Mais Yes!

"So, Kevin, after we see New Orleans, we'll go to Chackbay and visit your Mom.  Will she be able to tell us how to get to Bayou Pigeon?"
"Mais yes!"
And, that's how our bayou tour began.  After a Cajun meal of sweet crawfish, corn and potatoes, we said goodbye to our friend, Cajun Kevin until we meet again in Talkeetna.

                                                                           Sweet Home Alabama

                                                        many thanks to Kevin for his Southern hospitality

                                                                  Louisiana Crawfish, eaten in Alabama!

New Orleans surprised me with its location.  For some reason, I had no idea it sat pretty much at sea connected to land by bridge.   Surrounded by Lake Pontchartrain, the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico, the impact of Katrina on New Orleans became clear.  We entered the city in heavy rain, but mild temperatures.  The traffic and size of the city also surprised us, it's no Nashville!  We quickly sought out Draco's the best oyster house in New Orleans.

                                               The bright colors of some sad looking neighborhoods

                                  I love the color and confusion of this photo taken from an overpass

                                                   I never anticipated palm trees in New Orleans

The tropical and lively look of the city

                                                                       and the sadness

                                                                    I kept thinking Mardi Gras

                             Even the torrents of rain couldn't detract from New Orleans' beauty

                                                         The French Quarter.....mais yes!

                                  and as we left town, the Superdome, home to so many during Katrina

Draco's wasn't meant to be, although we did give a drive by to the famous oyster house.  Parking the RV, was not as easy as it had been in Nashville.  I should have Googled public parking, but I didn't and in the blink of an eye, we were leaving the city.  We were happy to find a safe haven that night in Chackbay near Thibodaux, LA with Cajun's Mom.  Nestled beneath a mandarin orange tree we prepared for our trip to Bayou Pigeon, home of the "swamp people".  It's somewhat embarrassing to admit to watching these  reality shows on TV, but exciting to see where it all takes place.

                                                                the oranges made for good road snacks

Laura Plantation, despite being off the beaten path, is popular with tourists. In its day, Laura was a typical working plantation.  Much of the land here is in sugarcane.

                                                         An older plantation house

                              and another, regretfully, I didn't get a picture of the plantation house

I'm intrigued by homesteads and photograph them wherever we travel.  You've seen the fallen down barns of Wyoming and the abandoned farmhouses of Saskatchewan.  I'd love to know the stories that go with the many homesteads I have photographed.

 
                                              A typical Louisiana home....always a front porch.

Finding Bayou Pigeon was easy at first and then more difficult.  We knew if we found Bayou Pigeon, we would also find Bayou Sorrel, home of the alligator hunters!  After leaving Chackbay, we were immediately in swamp.   Many days of intense rain added to already swollen creeks and rivers, making it seem impossible to find land high and dry enough for human habitation.  I began to wonder why people would want to live in the swamp.  Looking from the car window, I thought, I would not survive one night out there.  And, what about the bugs?  Not to mention the snakes and the gators!  I had already experienced the fire of stepping on an ant hill, which sent me running into the RV to lather my foot with peroxide.  The stinging persisted longer than I thought possible considering the size of the ant.  I bathed my foot and thoroughly washed my sandal noting every ant hill thereafter.  So many things to be wary of in the South.

                                                        typical bayou houses, water all around

These are cypress swamps, notice the cypress knees beneath this tree, needed to provide oxygen to the tree which has its roots submerged in water.

                Bayou Pigeon with a houseboat in the foreground, a convenient way to be mobile and live on the water

                                                    Cypress knees, used for all types of woodworking.

                                                           Several houseboats on the bayou
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Bayou Pigeon is a working community with a store, church and school.  Bucky was interested in locating Phillips Seafood as seen on the TV show "Swamp Pawn".  I supported his interest in locating the site of this reality TV show, with fained enthusiasm.  It's often said that men will never ask for directions, but in our case, I'm the shy one when it comes to talking to strangers.  Bucky, on the other hand, is quick to make inquiries and gather valuable information.  The ensuing conversations have lead to some wonderful friendships and great adventures.  So, while I stayed sheepishly in the RV, petting the dog, he ventured into Phillips Seafood and spent a good hour talking to the owner, Mr. Rick.  This has very little meaning to anyone who hasn't seen the show, but compare it to meeting a character from Downton Abby.  I know, who cares!  Anyway, Rick Phillips is a wholesale fish buyer. Each episode of "Swamp Pawn" focuses on different swamp fisherman who sell fish, crawfish, gators and other swamp animals to Mr. Rick.  Often there is a shortage of a much needed item, such as crawfish at Lent which causes Rick to work fish magic to fill his orders.  All in all, Mr. Rick comes across as a hard working business man who is kind and concerned for his community fishermen.   One of whom is Shorty, who's been in jail a few times and his Dad Coy who we watched lose his fight with cancer.  Bayou Pigeon mourned his death and if I remember correctly, a wreath was floated into the swamp......or was that "Swamp People" and one of the alligator hunters died?  It's so hard to keep swamp reality TV straight, partly because the  show about hunting alligators is filmed just one bayou over, in Bayou Sorrel.  And....to make it more confusing, Bucky found out when talking to Mr. Rick, that the alligator hunters are related to him!  One thing I have discovered about these small Southern towns is that everyone is related! I was happy that Bucky had the chance to meet these folks and glad for myself as I used the time wisely and took a nap with the dog.

            Boat after boat pulled in to unload their catch.  These fisherman had Buffalo fish, a type of Carp used for bait.

                                                             Mr. Rick Phillips