It Was a Creole Soap Opera!
31 July 2021 | Slidell, Louisiana
Mary Yeomans | Hot and Humid, 97 degrees
We left our room and headed out - it was not a good night's sleep. The AC went on and off all night and there was lots of noise from cars and voices, coming and going. We headed for the Laura Plantation in Vacherie, Louisiana for a tour. First, a stop at King's Truck Stop for a good Southern breakfast - grits, biscuits, eggs, and bacon. Bill even had some gravy on his biscuits. Back on the road, traffic was light but certainly increased as we approached cities like Baton Rouge and New Orleans.
The tour of the sugar cane plantation was very interesting. Rather than focus on the physical things - buildings, furniture, etc. - our guide told us about the four generations of the Duparc family who lived there. They were Creole, which he pointed out in that area meant anyone who was not American. It didn't depend on race or origin, so although they were French and Catholic, the slaves and others living on their property were also considered Creole. The story of their lives could have been a soap opera, and much of the information has been found in archives in France where one woman's (Laura) memoirs are stored. We learned lots, but it was really, really hot and steamy so it felt good to get back into the car and turn on the AC!
We decided to head toward Slidell on the other side of Lake Ponchartrain and decide where to stay when we got there. Kenney Seafood was convenient so we ate lunch there - rather late since we had such a filling breakfast! Po' Boys for both of us - shrimp for me, and oyster for Bill - both were huge.
We checked in to our hotel and unloaded the car - they had a free laundry so it was time to get that done. Bill took a nap while I ran the clothes through so we are ready for the hot days ahead. We heard today we are in an area with an excessive heat warning for the next few days - not that we haven't been in a lot of heat over the last month!
We watched some Olympics coverage, I had some wine, and then we went to bed. Getting closer to Florida!