We
continued east to Lafayette, where we stayed the night. The next
morning, the kids completed the Jr Ranger program at the Acadian
Cultural Center, which is part of the Jean Lafitte National Historic
Park and Preserve. As we learned from watching the movie and viewing the
exhibits, the word Cajun came from the Acadians, French people who
settled in eastern Canada in what is now Nova Scotia but which they
named Acadia. They were eventually forced out by the British, and some
of the survivors came to settle in southern Louisiana. Jean Lafitte was
a pirate who helped Andrew Jackson defeat the British at the Battle of
New Orleans in 1815. He really didn't have much to do with with the
Acadians, other than all of them being located in south Louisiana.
We headed east on I-10 to New Orleans. The weather had cleared up, and
the mixed forests of Big Thicket had given way to wetlands filled with
thin hardwood trees. Much of the freeway was built on bridges or
causeways, but in places were it wasn't, Louisiana reminded us of areas
around Disney World, although in Florida the trees are taller, more
spread apart, and greener. We stopped in Baton Rouge and ate at a Cajun
restaurant. We talked the kids into trying the fried catfish, while I
got the fried alligator. I was disappointed that the fried catfish was
breaded and deep-fried rather than pan fried like my alligator, and the
kids weren't impressed with it. Jennifer did try my alligator, and said
it was good, but didn't want more than the one piece.
We knew it would be tough to visit the French Quarter of New Orleans in an RV, but we wanted to see the Jean Lafitte site there, as well as the New Orleans Jazz site. That said, if you ever consider trying to drive an RV to the French Quarter on New Years Eve, reconsider. The traffic was terrible, and it took us over an hour to figure out how to get out of the city and on our way again. Worse still, the Jazz site was closed. The above picture is of the kids trying the door. I dropped Susan and the kids off on Decatur St near the Jazz site, then they walked down to the street to the Jean Lafitte site while I tried to avoid the road closure to pick them up on Canal Street. They said the Jean Lafitte site wasn't too impressive, and complained about the crowds and smells, but at least we got to see the French Quarter. Once we finally got out of New Orleans, we turned southwest, and headed for Houma, where we stayed the night.
We
continued east to Lafayette, where we stayed the night. The next
morning, the kids completed the Jr Ranger program at the Acadian
Cultural Center, which is part of the Jean Lafitte National Historic
Park and Preserve. As we learned from watching the movie and viewing the
exhibits, the word Cajun came from the Acadians, French people who
settled in eastern Canada in what is now Nova Scotia but which they
named Acadia. They were eventually forced out by the British, and some
of the survivors came to settle in southern Louisiana. Jean Lafitte was
a pirate who helped Andrew Jackson defeat the British at the Battle of
New Orleans in 1815. He really didn't have much to do with with the
Acadians, other than all of them being located in south Louisiana.
We knew it would be tough to visit the French Quarter of New Orleans in an RV, but we wanted to see the Jean Lafitte site there, as well as the New Orleans Jazz site. That said, if you ever consider trying to drive an RV to the French Quarter on New Years Eve, reconsider. The traffic was terrible, and it took us over an hour to figure out how to get out of the city and on our way again. Worse still, the Jazz site was closed. The above picture is of the kids trying the door. I dropped Susan and the kids off on Decatur St near the Jazz site, then they walked down to the street to the Jean Lafitte site while I tried to avoid the road closure to pick them up on Canal Street. They said the Jean Lafitte site wasn't too impressive, and complained about the crowds and smells, but at least we got to see the French Quarter. Once we finally got out of New Orleans, we turned southwest, and headed for Houma, where we stayed the night.
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