Next we go to Konriko Rice Mill, The oldest rice mill in USA. We see a short film then tour the mill for a visual tour. Next ??? Back to the Gift Store... There Many Many kinds of their products. I think everyone bought a bag full of goodies( Rice, coatings, seasonings, t-shirts, and the usual tourist things) Mom stock up the Airstream Gallery with lots of products.

Pictures  https://picasaweb.google.com/AirstreamHobo/KonrikoOldestRiceMill

 

Time for lunch at Victors’ Restaurant which is a lunch cafeteria style to pick your meal. I had a Beef Stew and Salad, very good.

March 12, Tuesday, at 8 am we leave for Shadows on the Teche,  a National Historic House, we are in 3 groups to see the house and all it’s grandeur. The grounds were pretty too. Pictures https://picasaweb.google.com/AirstreamHobo/ShadowsOnTheTech

Then we drive across the island to see the Tabasco Factory. This is the only place that it is made, over 700,000 bottles a day. We see a short movie on the products made then a walk thru glass hallway watching workers run the machines. Then of course there is a gift shop to walk thru too...so many samples .. and also many, many things with the Tabasco logo for sale as well as the sauce is for sale.

Pictures   https://picasaweb.google.com/AirstreamHobo/TobascoFactoryTours   

This is the Caravan Gang pictured at Avery Island.....

March 10th, Sunday, We leave for Catfish Heaven Campground a 70 mile drive. We arrive after p.m..  Some of us are  backed up to the pavilion where we have a steak dinner tomorrow. At 4 we leave foe one mile drive to Lake Martin to see the largest nesting of wading birds. We see lots of birds, white, pink & blue.We are here for about 30 minutes to see and take pictures of them. Back to camp for another GAM , then supper on our own. This campground has a laundry which many get caught up on the dirty clothes. Good for another week in clean duds !!

 

March 11th, Monday, Today we car pool to Avery Island near the Tabasco Factory. This is a reserve of beautiful gardens ,lakes, and even a Buda in the gardens. We drive thru the trees which are big Oaks and Cypress trees, very beautiful to see, we wind around the garden and stop to see the Buda and walk around there.  Then onto the Bird sanctuary to see nesting birds again..lots of them here over the water to raise their newborns.  Pictures  https://picasaweb.google.com/AirstreamHobo/AveryIslandJungleGardenTour2013

 

God Bless... AirstreamHobo and Mom 

Capt Jack...Swamp Tours

 

Now we take a break for 3 hours at camp than at 1:30 we got for a swamp tour. We board Captain Jacks Cajun Tour Boat. This thing has a 250 HP motor to take us to the swamp. We hear tales of the swamp while going there. Then slow down to see all mother nature. We do pass some Cajun Cabins(Homes) along the way. We even see some on the porch and Capt. Jack talks to them wishing them a good day. We hear all about some of the cabins and their way of life. After 3 hours on the water we are back at camp.

  Pictures https://picasaweb.google.com/AirstreamHobo/SwampTour2013

 

We have a Drivers Meeting after supper. We discuss tomorrows move to the next campground. As you can see we have a very well planned Caravan..Our Leaders have everything ready for Us to follow. 

  God Bless.. AirstreamHobo and Mom 

March 9th, Saturday, We rise early again to see the local sights. We are broken to 3 groups of 8/9 people in each. We go first to the Petroleum  Museum. Here we board a Oil Rig Platform which is a training center for future oil workers in the Gulf. This place is BIG.. living quarters.. Kitchen.. oil drilling area.. mechanics shop, a city on a platform. Workers learn to stay aboard for a week first to see if they like the confinement...some do  some quit after a few days. When they pass the job test, they start on an oil rig. They work for 28 days then 14 days off to go home. They work 12 hour days while on the rig. The job is very demanding for all.We got to see all the areas and learn a lot from our tour guide which is also an Instructor on board.

  Pictures   https://picasaweb.google.com/AirstreamHobo/OilRigTour2013

 

God Bless.. AirstreamHobo and Mom 

March 8th, Friday.... Time to move on... to Frenchman’s Wilderness Campground, only 110 miles away. We leave in the morning and take our time to arrive after p.m.. We are driving along the Mississippi River at times and pass many Plantations also. We stop at Wal-Mart to wait for 2 pm to arrive.

   Wow..a beautiful lake frontage campground. We have the whole back section which each of us back up to the waters’ edge.The view across the water is breath taking. The wind is very brisk and we decide not to open awnings. We set up and rest, then at 3 pm we drive 1 mile away to Brownwell Memorial Park and Carillon Tower. We drive in and walk to the water,on the way there is a tall church tower with bells which sound off each 15 minutes. At the hour we hear a complete song to the bells. We also walk to the waterfront past trees covered in stringy moss hanging, sort of like Christmas Glitter on a tree.

   Back to camp, it is our turn to have GAM with others. The wind is faster so I park the van along the water between trailers to block the wind. But we all arrive with heavy coats on. The snacks were shared and chit chat too. The rest of night is off.  

  Pictures     https://picasaweb.google.com/AirstreamHobo/TripToMorganCityLa02