Wednesday 6 July 2016

Far from Baton Rouge

It's only a two-hour drive from Lafayette to Baton Rouge: no distance at all, really. I didn't get to the state capital on my recent visit to Louisiana. The nearest I came to it was Lafayette, where I spent three very enjoyable days mooching about discovering the food, the history and the music. The last one meant I was wandering on foot through the warm summer nights, invariably getting lost in the town's quiet winding streets, but never feeling ill at ease. On the contrary: people I came across greeted me in a friendly manner, young and old, black and white.

And then, when I finally found the Blue Moon Saloon, tucked away down a side street, and went through to the back porch to sit along the wall with other random strangers to listen to Terry and the Zydeco Bad Boys (with their star scrub-board player), I was treated to an impromptu dance display from two former strangers that, for me, in my personal experience, sums up the vibe of the South. Nothing like Baton Rouge at all.

2 comments:

the queen said...

Are you going on a tour of areas in the south rocked recently by police brutality and the fallout? Baton Rouge, Dallas? I can give you a tour of Ferguson if you are inclined.

TravelSkite said...

That's actually an intriguing idea for a story. Sadly, a trip like that could just go on and on... And I'm back home now anyway. But thanks!

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