Outing to Lake Martin, St Johns Cathedral

 

Yes its a swamp……..with alligators !

With the Spanish moss hanging down and the near silence…….it was quite spooky…..and beautiful at the same time.

These trees give off something which repels mosquitos……didn't see one , on still water, incredible.

Anhingo………or snake bird. when swimming with only its head and neck above water, people thought it was a snake.

Apparently there are about 2000 of these in this swamp !!!

 

Huge trees and mushrooms

No one will see me hiding under this weed !

Owl…..not something I expected to see in a swamp …….

 

An alligators nest, eggs incubated at different temperatures produce either male or females.

 

 

Dragonfly

some of these trees are not looking so secure  (

Not getting too near this one.

 

Then we visited St Johns Cathedral, Where the cemetery is very French looking…..and also has a huge Live Oak in its grounds.

 

As you can see, another huge Live Oak tree.

Magnolia

 

 

Rose.

Lafayette….. Avery Island, Tabasco sauce, jumping fish, birds, Spanish moss, Buddha and Alligators!

 

Yes Tabasco sauce is made here in Lafayette………

Chris and I waiting on our rocking chairs………preparing to taste all the different Tabasco sauces

This was a small taste outside, there were many more inside !

The fish were jumping……

Or are they jumping out of the Alligators reach……???

Who’s watching whom ?

 

 

 

Spanish moss….( A plant which hangs about on trees , it doesn’t kill them unless it gets so thick it shades the leaves ) it has been used in padding for car seats (Henry Ford) and mattress filler, also primitive air conditioning……and sells as an “air plant” for €20 a throw on markets in France, sold to unsuspecting punters (ie ME!)

must be a few thousand € worth on this one tree !!

 

Buddha in the park.

Some of the many plants in the gardens surrounding the Tabasco sauce factory……..

Camellias in October ??

Herons and other birds

 

Alligator and turtles

 

San Francisco to Houston…..mainly photos from the plane !

 

 

For all you Big Rig lovers the magnificent Peterbuilt ……..(I have many many more!!!)

 

A view of what I thought was Golden Gate….but its not ! This is the harbour area of San Fran, where we saw the Sea Lions.

This is Golden Gate bridge……..as seen in the sunshine!

One of many “desert views “

Dave thought this might have been Monument Valley ????

Sacramento (the return ! )

 

 

Lots of towns and Cities have structures like this to welcome you to the place…….water towers maybe?

 

Dave and I thought this would be idel for ass rutierrment, seein ass we speak proper zummerset like…..

Snapped this house en route to our friends house, there all a bit cosy looking in this area.

San Francisco

California has had drought for 4 years.
It chose to rain the one day we visited!
Good for the trees (the estimated tree death is 66 million) but not for our open but tour!
Its not an outing of the KKK its the plastic ponchos we were given to keep us dry. ..they failed :0)
In China town the rain stopped so we got off the bus and had a few hours shoppping and eating.
Off to Sacramento today....Houston and Louisiana tomorrow.