Cruising the Hall's River

We made it back from Orange Beach to Florida- with Jean declaring that Alabama was now her favorite U.S. state! The Gulf Shores were a surprise for all of us--it was one of the highlights of our trip. We were fortunate to have a few days to "chill out" before the Brits left for home. The weather was still sunny and beautiful so we decided to rent a pontoon for the afternoon.

Gordon was designated Captain for the day and we headed off, exploring the Hall's River. After our crazed schedule the past few weeks, it was great to drift along and relax.

The Florabama Annual Mullet Toss!

Jean's Florabama journal...


Today was the day of the Annual Florabama Mullet Toss. The bar, the Florabama, is apparently right on the Florida/Alabama border, hence the name, and thousands of people congregate there to throw dead mullets across the border from one State to the other.



They also come to show off their silicone boobs, sunbathe and get drunk, though fortunately not in the morning which is when we went. In view of the crowds, we parked up and took a tram to the venue which was driven by a huge woman who apparently used to drive an 18-wheeler truck. She was a character and in her deep Southern drawl told us about when she was asked to deliver something to a prison. She agreed to go but only if it was a man's prison - "If I'm gonna get raped, it ain't gonna be by no woman!"

The Mullet Toss itself was badly organised and there was a lot of hanging around for them to begin but it was all good humoured and the entertainment - folk singers and the likes - was brilliant and a right laugh. Not to be missed!
The entertainment was pure redneck "Bama"- with tunes like, "She put a Louisiana liplock on my Alabama porkchop", "No one can make love like my Sister can", "She Cut the Cheese", Tequila makes my clothes fall off", "Made love to your mother", and "Critter up my sh**tter". Needless to say, the boys and I loved the music.. The "posh" one, Jean, was appalled.

The rest of the day and evening was spent lazily. We made friends with a newcomer parked on the site and ate a Greek salad, courtesy of Gordon.

Fresh shrimp and good friends

Jean's journal continues...
Another baking hot day. After an early rising but a lazy start, we drove to an outlet mall as I wanted some perfume. John & Debs dropped us off as they wanted to visit another store. This place was huge but several of the outlets had closed and there were very few customers around - America is really feeling the effects of the recession.

After a disappointing lunch, we drove to where the fishing boats come in and bought about 10 pounds of very fresh shrimps

'

After freezing some, Gordon prepared the rest with chilli and garlic which we ate with more roasted vegetables. A quiet night for a change.

Jean's most brilliant day- Bushwackers at Pirate's Cove

Jean's most brilliant day...her journal of our trip continues...

A brilliant day, in every way. After a lazy start, Gordon and I headed over to the beach and for 2 hours sat watching the Gulf of Mexico in the hot sunshine. We watched squadrons of pelicans drifting by on the thermals and diving birds crashing briefly into the sea then rising again and flying off. We were completely alone on the white sand though there was a beach bar and showers etc nearby.

At about 1.30 we headed back to the RV and at about 3, Gary pitched up to take us to the Pirates Bar. Gary lives on a very exclusive island named Ono Island where the homes cost in excess of $1million. He led the way past some beautiful houses to his place which he shares with his business partner. Wow - what a place - we were blown away! We went up a flight of bleached wooden stairs and Gary left us to look around while he went to get changed - the house was fabulous, very comfortable but tasteful and with a view overlooking the ocean. There was a deck leading from the fitness and entertainment room to the swimming pool and beyond that, another deck leading to the boat - a beautiful 32' cruiser with white leather upholstery.

We got aboard, he lowered the boat lift and we were off. Oh my, this is how to live!!

Chloe, surprisingly, seemed to love it especially when Gary picked up speed and she felt the wind in her little face.

We spotted some dolphins en route and after about 20 minutes, pulled into Pirates Cove, a divey little bar set right on the beach.

There were quite a few dogs around and a sign hung above a trough of water stating IF YOU DON'T WASH YOUR FEET IN OUR WATER, WE WON'T PEE IN YOUR DRINKS!

We had Bushwackers - Kahlua, Malibu and something that tasted like ice-cream - maybe it was but whatever was in them, they nearly blew our heads off!

One of the dogs roaming around was a huge Bull Mastiff who apparently lived up the road but called into the bar most days. He seemed to regard it as part of his patch and at that size, who was going to argue with him?

We left at about 6.30 just as the sun was setting and the whole scene was breathtaking.

Gary was leaving for Birmingham the next day so we said our goodbyes and promised to send photos - how kind of him to treat us to all that on such a short friendship - Southerners can be so hospitable.

Supper was at Tacky Jacks, a semi-dive bar where we sat on the deck overlooking a lake and then it was back to the RV site where we sat in one of the Florida rooms and drank some wine. A fabulous day that I shall remember for a long time.

Jean falls in love with Alabama....her journal continues (My comments in italics)

Road trip! Left lovely Natchez at about 9 a.m. for a 324 mile trip to the Gulf Shores. Stopped briefly on the Alabama border at a beautiful rest stop then found our way to Orange Beach, which is right on the Alabama/Florida border.
When we were at the Cajun rally, a company had been handing out free Margueritas as a promo for this new RV site. Debs had chatted to one of the guys, Gary, and got herself (and us) a free stay and this was the site we were now headed for. (Note- Buena Vista on the Beach--one of the most gorgeous motorhome resorts we've ever seen)

It was a brand new resort and had a lot going for it - each plot had a beautiful, lavishly furnished stone built cottage where owners of RVs could sleep, cook, etc while their RV was parked securely outside.

The plots are all built around a lake and plans include a large pool with Jacuzzi etc but when we stayed, we were one of only 2 RVs. It was right opposite the white-sandy beach though and we were sure we'd struck lucky.

After about an hour, Gary showed up - he was from Birmingham, Alabama, in his late 30s probably, quite dishy and very laid back and friendly. He offered to show us round so we all piled into his SUV and off we went. Orange Beach was a gorgeous place, right on the edge of the sea with white sand and million dollar homes. Gary pointed out the best restaurants and of more interest to us, the best dives. He then offered to meet us the next day and take us to a particularly good dive in his boat. Can't wait!

Jerry Lee Lewis and the Delta Blues Museum

Jean's journal continues..

Another beautiful morning and nothing to rush about for. We decided to go along to the next village, Farraday, to the Delta Blues Museum.

Jerry Lee Lewis was born in Farraday and a 77-year old lady who has lived there all her life gave us the tour.

She was great and had lots of background information and snippets of gossip which brought it all to life. This was all free and much more enjoyable than we'd expected. We were surprised at how many of the old singers were remembered here - Conway Twitty, Clarence 'Frogman' Henry, Percy Sledge etc etc. We had lunch in a diner our guide had recommended - BBQ chicken, candied yams, beans, potato salad and coleslaw with ice-packed cokes to drink - proper Southern food and very enjoyable.

After lunch, we spent the afternoon just lounging about - me in the sun and the other guys in the shade as usual. At about 4, we all (including Chloe) headed to Fat Mama's Tamales Restaurant which we'd read about in the guidebook. Tamales are sort of cornbread wraps filled with chilli con carne but we had the 'Gringo Pie' which was 3 tamales topped with more chilli, jalapenos and onion - different and very nice.

We sat outside on the patio and Gordon, John & Debs had 'Knock you Naked' Margueritas but I only had a light beer, not being a Margueritas fan. Finished the evening watching the lazy river and then watched a movie called "Blaze" about a Southern politician based in Louisiana.

Exploring Natchez

Jean's story continues...

A beautiful morning with the river moving along lazily. It is very wide in comparison to British rivers and there is quite a large amount of barge traffic - huge vessels, long and wide, and pushed from the back by white tugs. John mentioned that there were a lot less this visit than previously - a sign of the recession perhaps? - but we still saw quite a few and they all made you stop and stare.

In the late morning, we crossed the bridge and signed up for the Natchez tour. At $20 each, we thought it quite expensive for a one-hour bus tour but it was nevertheless very enjoyable and informative. Natchez used to be a huge trading post for goods being taken down river to New Orleans, and from there to the rest of the world, and the traders would stop here en route.

There is a place called Natchez-under-the-hill where, we were told, in the olden days every sort of depravity could be found. Murder was a daily occurrence and prostitution, drunkenness and gambling were rife. At the top of the hill lived the wealthy merchants who had made their money through cotton and sugar cane. They lived in fabulously affluent houses surrounded by lush gardens and furnished lavishly with European artefacts. There are still about 60 of them standing today, many of them converted into B&Bs but still in beautiful condition.

The road leading from Natchez-Under-The-Hill to the upper part of town is named Canal Street and we were told that originally, this was a water-filled canal with drawbridges and at night, these would be pulled up to stop the riff-raff gaining access to the affluent part of town. It's a beautiful city, if a little sleepy.

After the tour, we drove down to Natchez-under-the-hill for lunch and against our better judgement, we opted for burgers. From past experience, we knew that they would be huge but hey - you can't come to the US and not have a burger! True to form, we all regretted it later and our plans for dinner went up in smoke as we were all too stuffed. The weather was sunny and in the high 70s so the rest of the day was spent sitting outside the RV watching the river drift by. "Sometimes I sets and thunks & sometimes, I just sets"or as Gordon said "I's dun thunkin' - I's jest sittin"

Watching the river flow...the lazy Mississippi

Jean's story continues as we head to Mississippi...

Off to Natchez, Mississippi and today the weather was 73 degrees and sunny. After quite a bit of trouble leaving the camp site as everything was so wet, we finally made the road at about 10 and headed along Highway 61 - "The Blues Highway" - towards Baton Rouge. The journey took about three and a half hours. Arriving in Natchez, we saw a huge bridge over the Mississippi with one side in Louisiana and the other in Mississippi. We were staying on the Louisiana side at a beautiful site on the banks of the river

After parking up, Debs and I went to the local WalMart where the check-out operator was intrigued to know what on earth we were going to do with all the vegetables. We were having roast veggies (named by John & Debs as 'Veggies Gordone') but she was obviously another junk food eater. We were glad of some plain food after all the rich Cajun food we'd had recently.

The Rain in Raine...the Brits try "Crawfish"

Jean meets crawfish in her continuing story of our trip..
When we were in Florida, we overheard a man telling his wife "It's not that I feel dizzy - just top-heavy!" Well, we were certainly feeling top-heavy this morning!

At lunchtime, we headed over to the main hall to watch the preparations for the great crawfish feast.

It began with the boiling of the crawfish - thousands of pounds of crawfish were emptied into huge baskets and then dumped into boiling water and it was all carried out like a military operation.

(We finally got Jean to take a peak at the crawfish after they were boiled--her reaction was classic "Jean")

Before eating, crawfish races were held during which many of the Cajuns placed bets on the outcome.

(For the second year in a row- I got to be on the betting table- taking bets and handing out the payouts)

We had a great laugh and a great meal though have to admit it was a lot of effort for a tiny piece of crawfish from each one. We were dressed in our crawfish-decorated aprons, courtesy of Brenda - just as well as we were in such a mess. Actually, we looked quite smart compared to some who made do with just a Wallmart carrier, and most people were in red and white, the Cajun colours. It was all great fun and a very different experience for us Brits.
(Cheryl taught the boys how to "suck the heads" of the crawfish)

The rest of the afternoon was spent chilling out in the RV - the thunder, lightening and rain had started again so we were in no hurry to go anywhere. Brem & Dipper left in the afternoon as they had some family function to go to so we said our goodbyes and promised to keep in touch.

At about 6, we once again braved the horrendous weather and headed to the main hall for the evening entertainment. We started with a sing-along where the 'stars' lip-synched to popular country and western songs. The theme of the night was Mexico so many were in Mexican clothing and as no food was provided in the evening, the women took along sandwiches, potato crisps etc. One guy dressed as Uncle Sam mimed to 'God Bless the USA', a very corny song about how proud they were to be American. It brought the house down and everyone was standing with hands on hearts or waving their arms in the air. I couldn't help wishing that there was that level of patriotism in our country - the nearest we get is 'Abide With Me' sung at the beginning of the soccer cup final!

Anyway, it was another fun night though we got absolutely soaked on the way back to the RV and arrived to find we were parked in a lake! After a couple of renditions of "The Rain in Raine" we settled down for the night.

The Brits and the Cajuns at the Crawfish Rally

Jean's story of the Crawfish Rally - my comments in italics
Another road trip. We left New Orleans at about 10.30 and headed over to Raine, Louisiana to the Cajun Crawfish Rally. There were lots of RVs at the site and the weather was worsening the closer we got. We registered for the rally and were parked in a huge field, and we met up with Brem & Dipper and several other Cajuns we'd met last time we were there. A mass lunch of crawfish etouffe, cole slaw and corn had been prepared which we all enjoyed.
After a while, we went back to the RV to get ready for the evening. The storm had now broken with a vengeance but as ever, at least the rain was warm - we rolled up our trouser legs and paddled over to the dance. It was lots of fun and outside the rain was horizontal but we all agreed it had been a great night.

Our table won big time--Jean got a Walmart gift certificate and I got a wine cooler!

John and Angelo hit the dance floor....

Mardi Gras Floats and Bourbon Street Antics

Jean's ongoing story of our trip....

Another lazy start and then we all headed over to the Mardi Gras museum which turned out to be quite a surprise. I had always been under the impression that the floats were made by the Krews - and was impressed at the level of professionalism and innovation they showed. It turns out however that each Krew member pays between $500 and $1500 to join their particular choice of Krew. The Captain decides on the theme of the float and then they approach this place where we visited to discuss the designs etc. Once decided upon, the floats can take up to a year to make!

The really expensive floats are made from fibre glass - costing up to $1500 per foot or at the other end of the scale, paper Mache floats can cost about $100 a foot. Neither of them work out particularly cheap. I was also surprised to learn that the Krew members buy their own beads, mugs etc to throws to the spectators.

There were some huge displays from past years to see, some of them very intricate with moving parts and many lights and we got the chance to dress up in some of the costumes for a photo shoot. It turned out to be a worthwhile trip.

After lunch, Debs and I had a short wander round the gift shops and then later we took a taxi down to Bourbon Street - the tourist spot. We've been there before so knew what to expect and there are certainly some sights to see.....

We caught this street act...pretty amazing-

We had gone to specifically see a Blues singer named Bryan Lee who was performing, live and free, in Co-Co's Bar.

He was brilliant and we had a great night. (Note- John has been a long time fan of Bryan Lee--known as the Braille Blues Daddy and this was the first time we've ever been in NOLA when he's been playing- what a treat!)

The Brits see the aftermath of Katrina

Jean's journal continues--the British view of Katrina..

After a late start, we decided to drive round the Garden District just to see some of the lovely houses there. Fortunately, this area wasn't too affected by Katrina structurally but the effects can be seen in the number of homes now up for sale, including La Belle Reve, the B&B we stayed in during our earlier visit to the city. Such a shame. We had lunch in the Babylon Cafe - Gordon had taken a fancy for iced tea, sweetened a la Southern States, but his sugar levels have been great while we've been away and he's looking and feeling well.

Then John, Gordon & I took the Katrina Tour which lasted three and a half hours (poor Debs did the laundry). At first I was impressed at how much had been done to restore the city to its former glory but this turned out to be only in the middle-class, more affluent areas. When we got to St Bernard Parish and the 9th Ward, where the poorer people used to live, it was almost untouched. Many of the houses were just wrecks and still showed the signs painted on the doors by the rescuers during the search for survivors. It was a disgrace! The guide said that part of the reason why many of the houses are untouched is because the inhabitants were unable to prove ownership, the houses having been passed down through generations. Government grants only provide a percentage of the cost of renovations and take months to come through and the poor folks haven't the funds needed to make up the shortfall.

There are rows and rows of empty slums with wood still lying around and the place looking like a bomb site. We were gob-smacked - America should hang its head in shame. There were some good people though - Walmart were straight out after the disaster struck with ice, blankets and provisions and they are generally held in high regard now. Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie, who have a house in New Orleans, are building a whole street in one of the worst hit areas. The Cajuns brought out their little boats and rescued people from rooftops and the first soldiers on the scene were the Canadian Mounties!

What makes things worse is that NOBODY was held responsible for the breeching of the levees despite the fact that the foundations were only laid to 17' and not the recommended 25'. If the regulations had been followed, 1800 people may not have lost their lives. Our guide also reminded us that all the stuff in the museums had also been under water and much had been lost as well as some of the wildlife. As he was telling us about the rare birds, one of the bus passengers asked what had happened to them during Katrina..... he replied, quite straightfaced, that they had flown away!!

Gordon and I stayed in the city after the trip while John went back to meet up with Debs. We did a bit of shopping and then met up with them at Tujaques for a drink and some food. The evening rounded off in our private gazebo - and more wine.

Cocktails in New Orleans

Jean's journal continues...

Road trip - left John's shed and drove the 76 miles or so to New Orleans, stopping en-route to buy Subway rolls which were huge but good on an empty stomach. The RV site was situated in the French Quarter and had a lovely swimming pool, jacuzzi and laundry and we had our own gazebo fully enclosed by mosquito wire (just as well as Gordon and I were already covered in itchy bites, whether from the sand fleas in Foley or mosquito bites in Louisiana we weren't sure)

In the afternoon, we took the Cocktail Tour which was interesting. The guide took us to some very old bars and gave us the history of the place then recommended one or two cocktails for us to try.

One of our first stops was the Napoleon House. The building's first occupant, Nicholas Girod, offered his residence to Napoleon in 1821 as a refuge during his exile. Napoleon never made it, but the name stuck, and since then, the Napoleon House has become one of the most famous bars in America. Their signature drink is the “Pimms Cup". At the Napoleon House, they serve it with a cucumber – just the best summer refresher.

At Pirate’s Alley Café, I tried a “Green Fairy”, a concoction made with absinthe (130 proof). The Green Fairy is made by pouring absinthe over a sugar cube balanced on a slotted spoon over a tall glass. It’s followed by water poured over the sugar cube. The cube is then burned and crushed into the drink. A chemical reaction ensues- causing what appears to be fairies flying through the green liquid.

At Tujagues, the second oldest restaurant in New Orleans (1856), we tried a “Woodland Plantation Punch” (way too sweet) Originally an all men’s bar, there were no chairs. The men stood at the bar (and, not wanting to lose their place at the bar, would pee into the trough under the bar). Today, the bar is a great local hangout. (See below)

We also went The Court of Two Sisters and Muriel’s (which boasted a resident ghost and an upstairs room that was once a bordello).

It was tastefully decorated in an authentic style and we found it very interesting.
We also met quite a few 'characters' (check out 'my new best friend' who's toast was always "Cheers to Queers"! )

When the tour was over we went back to the restaurant in Napoleon House for muffulettas then came back to the site as it was in a rough part of town and not the place you would want to be out wandering late at night. We sat in the gazebo and drank some wine then had a fairly early night.