Thursday, January 5, 2017

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.



24 comments:

  1. We've decided to add this stop on our route after looking at all your interesting photos and reading MonaLiza's comment about the Tabasco Factory. We will only stay a couple days, but I hate to pass it up. Love the park! Hope we can get a reservation Tuesday. Great photos of the beautiful Live Oaks with the Spanish Moss. The Acadian community is probably little known by most. Sure hope you get your step part on Friday. We had the same thing happen. Sorry you missed the snow!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hehe, yes that snow would have been so wonderful :-))) If you have two days see the Longfellow Evangeline SP and Avery Island. We actually would have missed both if we hadn't been delayed so was a silver lining. And it was fixed this morning so we can continue on!

      Delete
  2. You sure are fortunate to be stuck in such a lovely area with so much to do! Fingers crossed the parts come in today and you are on your way soon....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It really was a blessing in disguise and we're all ready now!

      Delete
  3. We too enjoyed our stay at Poches and using it as our home base for the things you just did. And that same market we stock up on étouffée and savored it at Bayou Segnette mixed with crawfish from the fish market . Our route is the reverse from yours. Fond memories.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So glad you mentioned Avery Island, we loved it yesterday!

      Delete
  4. We've been to the other end of the Acadian story; Grand Pre, Novia Scotia. The story behind our last name was explained to us there, although our family moved through the area and headed down the St. Lawrence before the deportation took place. You are correct in the sadness of the story, Jodee. The Cajuns have made lemonade out of lemons, though...as they are a happy lot!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Fascinating, and again a small world we live in. You come from amazing people - of course :-))

      Delete
  5. There you go again visiting a place on my list – the Acadian Culture Center. I knew about it from our time in the Canadian Maritimes I laughed out loud at the paragraph about your expressing yourself in a “mature and quiet manner”. I know you were irritated but I have to admit I’m sure glad you were delayed and could share those fantastic swamp pictures. Those two spots are now listed on my WISH LIST right beneath the culture center. Louisiana is the only state (other than Connecticut where we could not find a convenient and reasonably priced place to even spend the night) east of the Mississippi River that we haven’t stayed at least a week in. I have been trying and trying to get there so thanks for all of this. And BTW, I used to teach school – lo those many years ago, in wooden clogs and they are probably the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn. Really really love your swamp pictures. Gorgeous! Hope the step thing gets done AT LAST!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You will love these places - and Avery Island as well. I wore wooden clogs for a while in college and can't remember what happened to them :-(( The tech came out this morning in the freezing weather and got it all done - yay!

      Delete
  6. What a great place to add to our list. Tornado warnings can be ugly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So far the tornado watches haven't resulted in much weather, but we aren't challenging that :-)

      Delete
  7. Nice you got to spend that time there as it is a really cool area. I was going to suggest if you were there longer to take one of the swamp boat rides. Really neat.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We thought about the swamp tour, but in the cold weather there's not as much to see, and they don't discount for this time of year. Next time for sure!

      Delete
  8. We came through that area in the middle of a huge storm. Needless to say, we didn't see much.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We've got one of those today, so very glad we don't have to be on the road. Otherwise we've had pretty good weather for this time of year. Such a pretty area.

      Delete
  9. Replies
    1. Some place I really wanted to see but they were closed both times we went - even though the sign said it was their open hours. Maybe they're on vacation :(

      Delete
  10. Jello plans sure make sense when something goes array. Glad you got the step problem solved. Ditto on the gorgeous swamp tree photos. How did you like the gator? My son in law loved calamari until someone told him what it was. Now he won't eat it, even though he knows he likes it :-/ LOL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Really liked the gator, ordered it again at another place. Tender and not greasy :-)

      Delete
  11. Always a bummer when repairs are needed and delayed but looks like you ended up in a gorgeous place with much to do. And now, westward ho.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We never like being held up, but we sure would have missed a lot of great sights had we left days ago, so it turned out well. Still, can't wait to get west :-))))

      Delete
  12. I'm so glad you enjoyed your time in Acadiana! As you know, we absolutely love that part of the country—so rich in culture, history, and wildlife. (Thanks for the mention of our blog post!) I'm sorry you didn't get to experience Cafe des Amis, but that just gives you a good reason to return. Sure looks like you found all of the great things to do in the area—your photos are wonderful. We've been to Poche's three times now, and we still haven't done everything we want to do!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for your recommendation, I'm sure we might have missed all the beauty and fun - and very yummy eats!! We'll definitely be back :-)

      Delete