Let The Adventure Begin!

This afternoon we loaded up the truck, whom we have fondly named Henrietta, and hit the road. After nine nights at the Evergreen and four days of rain, we were definitely ready for a change of pace. Although it was difficult to say goodbye to Henry, he gave us all giant hugs and said, "Don't worry! Grandma is always here for ya'll!" Most of all, I will miss my evening walks in Lafreniere Park, which was a one minutes walk from the Evergreen. Complete with a bird sanctuary, swamps full of turtles and tons of happy babies, it was my favorite getaway during our time in Metairie. But now it is time to explore the rest of Louisiana...

The drive from St. James to Iberville Parish was only about an hour long, but there were lots of sites to see. (Louisiana is divided into 64 parishes, just like how other states are divided into counties.) I find it fascinating that we will be driving past trailers, churches and convenience stores and all of a sudden a mansion will pop up out of nowhere. Also, you can be driving on a highway and every mile or so see an old man sitting five feet away from the concrete, on a lawn chair, fishing in a small bayou. Every time we see someone unfamiliar, Craig and I start taking photos and MIke whips out his video camera. We have discovered a radio station that we can all stomach, Voodoo 104.3, and we all seem to have our favorite seats in the van. My preference is the left, seat all the way in the back. Since I am traveling with so many guys, I like to call it my "woman cave" and there is plenty of room for my dorky backpack.

Here are some photos I snapped during our first drive.

As you can see, it is typical to find casinos at truck stops.



These trees belong in a Dr. Seuss book! I continue to be amazed that they can grow in water.




Upon our arrival at the Best Western in Plaquemine, Louisiana and were delighted to find a fitness center, swimming pool and laundry facility. After the Evergreen, this place was like Heaven! We were delighted to discover that Plaquemine has a lovely little historic district. I was blown away by the variety of architectural styles in the tiny town! All of the following buildings were within walking distance of our hotel.

Here are some photos of the Plaquemine Lock State Historic Site, which we could see from our hotel. (For all you yankees, a lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways.) This lock served as a vital waterway from the Mississippi River to the interior of Louisiana during the1800s and into the mid 1900s.










Here is St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church.


This used to be a school, but now it is used for community meetings and gatherings.


Plaquemine City Hall


Plaquemine is known as the "City of Hospitality" and we certainly felt welcome at a local restaurant called Guidry's.




This is exactly what I imagined when I pictured a small town restaurant. At Guidry's I had my first cup of Louisiana Gumbo!


After dinner, we took a walk through town. It was very depressing to see how many shops were boarded up and abandoned. Plaquemine truly felt like a ghost town out of the movies. Despite the fact that the center of town is incredibly picturesque, neither tourism nor the Lock State Historic Site is keeping this town afloat.







This post would not be complete without some photos of the wildlife I encountered. Although I didn't exactly see any alligators, it was a very real possibility.