Day 17 on the road, Friday March 16th, 2018
Last night was spent in a truck stop in St. Charles, Louisiana. It had a mobile chapel in an old semi where one could get saved and on the other end of the parking lot a casino for the truckers.
It was rainy as we crossed the big muddy again west of Baton Rouge and we noticed the dismal condition of the highways in that part of the country. Endless bridges in need of repair (but hey let's have a big military parade!) and it seemed to me that the farther east we travelled the ruder the drivers became. Dave takes it all in stride though.
Last evening Dave went online and found a Cajun Food tour for us in Lafayette, LA. I guess food tours are a thing now so we made our way to yet another Walmart parking lot to leave the motor home and be picked up by our host, Marie, in her food tour van. We didn't know what to expect and it ended up being one of the highlights of the trip.
Marie is a retired history teacher and school administrator and pure Cajun. She started this food tour business a couple of years ago and is a pure natural as a food guide through her part of the world. I can bet her students loved her energy and funny antidotes when she was a teacher.
We started off at an upscale, new restaurant and tried alligator bites and oyster. Normally I would turn up my nose at the oysters but it was smothered in cheese and bacon and was delicious.
Along the ride to the next stop Marie explained Cajun culture to us. Dave and I went on our honeymoon to New Orleans 21 years ago and went out with a Cajun on an airboat and had a heck of a time understanding him! Apparently Cajun is a spoken language only. Never written as the early Cajuns were illiterate. Brilliant farmers but could not read or write. Didn't need to she said.
Next stop was a Cajun deli. Nu Nu's. A local institution. We sampled different sausages and they gave us some rub samples to take home.
Catfish was at the next stop. It was delicious. We had eaten our share of catfish on the Blue Moon Great Loop cruise but this was prepared very well.
Fourth stop was a Cajun village. We had the best gumbo we've ever had in our life. The village, Vermilionville, hosts weekly jam sessions with local Zydeco musicians among other things.
Last stop was a French bakery for some King Cake for dessert. I didn't find the baby in my piece but the cake was excellent. She gave us the leftovers to take home.
If you ever find yourself in Lafayette, LA, look up Marie and her Cajun Food Tour. We plan on looking for more food tours in other cities as we travel. Would be hard to top hers.
Day 18, Saturday, March 17th, 2018
Dave wanted to look for more things to do in the deep south but I, as usual, was getting homesick. Same thing used to happen on Blue Moon. 2-3 weeks is my limit for being away from home and time was almost up. So, reluctantly, he headed north to pacify me. Thanks, honey.
Up somewhere near Nashville we stopped at a gas station and I went in to buy something. It was like a shrine to the Confederacy! I have never seen so many Rebel do-dads. Even onesies for little rebel babies. They had everything but the true Confederate flag, the white flag of surrender. I looked around at the clientele and quietly slipped my "not my president" button off my coat and into my pocket lest I never been heard from again. It was very Twilight Zone like.
Off down the road we went. Still in Kentucky we stopped at a rest stop to make lunch. I looked over and there was an Indian or Pakistani, very ethnic, girl dressed in hospital scrubs who was kneeling down looking a her very flat tire. Know that feeling! To my utter shock and amazement a Kentucky State Trooper on a motorcycle pulled up next to her. He changed her tire. He didn't have to do that. Not his job. But he changed her tire. That left me with such a good feeling and wiped out that whole Confederate nonsense from the gas station earlier.
On down the road we stopped at another gas station and Dave went to use his credit card. Opps, left it about 300 miles back at the last stop. So, I called the credit card company and cancelled it. No one had used it. Dave wishes someone would steal my credit card as he is sure they would spend less than me. Haha-old joke.
We spent the final night on this road trip at a Cracker Barrel south of Dayton, Ohio. Nice and quiet. In the morning we stopped at a Travel Center and Dave winterized the motorhome since we were heading home to below freezing temperatures again. That meant no more peeing on the run. Nuts! It was a sunny, blue sky trip home and we started listing our spring projects. Besides stuff to do at home, Dave has to go to Quebec City to pick up the new sailboat, (Gaucho-YES another Steely Dan relate!). Looking at the weather ahead that might take a few weeks because winter lasts longer up there. We also have the annual family reunion to host in May and think we may have thought of something special for the kids. We are up to 17 kids now-the oldest being 13 so we still have them for awhile before they think we are totally lame!
I also have to get this vertigo, ear ringing, loss of hearing thing checked out. Nothing like vertigo on a boat !
After 6,732 miles we arrived home and Dave dropped the motorhome off to Mercedes-Rochester. They were very accomodating with the issues we had due to their work and are making things right.
We realize how fortunate we are to experience these trips and are grateful for the good health and ability to do these things. Next trip might be Nova Scotia. By motorhome or Blue Moon? Not sure yet!
