Saint John the Baptist Parish

And what fun we had - alligators at every turn, in the water, on the fallen tree trunks and eating marshmallows out of Brandon's hand (well he did throw them into the alligator's jaws, but only after tapping him on the back to let him know there was some food). Apparently, alligators aren't able to digest food when it's cold in winter (due to brumation), so Brandon feeds them marshmallows, which they can spit out without ruining their digestive system.

The raccoons, on the other hand, LOVE marshmallows, and they stop being nocturnal just to get their fill of the sweet treat. Any crumbs, leftover apple, or corn they leave behind, the pigs clean up ... or the introduced pest, the nutria, which is as destructive in Louisiana as the opossum in NZ.

It was so beautiful in the swamp (the flooded forest), but major damage from Cyclone Ida was still obvious - many snapped trunks, exposed roots from toppled trees, and sodden logs on the edges of the bayou. I would have liked to have seen it before Ida, when the trees touched overhead to make tunnels.

Earlier in the day, we visited Oak Alley, one of the best preserved of several plantation properties still standing in the region. The house wasn't half as grand as Longwood, but the location was idyllic with the avenue of oaks leading from the house to the Mississippi River. The guide's narration focused on the owners of the property, though there was acknowledgment of the work done by the slaves, and an exhibit built to simulate their living conditions. It looked and felt sanitized though - I guess the other side of the story is a different tour.

We followed the dining advice of the tour guide, Charlie, and ate at Mr Ed's. Great choice. I liked the oysters EVEN MORE than Dragos' oysters. The ones we chose were charbroiled with garlic, butter, parmesan, and served with French bread, lemon & herbs. Our friend from the tour (who also followed Charlie's advice), offered us a taste of his fried alligator. It was very delicious and I think I like it better than chicken. It was tender and still juicy. To get my vege ration, I finished off with fried green tomatoes.

What a day. Son of a gun, we had big fun on the bayou!Read more