Well Hey, Here I go again. We left Jefferson on Friday morning, headed for Many ,Louisiana to our "Resort" and I use that term Verrry lightly. We went there thinking that we would be able to visit Natchitoches (go ahead, pronounce THAT one),(Nak-a-tish) is how the locals do it, as there is a lot to see there. It was about 16miles away. It's already so hot the devil has headed for Alaska, and excited we pull in,pay our money, head for spot #1 and boooy howdy, Whody was sitting very lopsided, OK, have sat uneven before, suppose to be 50amp, noope, only 30amp and even that was wired to the point that it was plain scary, and it didn't work, so Bill went back to the office to see if there was another spot, and the gal says "Someone just left that spot this mornin' and it was workin'just fine. Right, that spot hadn't been used since the Louisiana purchase took place, it was quite evident! Our brochure showed a beautiful park, on the lake ,with a pool, they had filled the pool in. Don't pull my chain lady, there was NO room for a pool! It was on the lake alright. All the lake spots were taken by people who lived there full time, the place looked like a garbage dump, so we got our money back and headed to find another camp-sight. Me in the car. Went to the town of Many, ask some folks at the Burger King, and they say, "Ya'll go on down to Zwalle,( Zwolleh)go ba-hind the dolla-gen-ral and foller that road to Noth Toledo Bend State Park, they got LOTZ a spots, and it is rally purdy thar. Okey-Dokey, Since it's really hot, we take off, me still in the car because it is to hot in Whody for the Sassy. We drive,and drive,and drive, crooked roads, and I swear what they call one mile in Louisiana is at leat 5mi. in any other state. We finally get the 13miles (more or less), get hooked up, look at the thermometer in Whody, and it was 102*. Arrrrgh! But we was ok, got the air on and got cooled off, Oh my gosh, I'm startin' to tawk lak 'em, (was ok?), HALP ME!! The camp sights were amazing and we walked every night, No telephone access or computer, but we stayed through Fathers Day, only $9. a night for Seniors. We have the Golden Age Pass, only good at Oregons National Parks, they are good for ALL parks down here, and lotz of other functions too. They really know how to treat us Seniors down here, "Ya'll come and we'll pardy,hardy, K" ? The only problem was, it was really to far to go into Natchitoches and back every day. Soooo..We found a Good Sam Park, just a few miles from there, and have we ever had a ball!
At the park, Nakatosh by name, we encountered this rather large lady, wearing a bikini bottom (six axe handles wide, approx.) and kinda smiled about it, took our clothes in to do laundry, and when we came back to put them in the dryer, she had put her money in the dryer, thinking it was a washer, and when she asked me a question, it was clear she was from a foreign country. I ask, and said she and her husband were from Belgium! They did not pack many clothes, and she needed to wash, and was confused. It was so much fun visiting with them, and helping them a little to get the laundry done. I took a picture of the camper they drove, but they didn't want their picture taken. They were on a trip to the USA, compliments of their family and friends back home, for their 30th wedding anniversary! The fella said, "Eef I wur youngur, I wood move heer tomorrow, but I ,as you say rre-tare from Postel Serveece next yeer, 40yeer there, good, NO? (NesPa)" We ran into them at several places in town, they were delightful! They got around because they are a french speaking people, and Natchitoches is a French -Cajun town.
Our first day in town we at breakfast at a restaurant called the "Lasyone" pronounced LA-ZO-NEY, remember I told you I was gona eat as much local food as I could get my lips around?, well, They are famous for their Meat Pies, so that's what I had for breakfast, with Grits & eggs. Yowza. The pie was deep fried, filled with who knows what, but it was pretty spicy and yummy mixed with all the other stuff, let me tell ya it was different, but I was full and happy, and old Billy boy had a waffle, he is really adventurous, yes indeedy! Then we went for a walk thinking maybe we could find the visitors center, found the trolley, it weren't runnin', found the boat for the boat tour, it weren't runnin' finally found the Visitors center. Whoopee, they handed us a book and said it's all there, go for it! So I got on the phone and called to see if we could get a carriage ride, and although it was time , she wasn't there, so waited another half-hour, finally here she came, "Sorry ya'll kinda ovarslep, are ya ready??" And for $12.50 ea. she took us around to see a few houses, I'll put pics on if I can, and back to the water front, took all of 1/2 hr, and not near as informative as the little gal in Jefferson. (gripe, complain, snivel) We did however talk to a very nice couple, about our kids age, that lived fairly close to New Ore leans, and they told us, "What ever you do, DON'T take your RV there. it is still hateful down there and anything could happen, also, be careful where you drive, even in your car!"Gulp! But we are gonna go anyway! From there we visited the most incredible Mercantile Store, Kaffie Frederick General Mercantile to be exact, Louisianas oldest general store! It had so many things there you felt like a kid again. Remember Jacks, spinning tops, Lincoln logs, marbles,blocks(wooden) with letters, the list goes on, and they have an old cash register there that they still use, in the old days each clerk had their own drawer, and it had BETTER balance at the end of the night. I just about lost Bill, he wandered for well over an hour, as did I. Hopefully pictures will go on about this!
Next we headed for the Museum, $2.oo each for Sr., floors 2 & 3 are closed, and 1st floor is all about LSU and sports, were in their about 10min. Went to the walk of fame, where they displayed some of the actors from Steele Magnolia, and other movies that were made. From there we headed to, you guessed it, ANOTHER Alligator farm! This one was quite different than the last., not as manicured, but just as much fun. We went out to "Castaway Island", where a small plane had crashed,and there was a boat, they fed the "Gators" so there would be some fish left for their supper. About that time the boat moves to the middle of the lake, 2 guys with heavy gloves on stick this chicken on hooks, and here come the 'Gators, a lot different then feeding pellets, the boat must have been at least 10 ft. out of the water, and those things just flew out of that water. A couple of times I thought they were gona get an extra snack of a human hand! Loved it! Then we wandered back to watch the turtles eat, and getting hungry, we headed for the snack shop! We had, get your little tummies ready, "Gater on a stick with Fries" It really was quite good, even Bill got some and agreed it tasted a lot like chicken, but softer and a little more greasy, I think that was because it was dipped in batter and deep fried. But it wasn't bad. I went to the gift shop, bought the cutest pair of "Gator" earrings, and we headed home to potty the Sassy, by now her bladder was needing a break! Oh yeah, on our way back from the "Farm" we went to a town called Powhatan, named after an Indian Chief from Virginia who was the father of Pocahontas! It was interesting, and will put pictures on, you will sees what Ahs meens !
Now it is Wednesday. We get up, eat breakfast and head out to see what there is in some of the small towns. Went to "Marthaville" first. OHMY, the place was so quiet, but there it was, Louisiana Country Music Museum, hid waay out there, I was Amazing to say the least. There was so much memorabilia from the very beginning of country music to now. Bluegrass, religious sings, that's where it all started, In church, in the 1800's some kids in the South even went to singing schools, where, with different colors denoting different notes, they were taught to sing, harmonise and play different instruments! There were clothes from different Artists, Johnny Cash, Charley Pride, Ferlin Husky, and lots of others, as well as Instruments of all sorts, Even a handmade fiddle, Pictures, Posters, one of Johnny Cash when it only cost $3.50 to sit in GOOD seats, and of Elvis before he became demented! I had such a wonderful time there, took me back to the days with my Dad, Chuck, and his family. Many was the time we had barn dances with just 3 instruments, Fiddle, guitar, and banjo. What a treat it was for me! Out side was the grave of an unknown Confederate soldier, one that was killed by the Yanks, and left. His body was taken and buried by the people that owned the land, and every year they have a memorial with fiddle contests, bluegrass etc. to show that the Rebel pride is still in Louisiana! YOU GO BOYS!!! And THAT is a word you have to be careful of down here!! FER SURE!
Well folks, if I can get the pictures on here I am finally caught up! We are now sitting in Colfax, Louisiana Recreational Park, was suppose to visit my friend Dee in Boyce,La., but called her today and she is to sick for company, so probably will head for BatonRouge tomorrow morning, My Birthday, and see what kind of tours we can get heading towards New Orleans. This has been so much fun, Hot, but delightful. I wish everyone of you could be here with us. what fun that would be. Love to all from HOT,HOT,HOT, Louisiana, Arlette & Bill too, and the panting Sassy!
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