Two Antiques Looking For Antiques

This Catholic Church is in Breaux Bridge.  There is an old cemetery adjoining the church.  It is located in the old original part of the city.

A example of the old buildings on the two main streets in the older part of town.

A look east down the narrow street of Breaux Bridge.

It was sunny this morning when Sandy and I took our walk.  We ate breakfast at camp and relaxed until 9:45.  It was cloudy by this time but at least there is no rain.  We drove to Breaux Bridge to check out the antique shops.  Most of the shops were the size of a single store but there was an antique mall that looked like it had been an old car dealer shop and was much larger.  That antique mall had some really unusual things in it like items from old houses.  There was a double door that was about 10 feet tall and contained large glass panels.  It had to have come from a very large house. It had a price tag of $5500...just out of our price range!   Carol and I both felt that the stuff in this shop was overpriced or the mall was just not in our league.  Anyway, it was fun.  We did buy a jar of homemade bread and butter pickles...,to an antique but delicious.  We got back to the camp at 2:00 and plan to relax the rest of the day.  Tomorrow is our last day here....I am so sad.

Another Sunny Day in Cajun Country

Today was another beautiful day.
We had a leisurely breakfast at camp before we went to Lafayette to visit the Jean Lafitte Acadian Cultural Center.  We saw a short file about the history of how the Acadians came to Louisiana.  In the early 1755 the British took control of Acadia, renamed it Nova Scotia and exiled the French people to wherever they could find refuge.  Nearly 10,000 people were exiled and nearly 1/2 died without finding a permanent home.  It was a very interesting exhibit run by the National Park Service.

We then went to Vermilionville, a heritage and folklife museum showing the culture of Cajuns, Creoles, and Native Americans.  The village contains 19 buildings, seven of which are restored original homes.  It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed walking around and inside the buildings.  We got back to camp around 3:00.  We have decided to stay here another day and head back to Illinois on Saturday.  We will have to make the trip in two days instead of the three days it took us to get down here.  

The trees are beginning to bloom out.  The Palmetto Palms are everywhere down here.

I love the Spanish-draped trees in Louisiana.

Vermilionville - a Cajun/Creole Heritage Park.  Vermilionville later became Layfayette.

The church.  The Acadians were Catholic and continued to make the church an important part of their culture when they came to Louisiana.

Barn at the village.  Notice the shingles at the peak of the roof.  It was built that way to help rain run off the roof.

Armand Broussard Came from Acadia (Nova Scotia) with some of the earliest French people exiled from that country.  At the age of 56 he fought with the Americans at the Battle of New Orleans in 1814.

This house was built in 1790 and is still standing today.

This floor is original to the house when it was built in 1790.   That is one durable floor!

These two men were in the schoolhouse playing Cajun music.  They were very interesting to talk to.  I love to hear the Cajun dialect spoken.  The man with the accordion said that there is not much written music for what he plays.  You have to play by ear.  A note on the blackboard said that students were not allowed to speak French.  It was a Louisiana state law until the 1960's that they could not speak French on school property.

Four Pounds of Crawfish

 After doing laundry, we headed to the Camper World on Hammond to pick up a few things and dream about owning a motor home.  Along with Camper World was Dixie Camper Sales with a huge lot of motor homes, 5th wheels, and trailers.  We found a 30 foot motor home that would be great to own but since dreams don't pay for the purchase, we left the lot without a motor home.

It was a beautiful day...lots of sunshine and mid 60's.  We enjoyed the dry weather.  The group went to Pont Breaux for supper.  Carol had been waiting for a crawfish dinner so the rest of us watched as he ate four pounds of crawfish.  It was all you eat and we saw others eating much more. The four pounds filled him up.  Carol lived up to his reputation of being the "biggest eater" at the table.  The restaurant has a Cajun band playing and lots of couples danced to the music.  I enjoyed watching the dancing.  It was a fun evening and Carol is a good sport about the teasing.

I wasn't able to get my pictures to load in the order I wanted so the last picture is not captioned.  I wanted to get names for the picture:  Me, Peggy, Ericka and her husband Bill, Rick, Carol.  Don is the photographer.

A man and four pounds of crawfish, two potatoes and an ear of corn.
Will he be able to leave a clean plate?

The plate is full!

Just getting started!

Almost finished!

Only one more to go!

Rain, Rain, Rain Go Away

It rained most of the night last night.  I don't mind going to sleep listening to the rain hit against the trailer.  We had planned to drive to Hammond because there is a large Camper World store but the forecast was for rain off and on so we decided to stay closer to the camper.

We drove to the downtown area of Breaux Bridge.  There are quaint and interesting little shops and antique shops in that area.  Bad idea..most of the shops are closed Monday and Tuesdays.  We decided to head over to Lafayette to visit the Jean Lafayette Acadian Center.  Bad idea...we couldn't find it.  We did not see one sign for it and only had a vague idea of where it was.  We decided to go back to Breaux Bridge and take a road south out of town just to look at the scenery.  Then the skies opened up and it rained, rained, and rained some more.  We went back to the camper.  Carol watched TV; I slept; and Sandy hid between the couch and table.  She does not like storms and there were a couple of lightening strikes (they went straight down to the ground) followed by loud thunder.   Finally about 3:30 it stopped raining so Sandy and I could take a quick walk.

The seven of us went to Govani's an Italian restaurant in Breaux Bridge for supper.  It was a nice change from Cajun food.  The portions were enormous, so much so that Peggy couldn't finish hers.  No worry, a take-home box is not needed when Carol is in the group.  He graciously ate his and finished hers.  He is such a gentleman!  After supper, we drove to another campground in which Don and Peggy had stayed on an earlier trip.  It was more rural and quiet but I think if we are able to come back here again, we will probably stay at the Cajun Palm.   It was another good day in the bayou.

This sign was above a bridge into Breaux Bridge.  They advertise that this area is the Crawfish Capitol of the Country.

Carol had some of his buddies for supper.

Niki was curious but her curiosity wouldn't let her get any closer.

This crayfish came from under Don and Peggy's motor home this morning.  I wonder if he was an escapee from a big boiling pot of water at the Crawfish Town USA restaurant next door.

Sunday - A day of Rest

I ended yesterday's blog with a sunset and today began with a beautiful sunrise over the sugarcane fields of Louisiana. Today we stayed in the campground except for a short trip to the Breaux Bridge Walmart for a few supplies and RV antifreeze.  I looked on line and it looks like it will be below freezing when we get back to Illinois so we want to be winterized before we get home.  Other then that we enjoyed sunshine and relaxing at the site.  Sandy spent quite a bit of time alone yesterday while her family enjoyed the music and food of Cajunland so we thought we would stay close to home today.  The sunshine felt good but later in the afternoon, it clouded up.  It may be rainy tomorrow.  I was able to watch the Illinois-Michigan game.  Too bad Illinois lost.  We also enjoyed visiting with family, Don and Peggy and friends, Bill and Ericka Somers and their friend Rick.  In addition, a pair of ducks decided to stop by the camper.  I am posting a site picture.  Look closely and you will also see Sandy and Carol.  That wraps up our day.

Laissez les bons temps rouler! (Let the good times roll)

Our day began at 8:15 waiting in line at this cafe in Breaux Bridge.   We waited nearly an hour and a half  before we were seated.  Some in our group (they shall remain nameless!) were impatient but it was worth the wait.   The music provided by Leroy Thomas and the Zydeco Roadrunners was great.  The group was being videoed for a television broadcast.The dance floor was filled with great dancers.   Three hours later we exited the cafe with a lot less hearing then when we entered!

The afternoon of music and food continued at the campground.  The campground had a "boucherie" or hog killing.  It was in reality a pig roast with jambalaya, roasted pig, dancing, and music provided by CajuNation.  I think that dancing is second nature to the people of Louisiana.  They can really "shake a leg."

As we were walking Sandy, a beautiful sunset appeared in the sky.  It was a nice, quiet way to end the day.  I am having trouble with my entry tonight.  Just when I think I have this blog and IPad figured out, it hands me a big curve and nothing I did yesterday works today.  Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better one for me and my blog.

Cajun Palms: Golf Cart Capital of Louisiana

Today we decided to find a local bakery we had heard about to buy some donuts and go to an antique mall we had seen when we came into the campground.  We scored on one of these..we brought donuts.  The antique mall wasn't open yet.  We decided to drive through the countryside and happened upon another antique mall to explore.  We enjoy exploring the rural areas.  On the return trip we got back on the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge on I-10.  We had just gotten on when we were stopped by an accident involving a truck pulling a trailer and a four-wheeler.  We were stopped for nearly 1/2 of hour.  There were three ambulances but hopefully no one was hurt seriously.  

When we returned to the campground, lots more campers had come in for the weekend.  Golf carts were everywhere.  There is a restaurant just outside the fence boundary of the campground that will send a golf cart to pick you up and take to the restaurant.  That's service!   Dads, moms, kids, and dogs all travel by cart.  I saw a couple taking their Siamese cat for a ride.  The campground has a golf cart parade up and down the streets of the park on Mardi Gras weekend.  

Peggy and I have been working hard to improve the looks of my blog.  We discovered that we had accidentally deleted the pictures from a file from which the blog retrieves pictures.  I apologize if you can no longer see the pictures of the older blogs.  Someday when I have time, I may replace some of them but don't hold me to that!

Prepare to park your car and drive a golf cart.

Special spots for cart drivers to use.

Don't own a golf cart?  Rent one.  These are lined up waiting for someone to rent.  I think you can rent them for $10 a day

Parked next to the camper.  All ready for a ride around the campground.

Cart being towed into park.  Campers also bring them on trailers attached to their campers/motor homes.

Even Batman has a golf cart here!

For Kids Eyes Only

This post is for my sweet grand kids:  Hunter...Katie...Aidan...Keegan

The campground (or resort) is very nice and has several things that kids would love.   Because of the rain and wind we stayed near the camper today so I walked around and took several pictures of some fun things you all might enjoy seeing.

The people who own the place has an English Bulldog.  There is a statue of a bulldog near one of the buildings.  I guess he is guarding the campground.  Because there is a large pond several ducks also call this place home.  I am posting a photo of the bulldog and ducks.

There is a small waterpark, a swimming pool, and a miniature golf game.  I am posting pictures of the water park.  It looks like a place you would all enjoy.

We are having fun.  I hope to get out tomorrow and find a postcard or two.

Love, Grandpa and Grandma Mulvany

This is a concrete statue of the camp mascot.  You will see the dog all around the campground.

Four of the several ducks who make Cajun Palms home.

Scenes from the water park.  It looks like a fun way to spend a hot Louisiana day.