles

I'm Jane McDonald and I'm cruising round the world. Do you wanna come?

I've spent half my life on cruise ships...

You all right?

..and now I want to help you get the most out of them.

Nearly two million Brits took to the seas last year, making this type

of holiday more popular than ever.

There are loads to choose...

What's going on adventures!

..from sun-kissed beaches...

It's just...GORGEOUS!

..to Icelandic adventures.

Ha-ha! There she blows!

..or voyages into the unknown.

It is very Indiana Jones.

SHE SCREAMS

There's something for everyone on a cruise.

Excitement...

SHE SCREAMS

..wonderment.

Makes you feel humble.

Are you married, Captain? No.

Hello, baby.

..and the added bonus of some extra bits

that you've never seen before...

SHE LAUGHS Only in New Orleans.

You're dressed up ready to go.

Say hello to everybody.

..so what are you waiting for?

Come on, then.

This time I'm deep down south.

Here I am aboard the American Queen.

I'm being taken up the Mississippi all the way to Memphis.

We'll be cruising on the largest steamboat ever built.

Wow! Just look at her.

This is going to be a journey into the past,

my American history cruise.

Look at this! It's really oldy worldy.

And I'll experience all the glamour...

It's wonderland!

..the grub...

My goodness, there's so much food.

..the gospel...

Feel I can face anything after that.

..and of course, the greatest...

We're nearly there. I can already spot a fantastic chandelier.

..that the Deep South has to offer...

Hurray!

..all while getting a taste of its famous hospitality.

Nice to meet you.

Hello! Can I join you? Absolutely.

Hello! That's a heck of a drink.

I love this. It's like stepping back in time.

It's just fabulous. Yes, ma'am. Give me some love.

It's a cruising extravaganza.

Come onboard! Yay!

My adventure starts in New Orleans, the largest city in Louisiana,

well known for its musical history, particularly jazz.

The city was founded by the French over 300 years ago, and today

the historic heart of the city is known as the French Quarter...

..with the famous Bourbon Street right at the heart of it.

It's here in the French Quarter where we'll find our Southern belle.

That's me, by the way.

I just love New Orleans.

You can't say New Orleans cos that's just not cool.

New-Orleans is how you say it, if you're a native. Oh, yes.

Oh, this is my hotel where I stayed last night.

Oh, just wait there. I've got something to show you.

I was reading this last night.

Ice House Bar.

"No strangers here. Just friends you haven't met yet."

It's got its own vibe and its own architecture.

There's nowhere ever on Earth that looks like New Orleans.

Or sounds like it. Cos even when you're in bed at night,

I could hear the bands all playing. And it wasn't unpleasant at all.

It was fabulous. So I was serenaded as I went to sleep.

It's just beautiful, everywhere you look.

Reminds me of a little place I might have mentioned once or twice.

In Yorkshire we all have a right good step.

It's well-known here you keep a really good balcony

and this is proof. See? Similar to Yorkshire folk.

It's a very creative place, very arty.

Lots and lots of artists here.

Everybody who works in a shop or a cafe is a budding singer,

songwriter, actor, artist.

It's just where all the art meets here.

Everywhere you go, there's someone playing music,

whether they're busking or they've got a job in a bar or cafe.

There's music everywhere here.

French, Creole, African,

New Orleans beats to its own unmistakable soundtrack - jazz.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

You can thank Louis Armstrong for that.

The legendary old Satchmo was born and raised in this very place.

Don't feel real. All these amazing streets...

It does feel like we've just walked into MGM, like we're making a film.

I know we're making a film, but we're not making a film.

We're making a TV programme.

Music, magic, mystery, even voodoo.

New Orleans is famous for it all.

Look at them!

Hello, baby! Hello!

Only in New Orleans.

Yes. Hello.

Hello! Hello.

Hello! Let's have a look at you on camera as well, shall we?

Look at you, all ready to go out, dressed up.

You're dressed up and all ready to go.

Say hello to everybody. Yeah!

She's gone to sleep.

I have that effect on people, you know.

You going to sleep?

LAUGHING: Nodding off!

And, of course, every year there is the Mardi Gras,

the carnival season when the streets are filled with crowds

and amazing processions.

It's full-on party, party with dancing and celebrations

on every street corner.

The say New York is the city that never sleeps, but I bet

that New Orleans is not far behind it...

..especially during the carnival.

How fabulous are these?

They only do men's. I'm gutted.

What is it?

SHOES CLACK

SHE LAUGHS

Soda can, soda can.

I'd love to show you my moves, but I've got to get off.

I've got me a date with US cruising royalty.

Coming up, I feel just like Scarlett O'Hara

when I step aboard my ship...

My name is Adam, I'm going to be your butler.

Oh, I've got a butler? Yes, ma'am.

I've bot a butler!

THEY LAUGH

..and we see how both halves lived at a sugar cane plantation.

I love the windows, though.

I mean, to have a bedroom and look out to that every morning...

..that just is...fantastic.

I'm in New Orleans,

about to sail down the Mississippi on a river cruise.

My ship - or in this case classic steamboat -

recalls the golden age of Southern cruising.

Pleasure boats like this have been transporting tourists

along the Mississippi for more than 200 years.

Oh, wow! Look. Just look.

She's just everything that you want it to be.

You feel like you're going back in history.

It's like going on that film Show Boat. And for anybody who is

under 40, you haven't got a clue what I'm talking about.

Well, it was an epic tale of singing and dancing,

gambling and gallivanting all set around a century ago.

And this boat looks like she's come from that same era.

Instantly recognisable by the black smokestacks and red paddle wheel,

this river boat is one of the largest steam boats ever built.

She is six decks high, but only a modest 127 metres long

and still manages to squeeze in four bars.

You feel like you're going to meet Clark Gable on there, you know,

and he's going to come up and go,

"Frankly, Jane, I don't give a damn."

And talking of movies, who fancies a musical?

UPBEAT MUSIC

# And we're rollin'

# Rollin', yeah

# Rollin' on a river... #

Whoo!

# Big wheels keep on turning

# Proud Mary, keep on burning... #

SHE MIMICS MUSICAL NOTES

Hiya! Welcome aboard. Good to see you.

Hey, y'all, it's the Mississippi River.

That's four S's and two P's.

It's officially the longest river in North America,

running for over 2,000 miles.

Jazz hands at the ready as we leave New Orleans.

First, we steam into the best and worst of American history

at Oak Alley Plantation.

Then we carry on through Swamp Country to Natchez

and across the heartland of the American Civil War.

Finally, to complete the 500-mile journey, we power on northward

to the home of the little-known singer in Memphis.

Oh, come on, give the lad a chance.

All right, see you later.

Thank you. Welcome to New Orleans and welcome aboard.

Thank you. My name is Adam, I'm going to be your butler.

Oh, I've got a butler? Yes, ma'am.

I've got a butler!

THEY LAUGH It's exciting. That's wonderful.

Thank you. You're welcome.

Oh, my... Look at this!

Welcome aboard. OK, thank you.

Hello. Welcome aboard.

Look at this! It's really oldy worldy.

I don't know... I'm speechless.

I don't think I've ever been speechless, ever.

And I'm just blown away by it.

POSH ACCENT: I shall have to start talking like this throughout.

No, I can't do that. But you just feel very, very posh.

In fact, that's what it is, innit? Posh means Port Out Starboard Home.

That is fact. Have you not watched Chitty Chitty Bang Bang?

SHE LAUGHS

Let's have a look. Look at this.

It's an empty bar.

It won't be!

Got your little buffet.

And then you come into here... Oh, gosh, it's got a bath tub.

On a river cruise? That's really good. That is really good.

Look at it. It's like really oldy worldy.

That your phrase for the day? Oldy worldy. Yeah.

Hey, Clarins as well.

That's not cheap stuff, you know.

It smells fabulous.

Put a little bit too much on.

But it's all right, it'll rub in.

It'll soak in to my gnarled old hands.

I start from shining the shoes all the way to get you the cab

going home. I can bring you breakfast to your room.

I will do your laundry, unpack your clothes if you wanted to.

That's a lot of clothes.

HE LAUGHS

That is a lot of clothes, but thank you!

Imagine your face when you saw that, thinking,

"I hope she don't want me to..." If you are in a rush for anything,

leave me a love not. A love note. "Adam, I need this, I need that."

"Lots of love."

When I see it, I will not be mad.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, ma'am. Thank you very much. Bye.

Got me own butler. Ain't he lovely? Anything I want.

As long as I leave him a love note, I can have it.

I'm loving this cruise already.

Look at it! Look. At. It.

Now, fellow cruisers, no matter what the size of your vessel,

be sure to get yourself to the muster station

for the mandatory safety drill.

Hello, hello. Good job.

And definitely get a responsible adult to help you

with your life jacket.

I've done it wrong. Same thing. Ah!

I should know how to put one of these on by now.

Every day's a school day. Yes, ma'am. All righty.

But don't hang about. A safety drill's a great opportunity

to say hello to the neighbours.

Hello. Hello.

Now, though, time for a nosey around.

PIPE ORGAN PLAYS

Let's go and have a look at what that racket is.

It's really loud!

Can you imagine if you lived in that flat?!

It's called a calliope.

Its whistles are powered by steam and I could listen to it all...

Well, for about five minutes, actually. Get me inside.

Gosh! Look at this! Look at this! Look at this!

This is like a proper ship-ship. A ship-ship-ship.

You know, like you see on...

I mean, look, it's got all wooden panels and it's just gorgeous.

Library. It's got proper furniture.

The whole boat is designed in keeping with its Southern heritage,

so you do feel as though you have travelled back

to the turn of the century.

It's so posh. It's so posh.

Can even get your coffee. Now, that sounds a bit...

Well, sometimes when you get up on a morning, you just think,

"I just need a coffee right now in my dressing gown."

I can't come down here in me dressing gown,

but I somebody who can!

Oh, wow.

Look at this.

This is harder than it looks, you know, stumbling around the boat,

carrying a glass of wine.

But it's worth it, especially when I can sneak into VIP areas.

Gentlemen's Card Room.

It's men only. Men only in here.

It's got to be men only because there's a bear.

Raar! Oh!

Want a room of your own just like the men, ladies?

That'll be our boudoir across the hall.

"Ashley, Ashley." That's from Gone With The Wind,

just in case you didn't recognise it.

Hi, Adam, I'm just having a look around the ship. All right.

I can show you the balcony if you want? Yeah? Yes.

Is that right? Yes. Let's have a look at the balcony.

Look at this, look at this, look at this.

SINGING ON STAGE

Marvellous!

Fabulous! Woo! Hi!

Hi, there!

I'm right at home here. I'm right at home.

Just look at that sky.

SHIP'S HORN TOOTS

It's all smooth sailing from here on out.

Averaging a leisurely 8mph,

this old-fashioned steamboat does nothing in a rush.

Overnight, we've wound 60 miles along the river to a classic slice

of Louisiana history, Oak Alley Plantation.

They call oak Alley Grand Dame of the Great River Road,

and I can see why.

This place might look familiar to you - more than a dozen films

and music videos have been filmed in this Greek revival-style mansion

and in its 25-acre grounds.

Feel like I've stepped out my cabin straight into a movie scene.

Morning. Good morning. Morning.

Hi, Miss Jane. Good morning, how are you?

You like your breakfast? I loved my breakfast. Thank you very much.

Morning. Good morning. I'm great, how are you, Snoop?

This is great. I love it. I never been in this situation before.

Have you never? But it's a good situation. Aww! It's good!

I'm glad you're doing it with me, Adam. Thank you so much.

It's a pleasure. You don't know.

I came far away and you came from far away, look where we met. I know.

That's amazing. Where are you from? Originally Morocco? Morocco.

Yes, I am Morrorrican. Wow.

Motorican... It's Moroccan... Yeah. Yeah. I like it.

My river butler Adam takes his job very seriously.

Even open this old dear across the road.

Look at this, it's beautiful.

28 Southern live oak trees create an 800-foot long alley

leading up to the mansion, which was built way back in 1839.

It just doesn't look real.

It's like a fairy tale.

I'll just hug a tree. Go ahead.

I just need to hug this tree.

They say it's really good for you. You see, you're supposed to just...

300 years these trees have stood here for.

I just heard that if you hug a tree, you get the energy

and the wisdom. Meditate. You know, like you meditated.

Yeah, you meditate... Get the energy in.

I'm meditating.

This is the first time I saw somebody hugging a tree.

There you go.

It's probably saying, "Get off."

Oak Alley is a testament to the turbulent history of the South -

utter breathtaking beauty at the front,

but with a dark and hidden past.

It has a lot of history behind it.

When you go in the back of the house, it's... Really? Intriguing.

something is pulling you to go see what's behind.

Look at this.

There's ladies in crinoline dresses and everything.

Oh!

Fancy having a house like this?

This is just so beautiful, isn't it? So beautiful.

Thank you.

Hi. Look at this. We're gonna start in here.

Oh, hi. Oh, my goodness me.

The family who lived here were wealthy plantation owners.

This cabinet we have here is some of the original China.

Look at that for a cup, though. That's a proper decent cup. Yes.

I don't like these piddly little cups.

Oh, they weren't playing with those, absolutely not.

That's enough coffee to give you rocket fuel, isn't it?

This family was one of the well-to-do families

of the time.

How many would have lived here, then? It really would depend.

Depends on what time point you're speaking about.

Actually, six children - three girls, three boys -

quite common for that time.

Now, two of those children, two little boys, Albert and George,

would die very early on.

Their daughter Marie would die at the age of 12.

And that meant they had three surviving children. Wow.

Typically what would happen, though, is the children,

while they were still of an adolescent age,

they would live together inside the nursery here.

While they were babies they actually would sleep in the master bedroom

with their mother. I can show you that.

Please do. This is really interesting, innit?

It's just sheer opulence, isn't it?

I love the windows, though, I mean, to have a bedroom and look

out to that every morning...

..that just is...fantastic.

You do feel like Scarlett O'Hara.

And you don't even know who that is, do you? Sorry. Can't believe that.

Can't believe you don't know who Scarlett O'Hara is.

You just can't get the staff.

Just look at that.

Oh, my goodness me.

SHE EXHALES

It's just absolutely beautiful, isn't it?

This does seem like a beautiful place.

But scratch the surface and a different story starts to emerge.

So what's down there? We have another freestanding exhibition,

it is entitled Slavery at Oak Alley.

This home is beautiful, but there is a price for it.

There is a flip side. The individuals that lived back there

are the ones that made this possible.

They are the ones that grew and harvested the sugar cane,

which made money. That money then was able to build this home.

Those individuals are the ones who actually made the supplies

that then went into building this house.

The enslaved community, all 220 of them,

made this lifestyle possible.

Their freedom was the price of this home and the beauty of this house.

Wow. So for every good side, there's a bad? Absolutely.

The money that built this stunning estate all flowed from sugar cane

profits fuelled by slavery, which was rife in the American South.

It's a harrowing story and one they don't shy away from telling.

So whenever we hear quotes referring back to Gone With The Wind

or Scarlett O'Hara, that history isn't as beautiful

as what certain movies and certain things that lead us to believe.

As we just experienced, there is a price to that,

to the beauty of this. We try to avoid that.

We try to bring the realism to our guests and teach them

about what truly happened at these plantations.

The dresses might be beautiful, but there is a dark side that goes

behind them and makes them possible.

I'm just a little bit confused because I've just been listening

to the guide and I felt a little bit...

Because I'm loving the opulence of all this and how beautiful it is,

and she said, "You must go and see that,"

because this is what it's all about. It's not about this. No.

It's about what went on here. I know, I know. But you get it,

everything is behind us now. Uh-huh. What you hear,

that's what those people have been through. But now is another...

It's another generation. Another generation.

It's funny, cos I feel quite...

..naive about...erm...

..American history. I've only seen it on films.

Now, all this opulence and beauty...

..is only possible because of what we're going to see here.

Let's go and have a look. Come on.

How many people would have lived in these houses?

Well, it would vary from house to house.

Could be 4 people in a cabin. There could be 16 people in a cabin.

It just depended.

These are replica cabins, here as a reminder of the slaves

that worked on the plantation.

More than 200 of them are commemorated on this wall.

Each one of these names is more than just a statistic.

They're more than just names on a wall.

These are living, breathing humans.

This is the sad, shameful parts of history.

But it's important to talk about it cos to not do so

is a disservice to 220 men, women and children, not just these 220,

but hundreds, thousands, millions of people

who have ever been enslaved.

Looking back, it's pretty uncomfortable sometimes.

But this is an American history cruise, and we can only understand

the present by knowing what has gone on in the past.

It's certainly been an eye opener.

Coming up...

SHE PLAYS LOUDLY

..I take to the calliope in honour of Her Majesty.

Hurrah!

The mighty Mississippi.

It's been at the centre of America's history and economy for centuries.

Back onboard, another serene Mississippi sunset awaits.

And if you're wondering why I'm dolled up..

I'm going to meet the Capitano.

And it's an exciting time, it's champagne,

so that's always exciting.

Hello. Good evening. Welcome. Nice to see you. Nice to see you.

Hi, Miss Jane, I'm Corey, the hotel manager.

Hi, nice to meet you. Pleasure to have you.

Champagne? Oh, yes, please. Thank you much. You're very welcome

I don't know if you can see me or not but I've got a drink in me hand, just for a change.

People are effortlessly nice.

I know that sounds daft

but you can always tell when someone is genuine...

But everybody on the cruise just are nice. Really nice.

All right, you must be the magic lady. Oh, the magic lady.

I don't make anything disappear.

Oh, you don't? I hope not!

Are you having fun? I'm having a great time.

It's going to get better. Yeah, I bet it is. Thank you, Captain.

See you later. I'll let you mingle. OK. Thanks. Thank you.

SOUTHERN ACCENT: Everybody's so laidback,

they all have this Southern drawl. Which is just fabulous.

APPLAUSE

NORMAL VOICE: That was pretty good, actually. Thank you!

That clap's not for me.

It's actually for Captain Bobby.

Hello, everybody. AUDIENCE: Hello.

Welcome aboard the largest steamboat ever built.

They say life's just like a dance that you learn as you go

and it certainly applies to travelling up and down

the mighty Mississippi River. So raise your glasses

and we'll do the steamboat shuffle from New Orleans to Memphis. Cheers.

AUDIENCE: Cheers.

The Mississippi River - also known as the Big Muddy -

is home to lots of interesting wildlife.

However, swimming is not encouraged

as the swamps along the river bank are full of alligators.

There is an excursion on our boat to see the gators and,

as you are closer to the water, the chances of seeing them

is quite high.

Back on the ship and I'm in the mood for a little music,

if that's what you want to call it.

There's one thing that really is quite disturbing, I would say,

that every time we leave port, sail away...

..there's this... It's like a load of kids with recorders practising.

And it's this thing called a calliope.

And it's like a keyboard.

And it plays these big pipes like a fairground organ.

Anyway, it's really loud. They've given me some earplugs

because it's so loud. And a little tip -

I'd turn your television down if I were you, right now.

SHE PLAYS GOD SAVE THE QUEEN

Looks like my act has driven all the other passengers

to the far end of the ship.

Story of my life.

Oh, well, they can try, but there's no escaping this racket.

Hurrah!

You can turn your telly back up now - it's feeding time.

One thing that really stands out on board

is good, old-fashioned Southern hospitality.

Asparagus, that's good for me.

Southern charm just shines extra bright down here

along the Mississippi.

Vegetables.

And the first rule of looking after guests - food!

Loads of it!

They're stuffing us like prized turkeys. Or pigs.

My goodness, there's so much food.

That's it. That's it. I'm done.

Hello! Are you all right? Can I join you? Absolutely. Thank you.

SOUTHERN ACCENT: Y'all doing all right?

LAUGHTER NORMAL VOICE: Was that good?

I just love your accents. Thank you.

The first words you gotta learn is "y'all". Y'all. Right.

"How you doing, y'all? Y'all?"

Almost. Did y'all get far today?

Right. "Did y'all get far today?"

I love this! keep teaching me. D'you want to go into town?

Oh, right. You gotta run everything kind of together. OK.

"Do you wanna go into town?" "Town." "Town."

You gotta slur your words a little bit. "D'you wanna go into town?"

Oh, yeah! That's it.

The staff here are just on another level.

They really are lovely people, they get to know you.

Every single one of them I know by their first names.

And they always have a great time at... Hello!

Is everything all right? Yeah, absolutely lovely.

I love this ship. It's like stepping back in time. It's just fabulous.

Yes, ma'am.

Better come back and see me cos I'll find you. I will find you.

I'll hunt you down. You'll hunt me down, I know. Thank you.

I can't even do an interview without one of them coming up.

As the sun sets on another fun-filled and educational day,

it's time to wind down on the outside deck.

Our Captain, Bobby, is a bit of a pro on the old guitar.

So who can say no to a little singalong?

# Crazy

# Crazy for feeling

# So lonely

# I'm crazy

# Crazy for feeling

# So blue

# I knew

# You'd love me

# As long as you wanted

# I'm crazy for crying

# Crazy for trying

# And I'm crazy

# For loving

# You. #

Coming up, I meet a lady who loves sparkly things

as much as I do.

Wonder Woman, Eat your heart out.

They're just fabulous, but they're not made for comfort.

But if it's beautiful, who cares?

It's just a wow factor. Wow.

I'm cruising down the Mississippi

on an authentic paddle wheel riverboat.

Instantly recognisable by the black high rise smokestacks,

these can sometimes be 30 feet or more

and were often lowered to pass under bridges.

In olden times when the boats ran with coal or wood, people could see

the boat from a far distance

as the smoke puffed out of these huge black chimneys.

Now we're at our next stop in Natchez.

Named after the Native American tribe that first settled here,

Natchez came to prominence back when cotton was king.

It was an industry that made fortunes.

Around half the millionaires in the USA lived right here.

And you can still see the evidence of it today.

Where we have stately homes and stockbroker belts,

America has Natchez and its sprawling mansions.

All right, Natchez is the oldest town on the Mississippi River.

We're even older than New Orleans. Really?

Last year we celebrated 300 years. Wow.

And, in fact, last year was... We celebrated 300.

This year, Mississippi is celebrating 200.

And next year, New Orleans is celebrating 300.

So you're the oldest? Yes.

Well, we're off to see a lady called Ginger Hyland.

I mean, it was the name, you've gotta go.

Ginger Hyland, that's a name.

I'm going to learn how to be a Southern belle.

So apparently she's really stylish.

So, Carla, what's Ginger like, then? What should I expect?

Oh, she's very nice. She gives great tours there.

Her tours are very involved and she's enthused

about what she wants to show you.

Oh, that's good. She has a beautiful, beautiful home.

It's called the Towers. Wow. Look at this street.

I wouldn't mind a bit of this.

SOUTHERN ACCENT: Sitting on the front porch with your cup of coffee.

NORMAL VOICE: Was that right?

A glass of sweet tea. "A glass of sweet tea."

In England I'm a Northerner

but I think in American I'd be a Southerner.

Some of these properties have been owned and occupied

by the same families for over 150 years

and they do love their traditions.

Since 1932, Southern belles have been opening their doors

to travellers in an annual custom known as

the Natchez Spring Pilgrimage.

If you're going to make that pilgrimage,

it just wouldn't be complete without meeting Ginger Hyland.

She's a legend around these parts.

Think Hyacinth Bucket.

Except she's actually got money.

Talking to someone on the ship and I said,

tell me a little bit about Ginger.

And they said, "She's very eccentric.

"She has more money than God and she likes collecting things."

I thought, that's my type of girl.

How you doing? Hello. Good afternoon. Good evening, London.

How are you?

You're not Ginger.

How fabulous is that house?

Hers is one of the grandest and most elegant homes in the town.

You can see why I've had me eyes on this excursion for a while.

You know what?

If I had a house like that, I'd want everybody to come

and have a look at it as well.

Hi. Can I just say hello? Hi, Jane. Nice to meet you.

Good to meet you. As beautiful as everybody says you are.

You can come back. Aha!

Outside, there's over 20 bronze statues,

but it's inside that we're all here to see.

It's wonderland! Oh, my goodness me, look at this!

Look at this place! Well, this is the blue parlour

and this is my favourite room in our house.

If Ginger's the Southern belle,

hubby James must be the Southern beau.

..covered in scalamandre silk fabric.

A great illusion to the eye.

It makes it look like that corner might match that corner

cos, as you know in these old homes, nothing is level square or plumbed.

You are not going to believe that but that fabric on the wall,

I've got in my lounge. Yes!

That means I'm posh! Oh, yes!

Over the years, Ginger's expanded her collection of costume jewellery.

It now includes antique laces, purses, tiaras and trinkets

from the 1800s, outrageously expensive and impossibly glamorous.

You see the wonderful green necklace that's on the centre?

We have won that belonged to Elizabeth Taylor. On the small

little tree that you see in the corner, that's the beginnings of our jewel Christmas...

These are made of dress clips. These are from the 1920s and '30s.

And excuse me just a moment. Sorry.

These are unlike any other pin that you would have.

You know the pins that women wear today have that bar that comes

through and actually pokes a hole through the fabric?

Well, this has a little clip on it with little teeth

and so you're able to put this on your blouse anywhere

you wanted to without even damage. Anywhere. Anywhere,

without damaging your outfit. You just wear that for the rest

of the day and see if Ginger notices it. She will. I'll leave it on you.

LAUGHTER

These three necklaces came from the Titanic.

This is actually one of the Heart of the Ocean necklaces

that was used in the filming. It's great to have those. Not half!

That alone is worth more than my house.

WHISPERING: Do you think they'll notice if I walk out with it?

He's just put it on me.

I'm like a magpie in here.

Everywhere I look there's something twinkling at me.

Come here.

This ball is actually covered in Swarovski crystal.

I mean, look at that.

That is some work.

There must be thousands on there. Absolutely thousands.

I love everything about it because it's over the top

and it's very camp and it's full of colour

and beauty

and light.

If Ginger don't own it, it probably ain't worth having.

Wonder Woman, eat your heart out. Come on.

They're just fabulous but they're not made for comfort.

But if it's beautiful, who cares?

If it's glitzy, I'm going to have it.

She's like the oracle.

..huge, huge belt here by Kenneth Lane in the '70s

and the biggest brooch I have ever seen.

So you would wear it on a heavy winter coat and it also doubles

as a weapon if need be. LAUGHTER

This has been a true Southern treat.

It's just a wow factor. Wow.

It's fabulous!

I wanna live here! Please leave me. Leave me here.

Have you got room for someone to move in with you?

I would just love it. I love you and I love your home.

You are living the dream here, aren't you? For me, yes.

I love history and I love old things.

I love to be around old things.

I love the way I feel around old things.

That's why I fit in. This is perfect.

Got all these beautiful things

and you're letting people like me come in and see them.

People don't get a chance to see many of these things.

And so here they can see the beautiful creations from yesterday.

Where do you find all this?

I'm looking all the time, so I'm looking if I'm travelling someplace,

I always stop and look at antique shops or shows or collectives.

Going to shows is a great way to do things because you get to talk to

dealers, people that have a great deal of knowledge and you get to see

things that you won't see in other spots.

You never know what you're going to find out there.

And I like to call collecting starting with the trunk of a tree

and the trunk is like this and the branches go off like this

and you think you're in this direction,

except that in the process of doing this, you find a branch that goes

off here and then off here and then all of a sudden

you're on the other side of the tree with things you never

would have thought that you'd find or be interested in.

But that's where collecting takes you. I love the fact also

that you've got a shop. I know! I know.

But if I'm going to collect all of this, it's an outlet for me.

I can always say, well, I'll put it in the shop.

You have been one the most favourite people I've ever met in my life.

Come out and spend a day with us and sit in the yard

and have a glass of champagne. I'm never leaving.

She has an open invitation. Thank you so much! You're welcome.

You're a joy. And thank you. Can I have a hug? Yes.

Yes, indeed. Thank you. What a pleasure it's been.

Absolutely stunning as well.

You and your husband are the perfect match.

Oh, I think I've found me fairy godmother.

Coming up, I get into the true spirit of Louisiana.

Singing is so good for the soul,

whether you're listening to it or doing it.

Absolutely fabulous.

What a great day.

Thank you, thank you!

Thank you very much! Whoo-hoo!

I'm cruising along the Mississippi in the Deep South of America.

Our cruise takes us through Vicksburg,

site of one of the American Civil War's fiercest battles.

The Confederate defeat here

marked the beginning of the end for slavery across the whole nation.

For history buffs,

there are old battle sites all over the state of Mississippi.

Gorgeous morning!

This cruise has been chock-a-block

with strange yet fascinating cultural tours.

But towards the end, we're in more familiar territory.

Cos it's Sunday and we're in the south,

I thought, "What about the church?"

Let's hear a gospel choir.

Morning! Morning.

I need a ticket for the bus.

"Touch screen to select."

OK.

Go and find a bus.

And then we're off for a singsong.

What a fab idea!

Oh, it's a nice...

..nice temperature.

No, it in't - it's cold!

As the Queen always says,

there's no such thing as bad weather -

it's just bad clothing.

So if you've got the right gear on,

it don't matter what temperature it is.

All you need is a cardie.

And your vest.

All-righty... Are you looking forward to today?

I am! It's a fun tour.

So everything that your mother taught you how to behave in church,

you need to forget that this morning.

They encourage you to take part.

Yes, you may take pictures.

PERCUSSION AND VOICES

You just can't escape Mississippi's deep music culture.

It trickles through to every street corner,

every shopfront and every church.

THEY SING

So many great singers

began their careers in places just like this.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Thank you very much!

Whoo-hoo!

Look at 'em all, they're so happy to be able to sing.

Singing is so good for the soul,

whether you're listening to it or doing it.

Mmm!

You feel like something's going...in there,

and it's great, absolutely fabulous.

What a great day.

Oh, thank you so much!

Did you have fun? I did, yeah! It was awesome, wasn't it?

I feel I can face anything after that.

It was powerful today. Really powerful.

We sure thank you guys for coming.

Oh, it was our pleasure, thank you for letting us in.

It made it that much more awesome. Oh, good.

Cos today day was different than usual. Really? Yes.

Do you not think that there's an energy that starts,

and you don't know it comes from? That's right, that's right.

Boom, it's just like a big wheel.

But it happens when everyone is thirsting... Yeah.

..for spiritual and divine sustenance.

Everybody needs something, don't they? Yes, yes.

And everybody's looking for something.

Yeah, you have to have something to hold on to.

You do. You know, that is both encouraging, hopeful and motivating.

Absolutely lovely. OK. Thank you so, so much. Thank you.

God bless you. God bless you, too.

You, too.

Back on the boat, and it's time for a classic southern cocktail -

the mojito.

Hello. Good evening. Hello, lovely, how are you?

I'm curious as to what you're up to.

Well, I've had such a southern fabulous day,

learning how to...southern style, eating southern food.

Now I'm going to drink...

..southern drink.

Ha-ha-hey! Come on!

Hello! How are you? I'm great, how are you?

Are having a bit of a steam there?

You can call it that.

Boys, I need a proper southern drink.

I would definitely do a mint julep, I think it's a must-have.

All right! You give me a must-have, Anthony.

Crushing the ice up

just the traditional way that a mint julep's served.

Would it be quicker in the whizzer?

You could do that, but it loses some bit of love.

Making it with love.

You in the south today, everything's made with love.

I'm ready for it. Janet, this could be a long night. Yeah!

A munt julep is the traditional drink of the Kentucky Derby.

Around 80,000 are served during the event.

Got some fresh meat right here...

The method's simple but effective.

Place the mint and sugar into a julep cup -

your fanciest glass will do.

Muddle well to dissolve the sugar

and to release the oil and aroma of the mint.

So now you're caressing it, really, aren't you? Yeah. OK.

Next, add the bourbon.

Whoa! Then add a bit more...

Fantastic! That's a heck of a drink!

And serve to an over-eager English lady.

There you are, my dear, tell me what you think.

Oh, that's nice! That is lovely.

It's the love, I told you. It's made with love.

This in't bad, having two gorgeous men serving me drinks.

I'm having a lovely time.

Cheers, boys! Cheers! It's really nice.

Mmm.

Next stop...

We're nearly there.

..I worship the altar of the King.

I believe that Elvis Presley lived here,

and I love him more, just being in his house.

I'm in Deep South US of A, trying not to lower the tone

aboard one of the world's classiest cruise ships.

We've sailed on up to Memphis,

a city that does more than just attract tourists -

it draws pilgrims.

Blues, country and soul smash together here

thanks to its proud African-American heritage.

This cruise has taught me so much about the Deep South,

a bit of the world I'd only seen in movies.

But now it's time for my specialist subject.

# Well, I quit my job down at the car wash

# I left my momma... #

The King, the Big E, the Country Cat,

Fire Eyes, Wiggle Hips,

Tiger Man, Mr Dynamite,

Memphis Flash, Sir Swivel Hips,

Mr Wiggle and Shake,

the King of Hearts,

the King of Love,

the King of Swoon.

Ladies and gentlemen, it's only Elvis bloomin' Presley!

I'm so excited, so excited, so excited!

I'm at Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley.

This is wonderful

and a rare treat for you and me.

Now, the cameras aren't allowed in here at all.

Nobody gets to film inside.

Except me.

So I'm going to take you with me

and my camera on a stick,

and we're going to have an amazing experience

of seeing Graceland.

Come on, let's go!

Elvis bought this place when he was only 22,

shelling out $102,000.

That's knocking on for a million in today's money.

But still pretty modest for the man who invented rock and roll.

We're nearly there.

I can already spot a fantastic chandelier.

Now 10,000 fans visit his home every week.

And I'm one of them.

Oh, wow!

Look at that. I just love a chandelier.

Look...white carpet.

It's very me.

This is going to sound silly,

but it's amazing how normal the house feels,

just frozen in time in 1977.

I'm really so happy that they've kept it

as he lived in it,

because it gives you an insight...

..into who he really was,

and I love him even more just being in his house.

This is the dining room...

Oh! Another chandelier.

Just gorgeous.

And look at that for a punch bowl.

I bet that filled a few times.

This is so exciting!

So you'll have to put your camera away. Oh, OK.

There's a no-camera policy upstairs,

so welcome to Jane FM,

broadcasting live from Elvis's spare bedroom.

Oh, look at this, with t'mirrors.

That's a bit kinky, innit? I like that.

That's brilliant, in't it?

Sorry, I'm a bit of a fan.

Oh, carpet on t'walls! It's great!

It's even cooler than I thought. I never expected this.

I love it.

Did I say it was normal earlier?

Let's upgrade that to a bit quirky.

I could move in now. It's right all my taste now.

It says a lot about me.

Fancy, you know, having a house like that,

because you've been blessed with a gift of singing and entertaining.

Wow.

Just wow.

I wonder who did all his grass.

I wonder who mowed the lawn.

There's a lot of upkeep, in't there, in things like this?

But I love seeing how other people live.

Of course, the pinnacle of any Elvis pilgrimage is located out back.

This is the...

..the meditation gardens.

# A very old friend

# Came by today... #

What I was expecting Graceland to be like,

I was expecting it to be...

..very extravagant, very over the top,

but actually it was a normal home.

# Though I smile, the tears inside were burning... #

What a finale to the cruise.

I never thought I'd get to pay my respects to such an incredible man.

# What else was there for me to do but cry? #

And I can't leave here without trying Elvis's favourite butty.

Oh, yes.

So this is the world-famous peanut butter and banana sandwich

that was one of Elvis's favourite sandwiches.

You can't not come to Graceland and not have this, can you?

As we say in Yorkshire, that's a bit claggy.

It sort of sticks to the roof of your mouth.

But once in a lifetime, you can have a taste

of a deep-fried, in butter,

banana and peanut butter sandwich.

It's still going in.

But you can't beat an onion ring.

This really has been an unbelievable musical and cultural journey.

It's opened my eyes to both the good and the bad in this amazing country.

It's been so different to any other cruise.

In fact, I've been embraced by it.

More than embraced, I've been enthralled!

I've been treated like a queen, and I've discovered

that southern charm is more than a mere catchphrase.

Southern charm is warm.

In fact, it's not warm - it's hot.

That's how much it hits you.

Never in my wildest dreams

would I have chosen a history cruise.

But what a mistake that would have been.

PA: Good afternoon, steamboaters.

On behalf of the American Queen,

we'd like to thank Jane McDonald

for coming on board and sailing with us this week,

and we hope that she comes back soon.

That says it all!

# I left a good job in the city

# Working for the man every night and day

# But I never lost a minute of sleeping

# Worrying 'bout the way things might have been

# Big wheels keep on turning # Turning

# Proud Mary keep on burning # Burning

# And we're rolling

# Rolling

# Rolling on the river

# And we're rolling

# Rolling

# Rolling on the river

# Do-do-do

# Do-do-do All right!

# If you come down to the river

# I bet you're gonna find some people who live

# You don't have to worry if you got no money

# People on the river are happy to give

# Big wheels keep on turning # Turning

# Proud Mary keep on burning # Burning

# And we're rolling

# Yeah, we're rolling

# We're rolling on the river

# Tell me on more time

# Rolling # Yeah!

# Rolling on the river

# Do-do-do

Ah!

All right!

# Whoo! #

Very nice!

What?!

Subtitles by Red Bee Media