Places Visited:

Louisiana: Lafayette, Avery Island & New Iberia

Friday, April 5, 2002
Acadian RV-Park operated by the City of Lafayette. N30º 15.340'
W91º 59.246': Site #73 with 50amps and water for $9.00 in a wonderful
shady Park within several miles of downtown Lafayette

I know we seem to be obsessed with culinary delights but that is the
essence of Cajun Country. To a native Cajun, good food is a
birthright, whether it is Mama's gumbo or a sumptuous, elegant
repast
in a glamorous restaurant in New Orleans. That is the way things
have
been since the 1700's. The passage of time has cultivated a unique
Cajun cuisine with distinctive flavors. It is a style of cooking that is
multi-faceted. From the roux based etouffee and gumbos to the butter-rich
sauces introduced by French Creoles in New Orleans their distinctive
vibrant dishes produce a gastronomical delight. If you spend time in
Lafayette you cannot help but become a connoisseur of Cajun culinary
styles.

We did T-Coon's for lunch. T-Coon's is only open weekdays for
lunch
but is one of the local favorites. Where else can you get smothered
rabbit, catfish court bouillon and shrimp stew for lunch? There is
not enough appetite for us to sample everything. We could rave
and
rave about our lunch at T-Coon's but it would never do the place
justice. Suffice it to say T-Coon's is heartily recommended. We will
return again for the smothered rabbit.

Our afternoon was spent touring the Tabasco factory and Jungle
Gardens
on Avery Island a few miles out of New Iberia. We have done the
Tabasco factory tour before but it was fun to do it again. Make sure you
do this factory tour if you are in the area. We enjoyed the Jungle
Gardens and heron rookery also on the island.

Our next adventure was the Hot Sauce Festival at the New Iberia
Fair
Grounds complete with live music, colorful hot air balloons and
Cajun
food booths. At the festival we met two delightful couples. The
Jeabert's were selling Drunk Chicken cookers and their own brand
of
Cajun spices. Of course we did not purchase one of the cookers
because everyone knows my Princess does not cook. The
Jeabert's have
patented a really unique chicken cooker. You can see what it looks
like at www.peterpeppers.com or call 1-877-267-4468. Even though
we
did not purchase one of their cookers they did tell us that Lafonda's
Restaurant on Johnson Street was one of the best places in Lafayette to
get good rabbit. Lafonda's is located about 3-miles west of Evangeline
highway on Johnson Street about 2 blocks west of the Piccadilly on the
south side of the street. They also encouraged us to eat breakfast at
Dwyer's in the downtown area and recommended "The Best Stop" in Scott for
boudin and cracklings. Oh my! So much to sample and so little time, what
shall we do?

The next couple we met was Capt. T. J. & Susan Pizani from
Covington,
Louisiana. They are RV'ers with a 5th wheel and one of those BIG
trucks to pull it. He is a bar pilot responsible for bringing ocean
going vessels from the Gulf of Mexico up the Mississippi River to
Pilot Town. From Pilot Town another bar pilot boards the ship and
guides it up to New Orleans. If the ship goes farther up river
another pilot will board in New Orleans and guide the ship to Baton
Rouge. Many people may not know about the job of bar pilots but
they
are Captains with special knowledge of local waters. Virtually all
ships entering a port will do so with a local bar pilot aboard. Local
pilots even guide naval vessels into port. They guide commercial vessels
for insurance purposes. Captain Pizani rides 6-miles into the Gulf of
Mexico on a pilot boat which pulls alongside the moving ocean going vessel
while he grabs a hold of a rope ladder dangling over the side of the large
ship and climbs aboard. Doesn't that sound like fun? If he is guiding a
freighter out to sea he gets to climb down that rope ladder and jump on
the pilot boat as it pulls alongside. Talk about a thrill! He didn't
thing that was exciting at all. His idea of excitement was shrimp boats
playing chicken with freighters transiting the Mississippi River or
guiding one of these behemoths up the Mississippi in a fog bank or driving
rain. I agree transiting something like the Mississippi at night or in
conditions of reduced visibility would be really exciting.

We enjoy the Festival and music until around 9:00 then head back
to
the RV. On the way home from the Hot Sauce Festival we got a call
on
the cell phone from our son. He was in the hospital with his wife
who
is expecting twins. Things were not looking good "understatement".
Either her water had broken or she was leaking whatever it is not
good
since she is only 23 weeks. Birth is usually eminent within 48-hours of
the water event. Prospects are not good for the twins.

We will head home first thing in the morning.

Saturday, April 6, 2002
Parked in our driveway at home in Pensacola, Fl

Kathryn, our daughter-in-law, is stabilized this morning. The
leakage
was minor and there is adequate fluid surrounding the twins. She is
on antibiotics and there is no sign of infection. And finally they
are giving her magnesium to stop the contractions that are only
occurring every hour. Things are looking better. Not great mind you but
better. We point the motorhome toward Pensacola 302 miles to the east on
I-10.

Louisiana has done a lot to improve I-10 in the last couple of years. At
one time many considered I-10 through Louisiana to be one of the worst
stretches of interstate in the entire nation. They no longer deserve that
moniker. I-10 / I-12 from Slidell to Lafayette was a good highway except
for less than 5-miles.

Back in Pensacola we learn that Kathryn will be in the hospital
connected up to IV and monitors until she delivers. That may be
24-hours or 2-months.

We are back in Pensacola for a while.

Sunday, April 7, 2002

The critical time (48-hours) has passed since Kathryn started
"leaking". Things are looking better with every passing hour. With
every day that passed the babies will have a much better chance.
This
coming Wednesday will be the 24th week. Keep them in your
prayers.

We intended for this trip to be for around 3-months. Things
changed.
This will the last travelogue until we get on the road again.

Mike & Joyce Hendrix