Breaux Bridge, Louisiana
We keep being told that South Louisiana is its own special culture, that it is something one just has the experience first hand. First of all, it is true that everyone we meet is extremely nice. Still getting used to everyone saying ma’am and Sir.
Second, there is music everywhere. On the streets, in all of the restaurants, and at each festival and gathering. We have award winning five to seven piece bands playing every night at our fairly small venue. Even our bus driver mentioned that when he went to high school with the three brothers (who were playing last night), they would always be playing during lunch.
Third, the food is incredible. Even the breaded shrimp is not overly fried, but just enough and with enough of a hit, to make each one tasty. Each day I keep trying out something new.
Finally, like New Orleans, Lafayette and surrounding areas is a blending of cultures and backgrounds, Cajun, creole, native Americans, Europeans, Spanish and more. This also adds to the diversity of points one to three above.
Today is the best biking so far. Nice curving country roads, large farm plantations, and fairly good side roads to ride along. The highest point is the bridge over the freeway. It is a social ride, like most of these large rides, so we meet people from Florida to California, and several locals as well. Several come back each year, while others – like us – are first timers. They come back for the culture, the good weather, excellent food and extras, such as live music every night and special tours. Today, it is the crawfish tour and we learn how you farm them in flooded rice paddies.
We pass through a local etouffee festival in a small town, and stop for lunch at a great pizza and brewery place. We stay a bit longer and catch up with people we have met along the way. We end the ride strong – our longest and fastest time yet. We go to dinner at the local seafood place and I order “from the swamp” platter of catfish, shrimp, crab and oysters. I skip the frog legs this time.
We head home on the last shuttle and get some much needed sleep for our last day.
Siri and David Adventures 