Acadiana

December 30, 2016 - January 4, 2017
Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

Although the last ten miles of our Thursday drive on Interstate 10 is the roughest piece of highway we've traveled in 19 months, the rattling and rocking doesn't fix the steps. Dang!

We're staying at Poche's Fish n' Camp in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. After reading Laurel's post about the area, I made reservations here months ago. With concrete pads, FHUs with 50 amp, picnic table and fire ring, and level large sites that back up to a small lake, we like it here. When the free WiFi works well we like it even better :-)

It's our anniversary which we celebrate Cajun style with alligator and boudin balls at a local eatery. We laugh and agree we never thought we'd be eating "such things" on any anniversary :-)))

Cajun cuisine

Tessa appreciates the dog-tv at our new location

Friday morning I call the local Camping World where they are booked for several weeks, although the tech who answers the phone gives us some good trouble-shooting ideas and recommends calling a mobile repair company. I appreciate his time, especially during a holiday week.

Bill reaches Fun in the Sun RV Repair who is able to come out the same day, so we hang around home. They get the steps to come out and stay, but a loose wire has fried the motor that needs to be ordered. At least we don't have to use the step ladder :-)  We were leaving Sunday, so I extend us to Wednesday (Monday is another holiday so Tuesday is the soonest they can complete the job). 

Saturday is New Year's Eve. Unfortunately I have the information wrong on Cafe des Amis' music schedule and miss their morning jam session. Such a bummer as they only do it on Saturdays :-(  Rain is expected all day so we head to the movie theater in nearby Lafayette.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a delightful film even with the loud talking family in front of us. It must have been their first time at the movies......

If you're a Harry Potter fan, you'll love it

We thought about finding a music venue for a little New Years Eve celebration, but the weather is getting nastier so we opt for an early dinner in town. We wait in the Jeep until the Blue Dog Cafe opens, and the rain increases.

2016 makes a nasty exit. 

The art of George Rodrigue fills the walls

Our meals are delicious and the service is perfect. Unfortunately Mother Nature hasn't let up and our drive home on dark, narrow, flooded roads with lightning and heavy rain is more excitement than I was hoping for. I'm glad we didn't plan a late night.

Sunday there's more rain, better suited to our football-watching agenda. I make red beans and rice from scratch in the Instant Pot and watch the Steelers win again - it's a good day :-)

So much good

Monday starts out with a tornado-watch. Only our second one, but this time there's actually clouds and some wind. We batten down the hatches and return to the theater to see Rogue One, the new Star Wars movie. Unlike Saturday, the place is nearly full when the film starts. No loud talkers, but lots of coughers. Fingers crossed we don't take home a bug. 

Great story

This might be my favorite Star Wars movie. It's like Episode 3.5 in the chronology of the series, and has much of the feel of the early films. Wonderful. Go see it.

Surprisingly when we exit, the sun is out, the sky is blue and there is no wind. Less surprising, our home is still here when we get back to the park, everything intact.

While Bill waits for the service techs to return on Tuesday, I run into Lafayette to visit the Acadian Cultural Center, part of the National Park Service. The 35 minute film is well done, telling the story of the deportation of all Acadians from Nova Scotia by the British government. The French and Catholic community refused to pledge their support to Britain and the Protestant church, and Charles Lawrence ordered them all placed on ships and dropped "in the colonies". It is a sad and depressing piece of history I knew nothing about. Their resilience brought them to Louisiana and rebuilt their Acadiana here in the prairies and bayous.

The area is rich with a diverse culture. Throughout their story run a few common threads

Love of family.

Passion for music

Joy of cooking

Beauty of the Bayou

I enjoy talking with the young ranger who has lived her whole life in the area and is so proud of her heritage and what this center shares with others.

As I'm leaving Bill lets me know he's heard from the repair place. The part didn't come in. 

Oh well. When I get back, I extend our time again. This time to Thursday. It's a pretty place, we're only paying $20/night with Passport America, the WiFi is free (we've used all our gigabytes this month), and we have enough Jello in our plans. 

Nearby is the amazing Poche's Market, recommended by a couple other bloggers as the best place to stock up on Cajun specialties. I make the necessary stop.

Still owned by the original family.

As if it wants us to feel better about our short delay, the skies treat us to a beautiful sunset.

Wednesday morning the pretty sunset has worn off when we're advised the part now won't arrive until Friday. I express myself in a mature and quiet manner which only Bill has the pleasure of experiencing. Lucky man.

They're already working with the warranty company, snow is expected in northeast Texas where we're headed, we have to get the steps fixed - blah, blah, blah.....of course we're staying until the repair is complete. I get over it.

We spend the day in the Lake Martin Cypress Island Preserve and at the Longfellow Evangeline State Historic Site. Both are beautiful. Both look and feel like nowhere else. The day gets much better.

The swamp surrounding the lake is magical

I stop to capture the deep swamp, just as an Egret takes flight

The green water is nearly neon against the winter pale trees

The state historic site includes several interpretive buildings of an Acadian farm community

Wonderful oaks draped in moss and wrapped in fern

I've never seen a chimney like the one on the old cabin - wood frame with plaster/mortar

The tiny farmhouse includes a welcoming front porch

Living space 

Spa tub....

Love finding pops of color in January

Acadians brought wooden shoes from Nova Scotia. They just don't look very comfortable.

The small visitors' center has several displays including this Pirogue, carved from a single Cypress log, the Moss Gin on the right, used to clean sticks and leaves before baling moss, and a moss bale on the left.

Demonstrations are given regularly on this restored loom

Tours of a plantation house are included in the $4 entry fee, but we opt to just walk the rest of the grounds on our own. We'll see the plantation next time.

This really is an amazing area, not a bad place to be "stuck" for a few extra days.