Buccaneer State Park, MS
After spending the night at Lake Fausee State Park we came to the conclusion that it hasn't aged well in the seven years since we've been here. To be fair, the harsh tropical climate has taken its toll, but the State Park system hasn't exactly held up its end of the bargain. I think this park is off the radar, the employees don't seem particularly ambitious and they sure turn a blind eye to a lot of sketchy stuff. That being said, having our morning coffee on our campsite dock as we watched the parade of alligators swim by can't be replicated anywhere else. It's just surreal to be communing this close with alligators.
We took as many obscure roads as we could find through Acadian Country. It's really interesting to see all the people living on the bayou. Almost all the homes have the bayou in their backyard, with pirogues tied to a dock and smokers out front. We passed through lots of sugar cane and corn fields. Loved seeing this little stand next to the road. I'm still kicking myself that I didn't try the gator jerky - and just what the heck is bourgeois beef jerky anyway?
As we came closer to Morgan City and then New Orleans we started to encounter the dacquiri drive-throughs. May I suggest a jello shot before you drive-off????
Our destination today was ultimately Mississippi, but as we got closer to New Orleans we started to get a hankering for a muffuletta. Soooo, we decided to brave the French Quarter craziness before a holiday weekend and go for it. Took a bit more time than we anticipated and we finally arrived mid-afternoon. The good thing is we were good and hungry and couldn't wait to partake. Here's Ned being happy we finally made it!
Love, love this Italian Deli - Central Grocery.. So many cool things in here, but of course the jackpot is eating one of these sandwiches. We couldn't wait to dig in. In case you wondered, a muffuletta is served on a round of Sicilian sesame bread and has layers of marinated olives, mortadella, salami, mozzarella, ham and provolone. The whole sandwich will feed 4 people! We opted for a half and split it.
It's so fun to eat at the counter amongst all the Italian deli stuff - Olive Oil, jams, wine, and pastas of every shape and size.
We did a quick walk-through the French Quarter, mainly to work off our late lunch. New Orleans never disappoints with its ecclectic culture, crazy people and charm.
I did manage to pick up a cute roadtrip t-shirt before heading out. With all the snorkeling and beach time coming up I figure it'll come in handy.
While I was checking out t-shirts, Ned was interested in other things. That guy.
The thermometer read 92 degrees with 86% humidity. After our little walk-about it was definitely time to head for the cool breeze of the Gulf.
Our final destination tonight is Buccaneer State Park in Waveland, MS. This place was ground zero for Hurricane Katrina. The good news is that the State Park was completely rebuilt so it's really nice. The bad news is that the town still hasn't recovered. The wide sandy beach and warm water is welcoming, but there isn't a touristy feel here like other beach towns. There are very little tourist attractions and hardly any grocery stores, other than the occasional convenience store. Hey, that's okay in my book! We just feel bad for the local people still trying to get on their feet.
We spent some time biking along the shore. Yes, we got silly again trying to take selfies with the Gulf behind us.
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