We took our time getting up this morning... The road is taking its toll, and Gina has been sick, but is getting better... Getting up early was not really an option.
After a slow start we go in search of food... We found a breakfast place, not specifically Cajun, but breakfast. Only to discover that Gina isn't really big on breakfast, she doesn't like bacon!!! Had I known this I might have rethought the road trip.
Having eaten, we head out of Lafayette, along highway 90, through Cajun country... our first stop was carefully planned... A hard target... maybe even on the bucket list... The Tabasco sauce factory in Avery Island in New Iberia, off Hwy 90, through the low country... There is a $1.00 toll to cross onto the island... Up onto a levy, behind which sits a large brick building... We follow the signs around to the front, noting the "no trespassing" signs protecting the residential areas... We park, go into the door marked "visitors" and wait a few minutes for the tour... Really a short introductory talk in a room with artifacts and photos, then a 10 minute film, then follow the walkway past the bottling line (they were bottling Green Tabasco, for distribution in the UK) then into a small museum...
Their gift shop, called the "Country Store" was just outside... Refreshingly, we were not forced to walk through the store... But of course we did... It was a good, no, a great museum gift shop... There was a rating area, with samples of all the sauces they make... There was Tabasco ice cream in two favors (raspberry chipotle was my favorite...). There were two potential sauces to taste, and vote for... Of course there are t-shirts, shot glasses, Tabasco sauce of every size and flavor... Including favors not seen in my local mega-mart... I bought stuff...
The Tabasco Country store may even be better than the gift shop in the Spam museum... High praise...
We retraced our path from Hwy 90, but soon turned off on a wim, to explore
Jeanerette... We drove down the main drag, then followed it out of town as far as it paralleled 90... Eventually we returned to the highway... It Started to hit rain before Morgan City, got off and looked at an old levee front commercial district, not industrial hardware and warehouses, we never found the Morgan City where people shop, but the rain was putting a damper on our explorations
Back on 90 the skies opened, thunder and lightning, it rained so hard we could hardly drive, there was even a collision ahead of us. We continue slowly with flashers on, nearly blind but with no good place to stop. eventually the rain let up as we approached new Orleans. Across the Mississippi across town following 90 through city streets toward Canal St. At Saint Charles we turned right and followed the streetcar through the garden district, past commanders palace, past mansions, the girls looking out for the real world house, Steph thinks she saw it but we're not sure. As we approached our hotel we encountered a film crew and closed streets, we ended up circling to try to find a route to where we were going. Eventually we found out hotel Best Western St. Christopher , checked in and handed our car keys to the valet. Briefly checked out the room and left in search of new Orleans.
Our first stop was Mulotes where We shared a plate of alligator, I had a beer, Steph had a drink and Gina a club soda and grenadine, trying not call it a Shirley Temple. Having consumed alligator we headed for the quarter. We walked to the far side of plaza des Armes up to Royal street where we explored some of the shops and bought a couple of things. It turns out that Steph, like her mother is drawn to large chandeliers... Gina had her palm read at Lady Gina's (she will longer than she expected, will have 4 kids, all successful, 2 boys, 2 girls, and one marriage) We worked our way up to Bourbon street which the girls found repulsive, too wild, too much exhibitionism... We Escaped off down a side street and worked our way down Royal with pausing for Gina to sing Amazing Grace with a street performer, finally finding the acme oyster house where the line was mercifully short. We shared a dozen raw and half a dozen charbroiled oysters before our entrees. Having eaten and learning that while alcoholic drinks are ok on the street glass bottles are not, even nonalcoholic glass bottles. We tried our on street again and this time the girls having a better idea of what to expect dealt with it better. Steph was seen carrying a sign advertising Big Ass Beer and there may be photos of me carrying a big ass beer. This time we made it most of the way down Bourbon street and managed to have fun, We didn't come to like Bourbon Street, but learned to have fun.
We had planned to have cafe au lait and beignets at cafe du monde for breakfast but instead decided on desert. Making our way to Cafe Du Monde, we met Lawrence... One of the maintenance men... We talked... He was here for Katrina... "The storm was over, everything was OK, then the water came"... He was evacuated, first to Houston, then to Northern California... "They put us in the suburbs, we felt like millionaires"
The cafe was wonderfully uncrowned... We ended up with the corner table... We had our cafe au lait and beignet... I bought beignet mix and coffee with chicory for work on Saturday... (it's our Cajun-Zydec festival)
Walking back to the hotel found a band performing on the street, Ford Theatre Reunion, a really good band with a difficult to define sound. There was a banjo a bass guitar, an accordion and a clarinet. For a short while a young kid on a trumpet joined in. The band defines there sound as circus punk, but to my ear they sounded like a variation on Mumford and Sons… I would gladly pay to see them in a concert if they make it to San Francisco. Back to the hotel where the girls watch the Olympics and I checked email. We all went to bed because the alarm clock was set for 6am for our last long day of driving.
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