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(continued from page 21..) Friday, we drove to Opelousas, and had lunch at ‘The Palace’. Then drove to Eunice to Marc Savoy’s Music Store, and then back to Opelousas for dinner at Souliers (Swallows). Then onto Lawtell to Frank Ranch, a bar and dance hall where mostly local coloured people were Zydeco dancing to Geno Delafose and French Rockin’ Boogie. What a night we had, and we saw such great Zydeco dancing. We met and talked to Geno Delafose.
Saturday, we were up early to drive to Mamou, to attend the Live Cajun Music Radio Program at Fred’s Lounge from 9am to 1pm. Wow, what a blast with Tante Sue (Aunt Sue) behind the bar with her gun holster strapped to her leg, which held her bottle of liquor ready for a ‘shot’ when the fancy took her..! The place packed with dancers and drinkers having a good time, which I did too. I was impressed with the young Cajun accordion player, Troy LeJeune who played in the band.
After Fred’s Lounge, we drove back down past Eunice to attend the 3rd annual Creole Zydeco Festival at the Frog Festival Grounds in Rayne, which featured six Zydeco bands. We saw Jamie Bergeron and The Kicking Cajuns and Step Rideau, and Zydeco danced in the hot sun. I was pleased to met Patsy who produces the ‘Patsy Report’ on Gary Hayman’s website (an amazing list of places to go and hear great Cajun/Zydeco music—a must for all visitors to Cajun country). Then a drive to Villeplatte to Floyd’s Record Shop to purchase some CD’s and back to Breaux Bridge for a shower and rest.
We were tired but somehow after something to eat and a shower, we found energy to go off again to La Poussiere in Breaux Bridge at 11pm to Cajun dance some more, on a great dance floor. The band was Walter Mouton and the Scott Playboys, and we danced with the older traditional local Cajuns who made us most welcome.
Sunday, we had lunch at Bayou Cabins with our hosts Rocky & Lisa Sonnier, and drank champagne with Rocky for his birthday. Then in the evening we drove to Whisky River Landing in Henderson to dance one last time at a ‘must go’ place to Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys. Wow, what a night that was, lots of Cajun and Zydeco dancing in a packed dance floor over-looking the Atchafalaya Lake. For the second time I met a local Cajun called Greg who I swapped business cards with and promised I would come back to dance with him again.
Then our departure the next day from the New Orleans airport and Louisiana. What a wonderful and memorable holiday we had full of great Cajun and Zydeco music and dancing, food, friendly people, and fun.
They say if you have ever drank the water from the Bayou Teche, you will be back for more, well this is my second trip there and I hope I will be back for more.
Laissez le Bon Temps Rouler – ‘Let the good times roll’… Margot Hitchcock - October 2003 ©
But my fun was not over, I stopped off at Los Angeles to stay for a week with my friend Allan who had also come to Melbourne and who I had Cajun danced with and he too had met me through my website. Allan took me to the Yosemite National Park and I saw the most awesome mountains. It was 700 ft high at Glacier Point. We also went to see the huge trees in the Sequoia National Park. Some of the huge trees dated back before Christ. The Sherman tree was said to be 3,000 years old. I enjoyed having margaritas to drink in Allan’s spa bath. Another day we went to Disney California, a newly opened theme park at Disney Land. Then a drive the next day in the Mojave desert or desert bashing in Allan’s 4 wheel drive dual cab Chevrolet . Then another nice spa and margaritas and the following night an Agatha Christie play with English accents. Then it was back to pack my bags and say goodbye to Allan. I left Allan with thoughts of his planned trip to Australia next year. I boarded the Qantas plane playing the song “I still call Australia Home” and “Waltzing Matilda”. I hadn’t missed Australia until then..!!
Oh yes, life is good when good things happen to you through your love and passion for all things Cajun and people who love Cajun music. |
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Margot in front of the River Boat ‘Cajun Queen’ on the Mississippi River, New Orleans. |
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Margot playing with Jay Cormier’s band at Mulate’s Restaurant in Breaux Bridge. |
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Festivals Acadiens at Girard Park, Lafayette. |
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Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys at Whisky River Landing. |
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Margot on the back Porch at Bayou Cabins at Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. |
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David Greely on fiddle and Pat Breaux on Accordion at a private party in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. |
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Photos from Margot’s camera 2003 |