Rev. 01/06/02
Florida Adventure - continued
1/01 - 01/04
San Antonio, TX
to Jennings, LA
to
Pensacola, FL
to Ft. Pierce, FL
to Margate, FL
Hau'oli Makahiki Hou
01/01/02
New Years morning I met Chuck and Alice, and Glen and Kay, for breakfast.
They all make an interesting group to be with. After breakfast
we said goodbye -- they were heading north back to Georgetown, TX while I
was heading east to Florida.
The weather report was a bit disconcerting -- rain, snow and sleet for
south-eastern Texas. The sky was dreary, dark clouds ahead. And
the weather report was that this mess to start in the evening.
I decided to find a hole for the night before it got dark -- stopped at Jennings,
LA about 5 pm.
Figured
I treat myself to some Cajun food, something to ward off the chill.
I asked around, and everyone agreed that I should go to DI's, but they
all also agreed it was way out in the booneys. One lady gave me directions
-- "Cross over the Interstate, then you'll make a small turn, and then
make a big turn to the left(ie. a right angle). Then you just keep
on going, you can't miss it, it has a big sign." OK, I'll give
it a try -- its pitch dark now, I find the "little" turn and then the "big"
turn, and I drive out through the country, through the "wide spot" called
Evangeline, into the black of night, for about twenty-five miles or so --
lo and behold, there on the left is a BIG sign, all lit up, "DI's."
I go inside, look at the menu, it says
A Cajun Tale
In
South Louisiana among the rice fields and crawfish ponds and between bayous
Des Canes and Nezpique sits D.I.'s Restaurant. Daniel Isaac Fruge,
nicknamed D.I. and his wife Sherry operate this truly "Cajun" family restaurant.
......
A good bit of the rest of the menu is "Greek" to me -- so I tell the
waitress that I'm from Hawaii, I understand Hawaiian food, but I'm at a loss
here.
She helps me start with a cup of Gumbo and a cup of Etouffee (pronounced
"A2Fay"), and she gave me a recipe for it too. Both bear a strong
resemblance to Thi food back home -- hot! To this I add a plate
of seafood, (hot) a house specialty -- all washed down with a Corona.
Etouffee
(A2Fay)
Saute' veg (onion celery bellpeper) in stick of butter
When soft, add 1/2 can of tomato paste & 2 T flour
mixed w/water to thicken
Cook 1/2 hr.
Add seafood until hot
Season to taste
Serve over rice.
Entertainment is provided by a Cajun band.
If you are in the Jennings area I recommend DI's. The address
is:
State Highway 97
Basile, Louisiana 70515
337-432-5141
Or just follow the map to the right.
01/02/02
It was cold when I started out, snow on the ground in places and on roofs.
The road was clear and there didn't seem to be ice on the road.
As I neared Lafayette, way up ahead I could see flashing blue lights of a
Highway Patrol cruiser. As I got closer, I could see the Interstate,
I-10, was blocked -- no detour signs, just blocked. Following the traffic,
it was headed north on I-49.
That was not the direction I wanted to go. So, using my GPS maps I
figured a way around it and proceeded in my own direction -- not a good idea.
Every time I got to and entrance to I-10 it was blocked. Finally
stopped to ask why it was blocked (I can only be dumb so long) -- there was
ice on the bridge across the Mississippi River, so they just closed the whole
highway.
The only solution for me was, retrace my route, back to I-49, go north on
it for twenty-five miles or so, to Opelousas, go east on a secondary route,
and cross the river on an old bridge north of Baton Rouge.
In Baton Rouge the traffic was stop and go. Asked some truckers, using
my CB, what was the best way to get back on track. They groaned --
"Just creep along through the traffic with us, at five miles an hour."
Three and a half hours later I was back on my route.
Listening to the trucker's chatter on the CB, one complained about the amount
of sand the Highway Department had dumped on each bridge, must have been
a truck load per bridge. Going across was like driving through a sand storm
-- he should have been down at my level.
Stopped for the night at Pensacola, Florida -- its COLD! The
weather report is for a HARD freeze tonight -- 20 degrees, they say.
This is not the balmy Florida of the Florida Tourist Bureau advertisements.
01/03/02
The morning of the 3rd was cold, and the weather report was that Friday
morning would be colder. The drive east, to pick up I-75 south, and
then the Florida Turnpike, was uneventful -- just a long drive. It
was after dark when I pulled into Ft. Pierce for the night. About a
hundred miles to go on this leg of my trip.
And hopefully, I'm beyond the storm now.
01/04/02
Short drive down to Margate -- 100 miles or so. I'll be staying here
for about week -- don't look for mayor updates to my web page.
Drove east, over to the coast -- wanted to see the ocean. Not much
to see -- wall to wall estates without a glimpse of water, not like home.
Have to drive down toward the keys in the next few days.
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