American Road Trip with St Scooby Doo Day 8

Day 8 and breakfast downtown on Jefferson Street, 2 pancakes, maple syrup, bacon burgers and eggs over easy with nice coffee and on the way back spotted this..

Pen had called and booked us in on a swamp tour .. Very very hot day..

scenery tops

this is one of my favourites

drippy dangly trees and murky brown water in parts

The guide was great ,, we were lucky to get in a boat of just 6 instead one holding about 16

 shooting a commercial for breakfast cereal

 saw many long winged and beautifully coloured birds and some big insects

 this is the guide holding a gater's tooth,, the gater that ate his labrador in front of his kids.... poor dog

 first sighting of the opportunist.. caught his beady eyes popping up

GATER GATER POP OUT YOUR SWAMP.. AND THEN ONE DID.. AND I WISHED IT HADNT. THEY ARE FAR TOO BIG AND TOO SCALY AND JUST TOOO HORRID
 fat fat gater,,it has ate one too many of its own kind.. they apparently eat each other..

 I like the birds body..

 Pens grassy carpet

Its now very very very hot,I am burnt and so is my nose,  and we are off on the way to New Orleans. Passed a truck with huge wheels

 Stopped at Martinville for a sub- pretty town

 back on the road for the last shot of the day road kill and this is the first time i have not gone ohhh nooo.. gater gater pop out on the road.. you are all horrible

We have just learnt that there are 250 dead from a tornado a mile wide. Alabama to North Carolina- horrifying news that it is  heading for Ashville,, photo received from Nathan and Tara

who since day 1(thank god)  have been tracking us.. Nathan wrote: "Hey, there's a storm a comin'. You girls OK? I monitor your gps coordinates about 7 times a day. Arkansas for breakfast then?"

but the storm is heading their way this time.

They slept with their helmets by the side of the bed.. not one for Leroy.. i will make him one out of peel

Very long drive and I am at the wheel Pen in the book

Meandering along the old spanish trail by hitting the freeway (horrid road) to raceway. Kathy loves Lousiana but still havent found a dead dillo much to her disappointment, perhaps i will purchase one & kill it for her..

HEE HEE

New ideas thought up on highway 90 to raceway, very long boring road so..

ha ha.. no cannot say but gonna be writing a very special book and this was planned on route.On interstate 10 to New Orleans, busiest fg road so far.

TRAFFIC JAM much shuffling of cars..

EYEBALL#

Invented by Nathan, Tara and Pen on their long journey to Asheville.  Shout eyeball and others will tell you if safe. Another valuable one from Tara..

We are all just turtle swimming along.. This saved us a few times on our journey especially when the big nose trucks overtake..

HERE WE ARE ... NEW ORLEANS - Pen at the wheel cos i just dont like cities and towns.  Iberville Suites Pen has booked us into.. bang in the French Quarter 190 dollars including valet parking and breakfast. Enquired at front desk for another night .. NO WAY increased to 280 dollars.

Now this is so unusual.. i didnt take my camera out with me as everyone including Val (who had not long been) warned of mugging etc. So took the lomo (still not got developed yet)

Photos curtesy of Pen's  iphone.

The most disgusting sleaziest nasty noisy yukky street is

BOURBON STREET

Soon moved off in search of dinner.. ate at Gumbo's shared a 3 course mix of Creole & Cajun.. very very yummy. must be a food day today.
Walked down through the streets on a very balmy evening.  The Pen spotted this.. fantastic shot!!

Night Night  god this was a hell of a knackering day

Harrison Jude White

                             HARRISON JUDE WHITE
                           ENTERS THE WORLD AT 4.45PM TODAY WEIGHING7LB 3OZ

                                 CONGRATULATIONS TO GEM AND CHRIS XXX

American Road Trip with St. Scooby Doo Day 7 Natchez Miss. To La Fayette

Day 7 out of Natchez , which was a good job as the town flooded that day

so on our way out.. down a dead end street this is what i saw,, nature has taken over the buildings

Pen in Scooby waiting,, patiently i will add

 Then stopped at the tourist information for a good hour.. quite interesting reading they have on the walls.. so we decided to look at an old plantation house that never got finished  on the way
first sight of drippy Louisiana trees.  Oooh we are now in the Bajou

belonged to a woman, who after her husband died couldnt afford to finish the house to the grand plans he had for it ,, so she raised her kids in the basement.
Not allowed to roam about on your own in case you went up to the ground floor i suppose or encoutered the DOG? .. so we had
whats your name where do you come from game..  which went on a bit and the now normal.. oh from  the UK but you will miss the wedding.. DOH

Shot below taken before my mouth and body saw a big branch before my eyes did.. OUCH  fat lip

 Stopped for lunch and tried curtesy of a lovely girl in a restaurant.. we actually ordered something else but she brought a bowl of etufa for us to try.. boiled crawfish in a tomatoey spicy brown gravy.. very nice.. in fact she brought even more.. Thank you and sorry cannot remember your name or your cousin's.. did get some shot but they are on film and pick up tommorrow (bet their crap through if not will post)

 Oh no.. back on the road.. i spy horrid fg bridge and i was  driving but thank goodness..Pen is now.

. oh dear. i try to keep her entertained.. The bridges are massive and seems there is a point in the distance where you just fall off.... hee hee.. glad im not driving.

spot of light reading on the way.. everybody happy .. YAY

 Just tittered.. how silly of me... ooh its getting hot now AC on

 Lots more clapboard houses and a really bad one next to the railway crossing

ok so i saw a large armadillo intact but we couldnt stop.. i like the roadkill here in fact i am developing a morbid fascination for it and Pen is now searching for them....the next one we see I am shooting.

 and then ... and then.... i spy 3 boys on horseback... stop (on the road between Marksville to Bunkie)
can i take your photo?     reply ????    so they stopped and what a beauty.. I am soooo happy.. if I dont get another the whole trip i just won't care. 

Im driving now.. and Pen has booked a room at the Blue Moon Inn, (we are lucky it is the last room left)  they have a saloon bar downstairs and that is where the artistes stay. 130 dollars.. bit pricey but the Lafayette international festival is on .. good good.
 Now in cajun county.. on to the blue moon .. nice hippyish feel to it and nice room.. unfortunately not with toilet and no shower in it. however 2 tickets for free beer given.
onto the festival..  Good music.. and all through the streets.
Near a fountain.. i spy some shots.. asked if I could photograph her child playing.. yes.. great news..
Dear Mother of the child (sorry I have forgotten to write your name ) i have loads of these shots and

would be happy to send them to you.. 

 I have no idea.. why...

Below best shot for me of the festival.. love the joy in her face

 lots of gold teeth in the baptist boys

                                                                     
                                                                           NO,, Maybe .. YESSSSSS

legs belonging to a gospel band who were performing at the festival.. shot in the grounds of the Blue Moon,, they gave us a performance or 2.. very good

Brother lee john is dead, brother lee john is dead..

Pen has a video which will slot in here