LouTex Day 5

February 27, 2014

This was more of a touristy day, and it was warmer (up to 65 degrees) with blue skies. And we had a great sleep. I walked the ponds and we got a great shot of this guys fishing near us:

We headed to the Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site not far away in St.Martinville. I had read good reviews on TripAdvisor. And it was lovely. I don’t think I read the poem (but will when I get home). The name for the park is a bit of a misnomer. What it really is is a celebration of Creole and Cajun culture from the area.

After a movie, the Creole side tour guide took our small group (us, a couple from Scotland and a couple in their 80’s celebrating their 7th anniversary). The Creole (descendants of Europeans born in Louisiana) side featured the “cottage” of an affluent local Creole family (this was original) and the Cajun (descendant of the original Acadians from Canada) side depicted a typical modest farm on the shores of Bayou Teche. This side had recreations with some artifacts on display. Here are some comparative shots:

The houses:

…the dining areas:

The bedroom in the Creole house had a beautiful “Rolling Pin Bed”. The decoration between the posts at the head detaches and is used to fluff and roll the mattress!

It was beautiful and interesting. Much to think about in terms of Creoles and Cajuns, slavery, and the preservation of the past (real or imagined). The Cajun tour guide was outspoken about many things. Very thought-provoking.

We drove into St. Martinville and visited the above-ground graveyard with the oldest crypt we saw from the 1770’s:

and the contemporary mausoleum:

The town has the Live Oak from the Evangeline story:

…and the Evangeline statue:

This statue was interesting:

…particularly when you read the inscription (yes, that says “Roving Savage Tribe” and was dedicated in 1961:

The St. Martin de Tours Church was beautiful:

and the town was like a modest New Orleans French Quarter (we even bought some freshly-made beignets):

We decided against a trip around Lake Martin, recommended for birding, and headed to Lake Charles for our return visit to the Creole Nature Trail tomorrow. When we stopped for gas, I noticed a sign to an RV park ($10 to park-$25 for full service). We’re here for the night along with workers in travel trailers and others in the trailer park. Oh, and there’s a train!

I’ll post a view from my chair tomorrow!

LouTex Day 4

February 26, 2014

It stormed all night, and we woke to more rain! But we headed out around 9:30 for our next adventure.

This park would be a good place if you were visiting New Orleans (and had a car). It’s about 20 minutes from The French Quarter. It’s also close to Madisonville, a quaint little marina town on the river which flows into Lake Pontchartrain. You could ride bicycles there to restaurants, etc. And it has a Piggly Wiggly!

We saw a field full of FEMA trailers, abandoned and likely never to be used again. Evidence of Katrina and Rita persists. We also saw our first Border Patrol of the trip.

We drove to Poche’s Fish ‘N RV Park (Passport America $20-great deal) near Breaux Bridge. It’s quite lovely: big sites on some man-made ponds that are stocked with fish. It was pretty cold (45 degrees) so no one was fishing, but you can imagine what it would be like. We just snoozed, read and listened to great Cajun music on “Bayou 106.7, The Sound of Acadiana”. Oh, we also watched American Idol!

Here’s today’s “Cat’s Eye View”:

…a view of from our site (81):

…and a couple of views from my inside chair (there were quite a few birds including the Mallards, two Shrikes, Cormorants, Fox Sparrows, Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons:

LouTex Days 1, 2 and 3

February 23, 2014

FINALLY, after a long, cold and very snowy winter, we’re on the road.

In this trip, we’re combining the “best of” our two former trips to Louisiana and Texas. AND we’re travelling for the first time with our new kitty, Mandy. Fingers crossed.

We got away early on a sunny, cold day. Mandy started in my lap then abandoned me an hour later and kind of hid for most of the day. But she was quiet!

We booted it to Detroit and got through Customs easily, though he did board and checked the fridge and cupboards for the first time. We pulled in to the Super 8 in Vandalia, Ohio and had KFC.

Interestingly, I lost the cat in the room after two minutes. She’d gotten under one of the beds, and the whole lining of the box springs had been ripped down (likely by a former dog or cat). Mandy got tucked up in the springs and we had to entice her down with food. It was disgusting poking around under there (they’d obviously not cleaned under the bed for a long time). A letter is coming!

No view from my chair today.

February 24, 2014

Another sunny but cold start.

I am amazed by David’s retention of trivia. He knew that the “Overland” silos we saw were for Willy’s Overland Jeeps. Among other things. Amazing mind.

It was an uneventful day with the cat sleeping on the dinette seat all day long. But some signs and interesting sights included these:

• “CyberKnife for Prostate Cancer: New Weapons; New Cures” (ouch)
• “Big Bone Lick” (hmmmm…a body of water we THINK)
• A “Matt Bevin for Senate” sign on a tractor trailer parked in a big and stinky dump
• Snow on the ground, even in Kentucky
• Not a Daffodil to be seen
• Golfers on Kenny Perry’s Golf Course (but not a blade of green grass)
• Lots of dead Coyotes
• “Nervous Charlie’s Fireworks” (not a great vote of confidence)
• First motorcycle on the highway in Nashville
• 866 miles travelled without a traffic jam until outside of Nashville, and only 10 minutes
• “Boobies Bungalow Gentleman’s Club” across from a Truck Centre
• First Robins at the Alabama Welcome Centre (but no welcome for us to stay for the night)
• a Paula Deen billboard for something

We had a noisy night tucked amongst the tractor trailers at a Pilot Travel Centre, so no view from my chair. The cat much preferred the MoHo to a stinky hotel room!

February 25, 2014

It rained most of the very noisy night and was overcast for much of the long drive. We found a great future overnight spot at an Alabama Rest Area at Exit 304 (Route 65). It’s tucked away and very quiet (but “No Weapons Allowed”).

Today’s observations included these things:

• billboards for “the GOLFchurch.com” and “weremoveyourfat.com”
• First Mockingbirds
• Redbud and Dogwood trees in bloom (not very many, but buds on lots of trees)
• bus for the “University of the Incarnate Word”
• Mississippi town called “Eutaw” (say it out loud)
• Highway 59 lined with Magnolia trees, just a week or so before blooming; it will be beautiful
• Daffodils FINALLY in Ellisville, MS (about 120 miles from The Gulf)
• We put the air conditioning on!
• Snowy and Great Egrets in overflow water along the highway in Louisiana (great welcome)

We pulled in to the Fairview-River State Park for a night (Site 60). It’s across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans. We’re not planning to visit NOLA this year. I took a walk on the boardwalk and through a small swamp (scary but no gators).

Here’s the view of the MoHo (no time for chairs):

And a new feature, the Mandy Shot (this one is of her place to ride during the drive; this is on top of the dinette slide. We didn’t see her climbing up there until after. She climbs on the dinette, on to David’s headrest, onto a ledge above his head and onto the top of slide; amazing):