March 23-26, 2011 Lafayette, LA
We were going to do a hop-skip-and jump through Louisiana, catching a bit of Baton Rouge, maybe New Orleans, and perhaps a bit of what was in and around Lafayette. We met several folks at Livingston who insisted that we needed to forget Baton Rouge (nothing there but the old capitol), and to forget New Orleans (everybody's been there), and stay in the Lafayette area, learn about the Acadian culture (Cajun for short), eat their food, and just take it all in. So that's what we did. We ARE "THE HAPPY WANDERERS" - and as the
y say in cajun country - "Laissez les bon temps rouler." [Let the good times roll.]
We started with Lunch...and dinner at Prejeans...world famous chef. Our lunch sampler had frog legs, alligator, crawfish, shrimp, boudin/crawfish balls, and crawfish bisque.
A 14' alligator kept watch over the place.
Came back for dinner because they had a band playing Cajun music...a bit disappointing because we had understood that there would be dancing also. None while we were there.
Early the next morning we went to the visitor center at exit 121. (There are many visitor centers in this area, and they all have really interesting 10-30 minute movies about various aspects of the culture and the land.)
And we WERE smack dab in the middle of a swamp. I-10 in this area is totally up on pillars...it was like driving on a really long bridge.
Our next adventure of the day was a visit to Avery Island (30 miles south of Lafayette)...the home of TABASCO. Took and factory tour, learned about the history of the products, and spent waaaaaayyyy too much time and $$$ in the country store. :-)
Entrance to Avery island...and entrance to the factory.
We found that the die-hard Tabasco lovers can purchase their favorite flavor by the gallon. :-)
This factory processes 700,000 bottles of Tabasco every day, and ships to ove
r 160 countries.
The tabasco mash is aged for 3 years in oak barrels that come from Jack Daniels distillery...(they carve out the whiskey soaked layer of wood.) Then, pure vinegar is added, and the mixture is "stirred" for 28 days continuously before being bottled. Pretty interesting stuff.
Next we went to the New Iberia Konriko Rice Mill. It's on the national registry...because they're still using equipment that was made in 1927...originally run by steam...but now by electricity. The building is made of corrugated steel. It's REALLY OLD!!!!
The replica of the Mill has a mock diagram of what happens on the three levels inside the building (which is actually behind the round house which holds about a million pounds of rice.)
Starting at the upper right corner the rice moves down...up the chute...down the next ...up the chute, etc. until it's bagged. Some in plastic...some in burlap.
We caught a picture of the machine on the lower right corner which shakes the hulls off the rice.
We stopped at the Acadian museum on our way back - near the airport...and saw a fascinating moving on the history of the Acadian culture. An attendant at the museum said for good crawfish, music and dancing, we had to go to Randols. So we did!
The dance floor was as big as the eating part of the restaurant...and yes...everybody did dance. Apparently people in the area go out like this every night to dance. "Laissez les bon temps rouler!"
Right after lunch we headed back toward Beaux Bridge to take a swamp tour. 
Right after lunch we headed back toward Beaux Bridge to take a swamp tour. 
White ibis were in abundance...and there were owls...and blue heron...kind of a wonderland for birds...all protected. 
White ibis were in abundance...and there were owls...and blue heron...kind of a wonderland for birds...all protected. 
