By Bob Morgan, Jr.

This is written in Jackson, Mississippi, where young Robert and I are in the midst of a nine day road trip mostly through the South, which will take us as far as New Orleans, about 185 miles south of here.

As some readers of this space may recall, the lad, now 15, and I have taken an annual spring break trip each year since he was 8. The trips have always been relatively low-budget affairs, but we've visited such places as England, France, Italy, Ireland, Morocco and Argentina.

This year, however, we are traveling in the United States. There is a great deal to see here, and it seemed to make sense to devote one trip to our own country.

Our ultimate destination, New Orleans, where we will stay for three days, is much fun with some great restaurants and a unique cuisine, but it also has a rich history.

For example, New Orleans was both under French and Spanish rule during the colonial period, retaining a very strong French and Creole influence to this day. The city and surrounding area were the site of a major battle in the War of 1812 (ironically after the peace treaty was signed), and was held under martial law during the Civil War by controversial Union commander Ben Butler.

In the 20th and 21st centuries, New Orleans has become a major tourist destination noted for the Mardi Gras and jazz, among other attractions. And, of course, it was the site of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, from which it is still recovering.

But, in addition to visiting an exciting destination, it is also interesting to take in the cultural differences between North and South.

One obvious difference is the number of churches in each community. This is truly the bible belt, where religious observance is obviously a key part of the fabric of life.

And, even 145 years after it ended, the Civil War still is a brooding presence in the South. At Robert's suggestion, we visited the site of the battle of Shiloh in southwestern Tennessee, just north of the Mississippi border.

The battle took place in April 1862, and was an exceptionally bloody struggle. The Confederates desperately attempted to halt the progress of the Union army under General Ulysses S. Grant as it moved through Tennessee. A Confederate counterattack was initially successful, but ultimately Grant's army was reinforced and the Southern army had to retreat to Corinth, Mississippi.

The battle produced horrific casualties on both sides, approximately 24,000 in all, and the battle site has a cemetery for the Union dead and a mass grave for the Confederates.

There are many other Civil War battle sites scattered through the South. The war between the states, with its mass death and destruction, must have affected a huge percentage of the families in the region. It is thus easy to imagine how the Lost Cause, even if very much tainted by its connection with slavery, exerts such an emotional hold over many people in the region even to this day.

Sometimes New Yorkers are tempted to think that civilization ends west of the Hudson. But in truth there is an interesting and vibrant world out there, and one that is worthy of respect.