Betty's RV Park, Abbeville, LA, Part Two

Dianne here -

On our second day at Betty's RV Park in Abbeville, Louisiana, we started our day as we do most days: drinking coffee and catching up on our favorite blogs. One of the blogs we have followed for a while (I just got around to loading it on our side bar, if you care to check it out), is Laurie and Odel's "Semi-True Tales of our Life on the Road."

As we read their March 2 entry, they described driving 50 miles out and back off of I-10 to re-visit a tiny Cajun grocery store (Suire's), to see if the po-boys they had eaten there four years ago were still as good as they remembered. Suire's is in Kaplan, Louisiana, which is only ten miles from Abbeville. Laurie and Odel have been to some really cool places around the U.S., and we decided that if they drove 100 miles out of their way for these po-boys, that we could surely drive ten miles to sample them!

So, off we went to Kaplan, Louisiana to visit tiny Suire's

Cajun grocery store. We didn't think to look up directions, assuming that Kaplan, Louisiana would be so small we could just find it by driving around the town. No such luck. We finally stopped at a convenience store and Roger went in to ask. The very friendly clerk and customer who was waiting there at first looked puzzled; when Roger started to spell it (we don't speak Cajun very well) they both perked up and said, Oh, you mean Suire's (Sweerz) -- that's way out there. They gave us directions and we drove out of town and, sure enough, we found it. Suire's is light on the groceries and very heavy on delicious made-to-order Cajun delights such as po-boys and gumbo, turtle sauce piquante, crawfish etouffee, and pecan pie. Roger

ordered a catfish po-boy and I ordered a

shrimp one, then we switched halves so we could sample both. They were truly worth Laurie & Odel's 100-mile side trip! Yum!

Turns out that Laurie & Odel had originally learned about Suire's several years ago by reading an article in the New York Times.

The original newspaper article was framed and hung on a wall in the grocery store, so I snapped a photo of it. What a fun side trip, and one we never would have experienced in our former life!

Instead of corn and soybean fields like we are accustomed to in Indiana, this part of Louisiana grows a lot of rice. I photographed one of the many rice fields we passed on our trip home from Kaplan.

We had just enough time to visit another site that was recommended to us by one of the "regulars" at Betty's happy hour: Jefferson Island. The entrance road to Jefferson Island is lined with a mile-and-a-half avenue of live oak trees.

I snapped a photo of a glimpse of the Joseph Jefferson home,

which was built in 1870 by an actor of the same name. It sits atop a giant salt dome. There are tours of the home and the adjacent Rip Van Winkle Gardens, but we were so pressed for time that we simply visited the gift shop and stopped to take a photo of the tom turkey that tried to bar our escape from the island. (The turkey was not amused that I stalked him for this photo!)

We hurried back to Betty's for happy hour.

We didn't want to miss this one, because Betty had announced the night before that there would be a pitch-in dinner and that she was providing roast venison and potatoes. She explained that her nephew's son had shot a deer and that they don't eat deer, but normally just boil it and feed it to their dogs. Betty took possession of the venison and, with a little Betty magic, cooked it to perfection to share with her guests. It was good! Another Betty regular made the most delicious homemade caramel

"sticky buns" (see foreground in photo). I took a shot of Roger's plate heaped with pitch-in delicacies.

Before we left the happy hour/pitch-in, one of the other guests offered to take our photo with Betty.

We also took photos of some of the kitchy decor inside and outside Betty's home and the indoor and outdoor meetin' and greetin' areas.

The sign at the campground says it all: "You're Caught in Betty's Web!"

We truly were caught in Betty's web and for sure we'll be pulled back!!

Abbeville, Louisiana + Tabasco Factory Tour

Roger here... After traveling through Houston

and viewing the home of the Houston Texans from the interstate,

we left the state of Texas after three months and traveled through coastal Louisiana to spend three nights at Betty's RV Park in Abbeville, Louisiana - the most Cajun of Cajun places. (Dianne here: We went from Mission, TX where all the names on every sign were Spanish, to Cajun Louisiana, where all the names on every sign were French.) You know how some places just seem comfortable; well, Abbeville is definitely one of those places.

This is such a special place that it deserves two blogs. We'll update part two as soon as we get a chance.

I'll start by describing Betty's RV Park. If Abbeville feels comfortable, Betty's feels like home - BECAUSE OF BETTY. Betty's park only has fifteen full hook-up sites, and they are located on gravel in what was at one time Betty's back yard. No real amenities here, except, of course, for Betty. When we checked in at 4:00 p.m. she helped us back into our spot and then encouraged us to set up quickly because happy hour in the back room of her house was at 4:30. The "Betty's" experience is like visiting a treasured family member. All the guests attend happy hour every night. She "holds court" over her glass of wine, giving advice to everyone about what to see and where to eat in the area.

One evening she announced that she would lead an excursion to the business of a man who digs cypress wood out of the swamp the next mornin'. Another night she let us know that there would be a pot luck the next evening, and that she would provide specially-cooked venison. The highlight of every happy hour is her sense of humor, her laughter, and her genuine love of people. By the time the happy hour ends, everyone in the group knows everyone else - a very unique place that is rated as one of the top 25 RV parks in the country for its social atmosphere. It is easy to understand why.

During our first full day in Abbeville, the major attraction was a visit to the Tabasco Factory on Avery Island, just twenty miles away. What a neat place! When we paid the one-dollar fee to enter Avery Island, the toll taker showed us the level of water (about six feet) from the last hurricane where levies now protect the historic factory. As we exited the car in front of the factory, other than the view of the classic buildings,

the first sense to enter the brain was the smell of Tabasco. It was just so cool.

The

factory tour was interesting. Did you know that the peppers are aged for three years with vinegar in used (cleaned) Jack Daniels whiskey oak barrels? The factory on Avery Island is the only place where Tabasco is processed? Avery Island was originally a salt mine (still is) and salt from the salt dome underneath the island covers the casks during the aging process?

We were able to get a

good shot of hundreds of Tabasco bottles as they wound their way through the plant.

The trip to the factory store

was an additional highlight. We were able to sample all the Tabasco products, including Tabasco ice cream (surprisingly good), before making several spicy purchases, including Tabasco t-shirts and beach wear. The one-dollar entrance fee to Avery Island turned out to be a good deal for the Tabasco company, as we dropped more than a few bucks in the factory store. (Dianne here: We also purchased some Tabasco chocolate and a Tabasco sucker to take with us to our daughter and granddaughter in Florida. They sell lots of unique items in the gift shop, and I'm sure you can buy them on line if you are interested, because I found a used Christmas catalog in the parking lot that had blown out of somebody's car).

On the way back to Abbeville, Dianne spotted an above-ground cemetery in the small town of Delcambre.

She got out of the car to take several photos. Similar cemeteries in New Orleans are considered dangerous for visitors - ideal places for a mugging -

but not here. Just a quiet place to reflect upon the unique culture of this area.

Before we returned to Betty's, we decided to eat a late lunch in Abbeville. After an internet search, we selected

Dupuy's (pronounced Dew Pwees, with the accent on the second syllable). It was a great choice.

These Cajuns truly know how to eat - amazing food. We both had a cup of crab and corn bisque; delicious. Dianne had a grilled shrimp po' boy. I had the best crab cake that I have ever eaten, smothered with a Cajun shrimp sauce

(and half of Dianne's po boy). The waitress talked us into sampling a dessert. Dianne picked out the pecan tart a la mode. Oh my goodness, it was better than chocolate - high praise from me.

We needed groceries, so we made a quick stop at Robie's Market on the way back to Betty's. We had to hurry - didn't want to be late for happy hour. I'll let Dianne tell you about this unique grocery store that will be a required stop for future visits.

Robie's wasn't a huge market, just a small, local grocery store. Among the delicacies we saw while shopping there were rows and rows of pickled quail's eggs, lots of jars of prepared roux, prepared ready-to-eat muffaletta sandwiches, and very good prepared deli salads. Since we knew we'd be traveling for several days and needing quick-to-grab meals, we stocked up on the ready-to-eat items. Delicious! Even the chicken salad had a real "kick" to it.

At one of Betty's happy hours, some of our fellow travelers (many of whom come to Betty's every year), told us there are a few items we just had to try, so we went back to Robies and stocked up on some Cajun essentials: "Slap Ya Mama" seasoning, a jar of "Sloppy Boudreaux" sauce, and something called "Sweet Treat." (It's a cinnamon-sugar mixture with vanilla).

At the end of one of the grocery aisles, there was a huge display of big bags of rice. I thought to myself, wow, people buy rice in big bags here. Then I turned down the next aisle, and discovered that in addition to that display, there was row after row of nothing but different kinds of rice. I just had to take a picture of it, because I'd never seen anything like it in any grocery we'd ever been in.

The side trip to Betty's RV Park in Abbeville was something Roger really, really wanted to do. (He's a lot more social than I am.) I wasn't as enthusiastic about it, but I have to say that within two minutes of arriving there (and especially after the first happy hour!) I felt right at home and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. You truly do meet the nicest people in this lifestyle!

A New Orleans Wedding to Remember

Hi all, Dianne here.  We had a fantastic time in New Orleans attending the wedding of one of our daughter's long-time friends.   Jennifer recently graduated from law school.   She was one of the Tulane students who had to leave for a semester after Hurricane Katrina, but she went back as soon as she was allowed to.  She loves New Orleans, and wanted her wedding to be as authentic a New Orleans experience for her guests as possible.  I must say she certainly succeeded in that!   I'll let Roger fill in the wedding details below.

First, though, we spent our time in New Orleans at the French Quarter RV Resort.  This is a much fancier campground (oops, sorry, "resort") than we are used to.  Normally our motor home falls somewhere in the middle-to-upper range of those where we are parked.  At the French Quarter RV Resort we were parked between some "mighty fine" neighbors-- Fancy enough that we wondered who some of them might be (somebody famous??)

  We don't usually splurge on private RV resorts such as this, because we actually prefer to be out in nature.  Once in a while it's a fun change of pace, though.

  This resort was actually close enough for us to walk to and from the French Quarter (daytime only;  at night, the two blocks in between are unsafe, so we took a cab).   The resort itself is gated and patrolled; very safe once you're inside the fence.  

It had brick-paved sites with coach lanterns at each. 

 There was a terrific tiled salt-water pool and hot tub, which we took full advantage of! 

  We had it to ourselves each time we used it, and it was fun to float in the salt water pool without needing a 

float.  

We picked our daughter, Amanda, up at the airport on Thursday and showed her around the city on Friday.  Of course, we made the obligatory stop at 

Cafe du Monde for some coffee and beignets!  

We had a delicious lunch at one of our favorite restaurants in town, Crescent City Brewery.  We then walked down by the river and took some shots of

 St. Louis Cathedral,

 where the wedding was to take place the next day.  Note the cloudy skies in these photos.  The weather forecasters had dire predictions for the weekend, with up to 4 - 5 inches of rain!  Contrast that with the next photo showing how beautiful and blue the sky actually was

 for the wedding on Saturday.  

Roger here...  Normally, the male of the family is not the one to report on a wedding, but since I was the bride's principal in both elementary and middle school, and because many of the wedding guests were also my students, it will be fun to relive the three days of festivities.  Before I begin, I must tell you that Dianne and I feel very close to Jennifer.  She spent a great deal of time with Amanda at our house as she grew up in suburban Indianapolis.  

On Thursday, after we picked up our daughter, Amanda, at the airport, the three of us met Jennifer, her fiance, her family and friends at Cooter Brown's - an establishment located at the end of the street car line near St. Charles Street.  It was great to see Jennifer and to catch up with old friends.  The food was pretty good, too.  We all had po-boys.  Mine was shrimp with the obligatory Louisiana hot sauce.  Amanda's was alligator sausage!

The wedding and reception was on Saturday.  We walked, in the humid heat, about ten blocks to the St. Louis Cathedral on Jackson Square.  

Thankfully, it was air conditioned, because by the time we got there we were all pretty warm and sweaty (me, at least).  The cathedral itself is magnificent.

  It is the oldest continuously-operating cathedral in the country.  We took a few pictures inside, including one

 of 

Dianne and Amanda.

After the ceremony, the wedding party and guests waited outside for what would truly be a unique experience.  During the wait, we were able to talk with one of my former teachers, Natalie, and her husband,

 Larry.  Natalie was, and still is, an outstanding math teacher.  She worked with me for many years.  She was very close to Jennifer and Amanda during their middle school years.  I also enjoyed talking with several of my former students, including the bride's brother, Matt 

(now a Captain in the army), and one of his best friends, David.  David is the son of another one of my former teachers, Claudia.  I had not seen him since his junior high days.  It is so much fun to see people that I knew when they were 14 and who are now impressive young adults.  Jennifer's matron of honor, Kelli, and her parents were also there.  Unfortunately, somehow we did not get their picture.  Kelli was also a very close friend of our daughter.  The entire experience was an uplifting trip down memory lane.

Now for the FUN!  A brass band arrived in front of the cathedral, followed by a police escort.  The bride and groom lined up behind the band,

 followed by the wedding party, followed by the guests.  The band played New Orleans jazz as the entire procession danced (some better than others - I was ridiculed for my lack of rhythm) down the streets to the reception.  The streets were closed as we glided by. 

 People on the sidewalks took pictures of us.  Following tradition, the groom, Mike, waved a gaudy (orange and black) umbrella while Jennifer danced with a white lace parasol.  Everyone else waved white handkerchiefs 

in the air as we strutted down the streets.  Sooo much fun!  (Short note from Dianne -- if you recall from our Key West blog, we saw a similar wedding parade in Mallory Square.  We never dreamed we would actually participate in one!!)  

We have included a short video that Natalie took on her Blackberry to give you an idea of what the parade was like.   The narration on the video is Natalie.

Eventually, we arrived at the reception hall on Bourbon Street, the Bourbon Vieux.  

The room was on the second floor with a huge balcony overlooking the street below.  You can see several of us on that balcony in one of the photos.  

The food was all New Orleans style, including catfish, blackened chicken, crawfish sauce over rice, and more of that alligator sausage (which was really pretty good).  The open bar included those famous New Orleans hurricanes.   One of the highlights was throwing bead necklaces from the balcony to the people walking down the street below.  Note the photo of our beautiful daughter, hurricane in hand, 

getting ready to toss some beads. 

 A New Orleans band played during the time between the traditional wedding toasts. (Kelli's toast was excellent as she passed out buttons with Jennifer's elementary school picture, heavily braced (with head gear) teeth, to the guests.  The words "I'm taken" were the title on the button).  The word "festive" does not come close to describing the setting.

You would think that everything would end after the reception, but the festivities continued to the next day.  Friends of Jennifer hosted a traditional New Orleans

 Crawfish Boil for everyone at their house just off St. Charles Street.  A long, narrow, courtyard was the setting.

  People enjoyed the boiled crawfish and shrimp while yet another band played in the background.  The vocalist entertained everyone with what might be described as suggestive lyrics and flirting (with Natalie, and others).  Great fun.  We got a picture of David holding one of the crawfish that escaped the pot, just before he hid it in the shrubbery. 

 David always was a nice kid.

Unfortunately, we did not get a picture of Jennifer's parents, Sherry and Kim, whom we have known for decades, but I did get a great picture of Sherry's heavily bandaged foot, next to Dianne's.  Too much walking in uncomfortable shoes!

Next stop, beautiful Enid Lake, in northwestern Mississippi.