LOUISIANNA

WELL WHEN WE WERE IN MISSISSIPPI WE DROVE EVERYWHERE. WE WENT TO THE JOHNSON SPACE STATION WHERE A REPLICA OF APOLLO 13 WAS. THE SPACE STATION WAS AN EDUCATION CENTER. THEY SHOWED WHAT THE FUTURE WILL BE FOR THE SPACE PROGRAM. THE STATION WAS NEW AND WAS DEDICATED BY FRED HAIZE FROM APOLLO 13.
   WE ALSO DROVE ALONG THE BEACH. THERE WERE SCULPTURES FROM A LOT OF DEAD TREES THAT WERE KILLED BY KATRINA. A LOCAL ARTIST CARVES LOCAL WILDLIFE FROM THE BRANCHES.
   AFTER 2 WEEKS IN MISSISSIPPI WE WENT TO LOUISANNA.  WE STAYED AT OPELUSASIS FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. THEN WE MOVED TO POUCHES FISH CAMP. OREANA LOVED THIS PLACE. THERE WERE FOUR MAN MADE LARGE PONDS THAT WERE STACKED WITH LOTS OF FISH. THE BIRDS WERE ALL OVER THE PLACE. EGRETS, BLUE HERONS, GREAT WHITE HERONS, IBSIS DUCKS, JUST TO NAME A FEW.  WE SAW LOTS OF SUGAR CANE, WE WENT ON SWAMP TOURS. LEARNED THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN  A BAYOU AND A SWAMP. SAW ALLIGATORS AND THERE WERE A LOT OF DUCK BLINDS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LAKE.  WENT TO SEE EVANGELINE,S TREE. LOTS OF FRENCH DOWN HERE. STREETS WERE NAMES RUE,S ETC.
  WENT TO MELROSE PLANTATION ON THE CANE RIVER. LOTS OF HISTORY. 300 YEAR OLD TREES WERE EVERYWHERE. THE PLANTATION WAS A SMALL CITY IN ITSELF. EACH HOUSE HAD STORAGE( THE AFRICAN HOUSE) THE WEAVING HOUSE, THE SMOKE HOUSE. THE SCHOOL HOUSE THE SLAVE QUARTERS, STABLES, REPAIR HOUSE FOR BIGHOUSE AND FARM REPAIRS. IT WAS A REAL EDUCATION HOW PEOPLE LIVED YEARS AGO.
  WE WENT TO ST AUGUSTINE'S CHURCH WHERE THE WEDDING SCENE FOR THE MOVIS STEEL MAGNOLIA;S WAS SHOT.

  WE THEN WENT TO NATCHITASIS LA.  THERE WAS A SMALL POND AT THE COUNTRY LIVING CAMPGROUND. SNAKES ALL AROUND AND THE POND HAD 2 ALLIGATORS. NATCHITASIS HAD A CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS. THE DOWNTOWN WAS LIKE A SOUTHERN NEWBURYPORT.