It's the perfect place to play "tourist" !

With only four millions habitants on 125 000 km² (four times Belgium) under a subtropical climate, a unique wildlife and hundreds of very nice little places...

OK, I'll not play "Tourism Office" but Louisiana is nice !

Pelican over the bayou...

Yohoho, and a bottle of Rhum...

Of course, one's must not be afraid to drive...  Highways are made for it, but anyway, 4 to 8 hours to find an interesting place can be boring...

But that's the price to pay : in the US, distances do not have the same meaning as in Europe.  I was, for example, driving an hour and a half every Saturday for groceries (and the same to go back home), so I definitely could do a little more to see some of the rest of this beautiful state !

Let's start with the most evident : a steamboat tour on the Mississippi.

After a good meal in the onboard restaurant, the boat is fun to explore and has many opportunities for the photographer...

The boat is still powered by steam, but now this one is produced by gas oil boilers. 

Floutch-floutch-floutch...

New Orleans seen from the Mississippi

After a few hours, back to New Orleans.

A nice trip, not to be missed.

Friends

One of the first reasons to travel in Louisiana is of course to go visit one's friends, and as far as I'm concerned these were mostly the other French Teachers from Belgium and Quebec.

 So here I am in Clinton (didn't see Monica), nice little town where Grégoire and Anémone settled.

No, this is not an election advertisement :
It's the town's name !

Woooooow...

These two lucky ones are the proof that "French Teacher" does not rime with "bad luck", having found this superb apartment on the second story of an ancient Louisiana house. 

 From there we went to the Cajun Fest, but that's for another page...

Grand Isle

Another trip I made among dozens : Grand Isle, in the south and bathed by the Gulf of Mexico.

Unfortunately partly occupied by an oil refinery, but fortunately also by a big Park.

At the right time of the year, you can see dolphins there !

It's also a dream place to camp, swim and fish.

Grand Isle : nature, pelicans and... Dolphins !

Here people attach their homes above the ground !

But it's situation is not good for those who live there : Grand Isle is on the front line for hurricanes !

 So they must place their houses on piles, and preferably...attach them strongly !

Alomst each year, during hurricane season (June to October), the isle is evacuated one or more times.  Not without reason : it was destroyed several times !

Avery Island

A very special island...

1.  It's in the middle of the lands ;

2.  It houses the "Jungle Gardens" ;

3.  Tabasco is made here !

Not really a jungle,
but beautiful gardens !

Let's start with the gardens :
some nature feels good after the drive.

They are wonderful and fauna is everywhere to be seen for the one who goes by foot without his favorite hamburger and Coke !

The Tabasco factory, that spicy sauce made from locally harvested peppers, is right next to the gardens.

The visit is limited to a video (pretty much exhaustive), a peek on the bottling process through a (reinforced ?) glass and...a mandatory passage (there is no other way out) through the souvenirs shop ;)

Pensacola

OK, end of the year, we did earn a really relaxing weekend.  Let's go to Pensacola (Florida), it's only a few hours drive from here !

Required equipment : tents, barbecue, swimsuits, hats and sunscreen, good mood and...the "boules".

Té, Pensacola sans la pétanque, dis !
Tu m'escagasses déjà bieng, toi !

I swear guys, I won again !

Taking a serious picture of Roland ?
I can't, and he can't either.

There is...  The sky, the sun and the sea...

Warm sand, colors of happiness...

Little sharks and starfish...

And some "tombeurs" ;)