Cajun Country

I stayed in Lafayette, Louisiana for 2 days. Most of my preconceptions about South West Louisiana were incredibly misinformed. I expected to find a somewhat backward, laconic, run down patch of francophone weirdness. Well, hardly. The area is bustling and seems to be doing very well indeed, much more that the parts of  the Midwest with which I am familiar. Baton Rouge appeared to be almost bursting with economic activity. I wasn't there long enough to make more discerning observations, but what I did experience makes me want to return. The weather was very much like Wisconsin in late April/ early May. To a May or June visitor to Wisconsin I always explain that the special days we have during this, our very best time of the year, is the payback we get for our suffering from November through March. Apparently in this part of the country the current gorgeous weather is the reward for the misery of the summer months-- the impression I get is that "summer" extends from May to the end of September.

A Tale of Two Cities:  Well... actually smallish towns. So called Cajun Country is fairly densely developed and except for some bilingual signage and other concessions to tourists, there isn't much that distinguishes it from anywhere else. I started in New Iberia, well known to readers of  the mystery writerJames Lee Burke who apparently is a very big deal there if the bookstore I visited is any indication. New Iberia is also the place that Tabasco Sauce comes from. In my estimation Tabasco and Burke's Dave Robicheaux novels have a lot in common-- a good thing dialed up a couple of clicks too far. Along the main street of New Iberia many of the store fronts had been nicely refurbished in what looked to me like faux French Quarter. Just what we tourists expect and thus feel like we have had the "real" Cajun small town experience. While there I didn't give it a second thought. It just seemed to be the way things should.

My route to the next place on the Cajun tour, Breaux Bridge, took me through St. Martinville, a place that I found to be unabashedly unpretentious and authentic. While New Iberia is all tarted up for the tourists this town has been left alone. Sure, it's kind of seedy and worn down, but it looks to me that like a comfortable place where people live and get on with their lives and are not on the make. Kind of like old faded worn and slightly ragged bluejeans. By the way, don't mistake my intentions when I allude to the tourists or those who create environments in order to meet their expectations. I am a tourist and I certainly don't begrudge anyone who does what is necessary to make a buck. The tourism industry: :it is what it is.
Byron