New Orleans and environs

I started this morning with a swamp tour. I booked through Gators and Ghosts , which contracts with Ragin Cajun swamp tours . They made it easy as they picked me up at my hotel, saving me having to drive to the dock, which was well out of the city. The temperature had dropped 25 degrees and the wind kicked up. It was cold! And especially when the airboat was going at full speed, even my extra layers were insufficient. Well, at least it was not raining.

At least we did see ‘gators. That was not a given with the chilly temperatures. However, I think they were motivated by the expectation of marshmallows. Yes, you read that right. This particular swamp is used only for tours, so the gators are quite habituated. I was not sanguine with feeding what are supposed to be wild animals, particularly with diabetes-inducing junk food that is not even remotely close to their natural diet. I guess they want to guarantee sightings, but I don’t think that is the way. I took a swamp tour 30 years ago, the first time I visited New Orleans. I don’t recollect the guides feeding any of the animals.

I was returned to the hotel mid-day, so had the afternoon for one last outing in the city. I made a quick trip to the Backstreet Cultural Museum . This is a one room affair, but is devoted to the cultural history of New Orleans’ African American community-based masking and processional traditions, including Mardi Gras Indians, jazz funerals, social aid and pleasure clubs, Baby Dolls, and Skull and Bone gangs. It houses a collection of costumes and has a lot of information on the history of the aforementioned traditions. One interesting tidbit that I learned is that the feathered headdresses honor the Native Americans who helped African American slaves escape their bondage.

I then made my way back to the French Quarter and had a last meal at Gazebo - a trio of Gumbo, Jambalaya and red beans and rice. I took some Gator sausage to go. Hmmm - I wonder if this was made from marshmallow-fed gators? I was also treated to a last jazz performance while I ate. One of the songs was for a line dance, which I got up and joined. I noted to one of the other women that I was the only white girl in the line. Her response was that, who knew what was in my DNA?

This was my last day both in New Orleans and Louisiana. I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience in the Deep South - Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. This was one of the areas with which - other than New Orleans - I was mostly unfamiliar. I loved the innate friendliness, the fact that everyone says hello on the street, and often will engage you in conversation. I will miss that as I go North again. Even with that, there is an enormous burden of poverty and homelessness. Somehow the two experiences exist side by side.

Tomorrow I cut back through the Alabama coast to head to Florida. I’ll be making two pit stops (Destin, Sarasota) in order to eventually get to the Keys, where I will spend a few days. Most of it will be driving, so there will not be many of photo-ops or interesting experiences for the next couple of days.