The most spectacular thing to me about southern Louisiana has been the sunrises and sunsets. It's almost like a different sun than I'm used to, it's such a different and vivid orange-gold color. I guess it's all the moisture in the air and the fact it's all reflected off the water from the lakes and swamplands (hopefully it's not also due to industrial air pollution....) This morning I'm at a Cabela's outside of Baton Rouge, and the sunrise was plainer-colored, but was made interesting by the light fog hanging down in the tree-filled swamp. I'm really appreciating the diversity of the landscape across the country. I know this wouldn't be the place for me in the summer, though, between the heat and the mosquitos. They all didn't die off over the winter, and I can't imagine how bad they are when it warms up and gets muggy.
Crossing into Louisiana I took the Creole Nature Trail along the beaches and then up through the swampland. This route required another taxpayer-funded ferry, where I had the front row, as you can see in the photo. It looks more like a view from a boat windshield.
Through each swamp, I've kept my eyes peeled for alligators, but I met up with my friend and former co-worker Cheryl for lunch yesterday and learned that the gators don't really come out of the mud during this colder time of year.
Today I'm going to travel along the Mississippi and plan to stop off at a historic plantation. The one I have in mind is said to be the oldest in the lower Mississippi Valley. I'll end up in New Orleans for a few days, where I'm planning to take in one of the early Mardi Gras parades and watch the Super Bowl. GO HAWKS!!!
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