Places Visited:
Mississippi: Bay St Louis

Louisiana: Bayou Signette SP, Westwego, Gretna, Algiers, New Orleans &
Chalmette Battlefield NP

Friday, November 15, 2002
We drove 146-miles today. Casino Magic RV-Resort in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
(50-amps, water, sewage & cable with modem access in the office)
$22.15.

Our plans for this trip revolve around spending a month or so in the
Cajun Country of Louisiana. Most RV'ers would make this 250-mile
drive in one day. Not us. While I-10 is the fastest route from
Pensacola to "Cajun Country" we chose to travel US-90. From Pensacola
to the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay US-90 parallels I-10 through a
series of rural farming communities. We saw cotton fields ready for
harvest and rolls of hay ready to deliver. At the Eastern Shore of
Mobile Bay US-90 merges with I-10 to cross Mobile Bay, and navigate
the tunnel under Mobile's Ship Channel. A few miles West of Mobile we
exited I-10 and returned to US-90. Like before US-90 parallels I-10.
However, this portion of US-90 is not farmland. Where I-10 passes
north of the metropolitan areas of the Alabama and Mississippi Gulf
coast US-90 meanders through Theodore and Grand Bay, Alabama then
Pascagoula, Gautier, Ocean Springs, Biloxi, Gulfport, Pass Christian
and on into Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The drive is much slower on
US-90 than I-10 but we are not in a hurry and prefer rubber necking in
the slow lanes. For about 35-miles from (Biloxi to Bay St. Louis) the
drive is along the Gulf of Mexico. It is a scenic drive with the Gulf
to the South and beautiful homes and yards to the North. Of course a
plethora of casinos litter the landscape along the entire Mississippi
coast. One has to wonder what the Mississippi coast would be sans
casinos.

Our destination today was the campground in the National Seashore at
Ocean Springs, Mississippi. However, it had been raining since the
Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay and neither of us was in the mood to pull
into the National Seashore in the rain. Just like that the decision
was made to continue heading west. A few minutes past Ocean Springs
the rain stopped and Joyce started talking about the RV-Resort at
Casino Magic in Bay St Louis. She was reminiscing about how we had
enjoyed the entertainment in the casino before and ---- well you are
getting the idea. We stopped at Casino Magic RV-Resort.

Neither of us are gamblers, but the entertainment in the casinos is
generally good. We also enjoy walking and driving around the old
communities we encounter. While walking in downtown Bay St. Louis we
spot a small commemorative park with a statute of a French explorer
that explored and named the Bay (Bay St Louis) for King Louie IX of
France in 1699. A plaque in this same park commemorated hurricane
Camille that battered the coast in August 1969.

Speaking of hurricanes, as we tour the waterfront of Bay St. Louis we
notice that every pier is demolished. As Beach Drive made its way
from meandering along the bay to actually following the Gulf it was
apparent that a recent storm had deposited sand and debris on both
sides of the road. I questioned a local about which of the three
Tropical Storms this summer was responsible. The answer was Isidore
the first one! Joyce and I remember Isidore because we had to
evacuate Henderson Beach state park in Destin, Florida (200-miles east
of here) when the Tropical Storm headed toward the coast. In Bay St.
Louis Isidore pushed a tremendous wall of water ashore. This
extremely high tide rose under docks stripping them of the walking
boards. Most if not all of the area docks are missing at least 50% of
the decking boards. All that remains of many docks is a patchwork of
pilings where expensive structures once stood.

Like the last time we stopped at Casino Magic back in April the
entertainment was top notch. The same group is going to be performing
tomorrow night so Joyce has decided that we are going to spend another
day here. Can any of you guess what we are going to be doing Saturday
night?

Saturday, November 16, 2002
Casino Magic RV-Resort in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi (50-amps, water,
sewage & cable with modem access in the office) $22.15.

Temperature and weather is on everyone's mind. It was 78 degrees and
raining yesterday before a cold front passed through the Gulf Coast.
As the front passed temperature started dropping and continued to do
so. Local weather reports are predicting 37 degrees tonight. We are
on the Gulf Coast not in Wisconsin! This is November not January.
What is going on?

I awoke knowing today would be dedicated to Joyce. She wanted to
lunch at "Dock of the Bay" in downtown Bay St Louis overlooking the
Bay. Jerry Fisher and his wife Melva own dock of the Bay. Jerry is
the former vocalist with Blood, Sweat and Tears a popular rock & roll
group from the early 1970s. Jerry still sings but now it is with his
own group every Saturday night in Dock of the Bay. Those of us
growing up in the 1970s remember the Otis Redding song Sitting on the
Dock of the Bay. Do you suppose it was the inspiration for this "Dock
of the Bay"?

We went back to see "Heart & Soul" the featured entertainment at
Casino Magic. They were very good again tonight.

Sunday, November 17, 2002
We drove 69-miles today. Bayou Segnette State Park near New Orleans (30-amps,
water) $12.00.

We headed to New Orleans down US-90 this morning. This drive was a
real surprise. Between Pearlington, Mississippi and New Orleans is a
series of Cajun fishing villages. Actually villages is not correct
because none of the places are incorporated. In places we spot
mailboxes on the road with no home in sight. On further inspection we
spot trails leading away from the mailboxes to gangplanks that lead to
dilapidated boats. These people obviously do not own property. They
do have a mailbox on the highway along a canal. They are living on
boats. Most do not even have a dock they just walk to shore on a
2X12. The closer we get to New Orleans the places start to be fish
camps on stilts then nicer and nicer elevated weekend getaways. Shrimp
and crab boats are a must at each place. Then all of a sudden we
enter metropolitan New Orleans.

We are staying in Bayou Segnette State Park located across the river
from New Orleans. From this location we can easily access New Orleans
and all it has to offer plus we are close to the swamps and real
Cajuns Louisiana is famous for.

Our intention was to arrive in the State Park in time to get set up so
we could enjoy the fais do do (French, for having a good time) held
every Sunday afternoon at the Bayou Barn in Crown Point. We have done
this before and weren't disappointed. Cajuns are fun loving people
and are always looking for a good time. The Bayou Barn capitalizes on
this characteristic and actually sponsors a fais do do every Sunday
afternoon. They have a large barn with a cement floor located on a
bayou. They furnish a band and offer a variety of Cajun food. For a
$10.00 entry fee you can dance and eat all you want between 2:00 and
6:00. You are sure to leave happy, and full.

The term fais do do has evolved over time to mean, "having a good
time" originally it was Cajun baby-talk for "to make sleep," a fais do
do is now a Cajun community party. Traditionally parents put their
little ones to bed before joining the festivities, which included
dining -usually a potluck affair- and dancing. Traditionally they may
have put the little ones to bed but now they pack them up and bring
them along. The little ones have as much fun as the adults.

Monday, November 18, 2002
Bayou Segnette State Park near New Orleans (30-amps, water with
central dump) $12.00

We decided to explore Gretna, Louisiana today. Gretna is located
across the river from New Orleans. It is an old German settlement.
Germans, primarily from the Rhine River valley, were lured to the
French colony of Louisiana during the 1720's by French officials
promising fertile land to farm, a healthy climate, and an abundance of
gold and silver to mine. Believing these wondrous tales of life in
Louisiana, approximately 1,600 Germans boarded ships and set sail from
France. Only 300 survived the journey and their first year in
Louisiana. The name Gretna has a story behind it. It seems that the
blacksmith in old "Mechanikham" performed quickie marriages. The town
of Gretna Green, Scotland was world famous for performing "quickie
marriages". When the Louisiana town incorporated in 1913
"Mechanikham" was dropped in favor of Gretna the Scottish village know
for quickie marriages. Now you know the rest of the story.

Both sides of the river are predominately Catholic and the early
residents built opulent churches in which to worship. St. Joseph
Church circa 1926 in the historic district of Gretna is one of those
lavishly beautiful churches. The ornate exterior of St. Joseph Church
is something that one would expect to see in Europe not Louisiana.

While wandering around in the Gretna historic district we stumbled
upon Cajun treats a specialty shop catering to mail order & Internet
gifts. The owner and several helpers were putting together baskets of
"Cajun Treats". They were doing a landmark business. It seems that
many Louisiana Companies that do business nation wide contract with
them to send lavish holiday packages to good customers. If you are
interested in something like this go to www.cajuntreats.com. I could
not help but plug their business since the owner gave Joyce a nice
Lagniappe (a little something extra).

Several locals recommended that we lunch at Common Grounds restaurant
in the historic district of old Gretna. Mondays in Louisiana have
traditionally been washday. The Louisiana housewife would put on a
pot of kidney beans to slow-cook all day, while she tended to the
laundry. The rich, smooth gravy was flavored with ham hocks or
sausage, was then served over a generous mound of steaming rice. Since
this was Monday Common Grounds was featuring red beans and rice with
sausage or pork chop and corn bread as their lunch special. Excellent,
excellent, excellent I can't think of any other way to describe their
lunch special. To top off our huge bowls of red beans and rice we
split one bread pudding with rum sauce. WOW! Their bread pudding is
as good as any we have experienced. This lunch turned into a
gustatory debauchery. We will have to return! If you are interested
Common Grounds is located in Gretna, Louisiana on the corner of Heuy
P. Long Avenue and 3rd street across the street from the Visitors
Center.

In addition to Gretna's historic district we decided to tour several
of the local "markets" indigenous to this part of Louisiana. I do not
know what the locals call these markets but they resemble farmers
markets in other parts of the country. Around here the "farmers"
markets are selling fresh shrimp, crabs, crawfish, oysters, fish,
rabbit, alligator and turtles. What a place. I think it is safe to
say it would be an anomaly to find a vegetarian around here.

When we visit Visitor's Centers, restaurants, seafood markets and such
we always see pictures of locals with gigantic alligators. It seems
that alligator season opens in early September for a week or so.
Participants enter a lottery type affair for the allotted number of
strictly controlled harvest tags. Then with harvest tags in hand
macho men venture into the swamps south of New Orleans in search of
the largest alligators they can capture. Virtually all of the awesome
photographs are of victors with reptiles in excess of 13'. One
picture in a seafood market was of an unusually large alligator and
his captor. The store owner said that it was an 18' alligator
weighing over 1,200 pounds that had been taken a year or so ago out of
Lafitte a small community 30-miles south of Louisiana. Who am I to
say if it was actually 18' long? The lady may have been exaggerating
who knows? It was a BIG gator. One year we are going to have to
visit the area during the 'gator hunting season.

Tuesday, November 19, 2002
Bayou Segnette State Park near New Orleans (30-amps, water with
central dump) $12.00

We spent today touring the D-Day museum in New Orleans. Actually, it
is more than just a D-Day museum. It covered the build up to war, the
war effort on the home front, the buildup in England prior to the
D-Day invasion and the actual invasion. From the invasion through
individual battles all the way into Germany is covered next. Then the
action shifts to the Pacific front and covers from the bombing of
Pearl Harbor to the Bomb that ended the war.

The D-Day museum is one of this nations premier museums and is not to
be missed when in New Orleans.

In addition to the D-Day museum we ate lunch at Mother's. Mother's is
another New Orleans experience that should not be missed. The menu in
a Cajun restaurant like Mother's almost requires a vocabulary lesson.
You can choose between rich and thick gumbo, jambalaya, etouffee or
sauce piquant. I settled on jambalaya and it was ohhhh so good. Like
I said lunch at Mothers is a must do when in New Orleans.

As dark settled over New Orleans Joyce and I strolled through the
French Quarter down to Jackson Square where we hoped to watch local
eccentrics displaying their "talents". Something has happened. The
Caricature artists, street actors, mimes, tarot card and palm readers
are gone. Also gone are the young boys bet you $1.00 that they can
tell you where you got your shoes. If you fall for their line they
would tell you that you "got them on you feet". It seems that local
merchants persuaded the city to ban these performers.

Our trip from the RV-Park to New Orleans is also worth mentioning
because we took the free ferry from Algiers to the foot of Canal
Street in New Orleans. For those of you that are not familiar with
New Orleans parking is at a premium in and around the French Quarter,
River walk, Aquarium of the America's, Jackson Square, Jax Brewery,
Harrah's Casino and all the noted eateries in that area. You really
do not want to be driving a car in that place and it will cost you
"big city" rates to park. The solution for us especially since our
RV-Park is across the river is to drive our car to the ferry landing
in Algiers and park in that parking lot for the day. Then we take the
free ferry across the river. We enjoy the ferry ride across the
Mississippi every time we take it. There is always a tanker, cruise
ship, barge or freighter transversing the river. Seeing the New
Orleans skyline late at night and the big bridge all lit up are things
that never seem to get old. For those of you that are in New Orleans
for a few days and wondering what you can do we suggest that you walk
down to the ferry terminal located in New Orleans between the Aquarium
of the America's and River walk and just ride the ferry over to
Algiers and back. You will see New Orleans from a whole new vantage
point.

While watching the evening news we learned that the state of Louisiana
has placed a $4.00 bounty on nutria effective tomorrow. Nutrias are
large (20-lbs) semi aquatic rodents with webbed hind feet native to
South America that have invaded the swamplands of Southern Louisiana.
Although they provide valuable protein for Louisiana's alligator
population they also cause considerable damage to dams and levies. I
fully expect a war to be in full swing by daylight tomorrow morning as
Cajuns head to the swamps to collect on that bounty.

Wednesday, November 20, 2002
Bayou Segnette State Park near New Orleans (30-amps, water with
central dump) $12.00

Joyce had a full day planned for us. We are on the west bank of the
Mississippi River and Joyce selected two places on the east bank for
us to visit. Getting to the other side of the Mississippi means a
ferry ride in our Saturn then we will have to catch another ferry
back. The ferry rides will be as exciting as the two places we plan
to visit.

We head out from Westwego near Gretna to catch the ferry in Belle
Chase and ride it to the east bank. We are heading to the small town
of St Bernard where Canary Islander's known as Islenos settled between
1778 and 1783. The town has an Islenos museum that commemorates St.
Bernard's history. It seems that Spaniards from the Canary Islands
(located 60 miles off of Africa's Moroccan coast) were paid by the
King of Spain to move here between 1778 and 1783. At the time the
Canary Islands were experiencing a drought and the residents were
willing to move. They were given land and a stipend for the first
years while they got established. The descendants of these immigrant
farmers have maintained their linguistic and ethnic identity to this
day. St Bernard is the last living vestige of Spanish Colonial
Louisiana.

The next place on our list was the Chalmette Battlefield commonly
called the Battle of New Orleans. This was the last battle America
had with Great Britain. The Chalmette Battle was America's greatest
land victory of the war of 1812 and it took place in January of 1815.
The Battle of New Orleans lasted less than 2-hours, with the major
fighting confined to about 30-minutes. British casualties exceeded
2,000; the Americans reported only 13. Andrew Jackson was commanding
an eclectic group of "soldiers". There were soldiers from Jackson's
army but sailors from several Navy Ships were involved as were some
Indians, Pirates and even private citizens from the New Orleans area.

Andrew Jackson used this battle to springboard him into the
Presidency.

Do any of you remember the popular 1960's song about this battle?

In 1814 took a little trip
with Colonel Jackson down the mighty Mississippi

We fired our guns and the British kept a coming
Fired once more and the British started running

Fired till the barrels melted down.
Grabbed an alligator and fought another round.

_________ and peppered his behind

Chased them down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico.

Sorry, but I do not remember as much of that song as I thought I did.
I bet some of you can fill in the blanks.

After visiting the Chalmette Battlefield we took a ferry from
Chalmette back to the west bank of the mighty Mississippi south of
Algiers.

It was early and we needed something super special to top off the day.
We decided that something special would be stopping by the Common
Grounds Restaurant in Gretna for gumbo and bread pudding. Oh my, it
does not get any better than this!

Louisiana is America's wetland. This wetland is extremely important
to waterfowl as well as an estuary supplying life to the Gulf of
Mexico. The importance of Louisiana's marshes is impressive. Fifteen
percent of all ducks and geese depend on Louisiana's marshes for
survival, including 90% of all redheads, 95% of all gadwalls, 40% of
all teal, 40% of all scaup and 60% of all mottled ducks.

Tonight's local news covered the first day of "open season" on nutria.
They interviewed a local trapper who had bagged 27 nutrias on opening
day. The trapper opened his cooler containing his nutria tails for
the television camera. They look like tails you would expect to see
on 20-pound rats. It seems the state only wants the tail as proof
that one nutria has been eliminated. The trapper also had a market
for the pelts and meat. If I remember my history correctly it was
nutria pelts that saved the American beaver from extinction. During
the big fur hat craze of the early 1800's when beavers were being
slaughtered across North America, trappers from South America
introduced the nutria pelt. Nutrias were plentiful and the price of a
pelt was commensurate. The proliferation of these cheap nutria pelts
is what actually saved North America's beaver from sure extinction.
Louisiana nutrias are accidental fur farm escapees that have
multiplied inexorably.

Only in Louisiana!

Mike & Joyce Hendrix