We Be Trippin': The Great DIS-nee Road Trip

[Disneymommom]

Sorry, don't know what happened to a few of those pictures but at least some of them showed up.

New Orleans is known for their old cemeteries and they take you on tours so if you would like to see the old cemeteries, you can go on the Save Our Cemeterie's tour!

Let's take a ride on the street car up Canal Street now, enough of those cemeteries, they give me the creeps, lol. Some people take the haunted cemetery tour at night, not me!!! Any of you who would like to do that, feel free, I'll wait for you up on Canal Street!

This is a typical house in the Garden District! I would have to have to pay the bill to air condition this place, wouldn't you?

Well I think we're about finished up here in new Orleans. I'll meet you all at the party bus later and we'll head on up to Avery Island and then we'll start saying our goodbyes to Louisiana.

 

[Disneymommom]

Okay everyone, wake up!!! I said....WAKE UP!!!!!! we're here, our last stop in Louisiana!

I hope you have all enjoyed your time in New Orleans, it is a fun town with lots to do and there is so much more than I showed you but I hope you had enough fun to want to come back again on your own one day.
The home of world-famous TABASCO® Sauce, Avery Island, Louisiana, lies about 140 miles west of New Orleans. Surrounded by swamps and marshes, Avery Island is a mysteriously beautiful place where the pepper fields grow, the factory hums, and the McIlhennys and their employees continue to live and work much as they have for generations.
Well, welcome to Avery Island.

Avery Island is a natural paradise, inhabited by exotic plant and animal species from around the world. And under the Avery/McIlhenny family's careful management, it has remained that way to this day.

E.A. McIlhenny, or "Mr. Ned" as he was affectionately known, founded a bird colony in the 1890s — later called Bird City — after plume hunters slaughtered egrets by the thousands for feathers to make fashionable ladies' hats. Mr. Ned gathered up eight young egrets, raised them in captivity on the Island, and released them in the fall to migrate across the Gulf of Mexico. The following spring the birds returned to the Island with others of their species - a migration that continues to this day, as thousands of snowy white egrets and other water birds return to Bird City each spring. This vast, protected rookery owes its existence to Mr. Ned.

Mr. Ned also prized rare plants, and he enhanced the Island's natural landscape with numerous varieties of azaleas, Japanese camellias, Egyptian papyrus and other botanical treasures. When oil was discovered on the Island in 1942, he made sure that production crews bypassed live oak trees, buried pipelines (or painted them green), and took additional steps to preserve the Island's pristine beauty and ensure its continuing role as a wildlife refuge.

Touring the visitor center and the pepper sauce factory is just one part of the Avery Island experience. In addition to seeing how we age TABASCO® Sauce in white oak barrels and ship it all over the world, you can visit Avery Island's 250-acre Jungle Gardens and see, in season, a variety of azaleas, camellias and bamboo. You might even spy some alligators, deer, and raccoons that live in the hills and marshes around the gardens. And then there are thousands of snowy egrets who nest on the island each spring on specially-built, pier-like structures in a pond nicknamed “Bird City”. You can stroll the gardens along a path covered by gnarled oaks laced with Spanish moss, and stand at the shrine that houses a centuries-old Buddha - a gift to E.A. McIlhenny in 1936.
When you’re ready to see how TABASCO® Sauce is made, you can take the factory tour. There's a short film on TABASCO® history and a guided tour of our bottling and packaging operations. You can also spend time in the TABASCO Country Store®, and check out a wide array of products and souvenirs for sale.

At the end of the tour you’ll have a chance to pick up a few bottles of McIlheny Tobasco to take home with you.

Our time has come to an end ladies and gentlemen. I have enjoyed taking you on the tour of Louisiana. Louisiana has so much more to offer but I think it’s time that we all get back on the party bus and I turn my tour guide cap over to Suz D!

We’re ready Suz, where are you going to take us next?

 

[DISgeeksfromDC]

Okay everyone, wake up!!! I said....WAKE UP!!!!!! we're here, our last stop in Louisiana!

ZZZZzzzzzzzzzz.... "Wha? Huh? Are we there yet?"

Wow! Now that looks like a pretty place to visit.

Add a few lily pads and it would be like walking into a Monet painting!

Thanks so much for the Louisiana tour, Disneymommom! I had a great time!

 

[Disneymommom]

ZZZZzzzzzzzzzz.... "Wha? Huh? Are we there yet?"



Wow! Now that looks like a pretty place to visit.

Add a few lily pads and it would be like walking into a Monet painting!

Thanks so much for the Louisiana tour, Disneymommom! I had a great time!

Your welcome DISgeek, I'mso glad you enjoyed it and I can't tell you how much I enjoyed taking you all on the tour. I now gt to sit back in my seat on the bus and relax and enjoy the ride. I can't wait to see where Suz D takes us!!!!

 

[Marshay]

Here! Here!! I agree!

Thanks so much mommom for touring LA...I definitely want to visit Avery Island if I ever get down there again.

 

[Marshay]

Yes they are big glasses of Sweet Tea!! we love our iced tea here. In fact I've drank iced tea my entire life, it's my favorite beverage!!!! I'll send a glass to Mr. DISgeeks!!! LOL!

I just recently got introduced to sweet tea -- my oh my this is good.

I grew up on Mint Tea and having been growing fresh mint in my garden. I finally asked my mom for the recipe since I could never get it exactly like hers. Now I can (or close!)

 

[Circusgirl]

Thanks, Disneymommom for the feast and the fishing and the visits to Mardi Gras, gardens and the home of Tasbasco!! It was great to visit New Orleans again and to see some new things too. One of my all time favorite memories is marching through New Orleans in a street parade with my band. After we finished doing a show at a relief center in St. Bernard parish we had time to go in and parade through the French Quarter. We found a spot to leave the bus, got out our instruments and took off. New Orleans of all places knows just how to respond to a parade. We went through Jackson Square (apparently right through a wedding coming out of the cathedral although I was so into the music I didn't even notice) and all around the streets. So glad we got to visit your sweet part of the world.

 

[Suz D]

I've gone ahead of the group to prepare a small tour for you all. I'll be posting just a few sights for you to see on your way by. I'm assuming you won't be here until tomorrow since it's a long drive. Tomorrow night you will be staying in French Lick Indiana at either the West Baden Hotel (fancy poo poo) or the French Lick Springs Hotel (which is also quite fancy but a lot more fun!). FLSH has a casino so be prepared to gamble if you so choose!

Suz

 

[Marshay]

fancy poo poo

Since I'm in the process of potty-training my DD, I don't think I want to stay at this hotel!!

Too bad the Tag Fairy isn't here or else you could end up with that for your tag!!

 

[DISgeeksfromDC]

fancy poo poo

Since I'm in the process of potty-training my DD, I don't think I want to stay at this hotel!!

Too bad the Tag Fairy isn't here or else you could end up with that for your tag!!

Ummmmm.... Nice visual, Marshay!

(I wonder if it's at all like the "technicolor poo poo" my DS2 produced the other day after he helped himself to waaaaaay too many blueberries while we were picking them at a local orchard... )

Seriously, though, I'm convinced those places should weigh the little kids as they come and go, calculate the "damage," then add it to the parents' tab. He was eating those berries fast and furiously, and -- well! -- we sort of paid for it later when he pooped part of the rainbow! (Sorry folks! Truly, I am! That's TMI, for sure... )

 

[DISgeeksfromDC]

I've gone ahead of the group to prepare a small tour for you all. I'll be posting just a few sights for you to see on your way by. I'm assuming you won't be here until tomorrow since it's a long drive. Tomorrow night you will be staying in French Lick Indiana at either the West Baden Hotel (fancy poo poo) or the French Lick Springs Hotel (which is also quite fancy but a lot more fun!). FLSH has a casino so be prepared to gamble if you so choose!

Suz

Wow, Suz! I'm so glad that you still plan to participate, considering your stress level right now! (Hopefully, you consider the DISboards -- and our virtual road trip -- a nice escape from the craziness?!? ) I'm really looking forward to our mini tour of your hometown.

BTW, Mr. DISgeeks was reading over my shoulder and informed me that Larry Bird (the basketball player) is from French Lick, Indiana. Of course, being the super-huge sports fan that I am , I then had to request a quick "Who's He?" tutorial.

 

[DISgeeksfromDC]

Okay, I feel like I should apologize (again!) for that colorful post about the blueberries...

'Better not become the ultimate thread-killer post!

 

[Marshay]

Ummmmm.... Nice visual, Marshay!

(I wonder if it's at all like the "technicolor poo poo" my DS2 produced the other day after he helped himself to waaaaaay too many blueberries while we were picking them at a local orchard... )

Seriously, though, I'm convinced those places should weigh the little kids as they come and go, calculate the "damage," then add it to the parents' tab. He was eating those berries fast and furiously, and -- well! -- we sort of paid for it later when he pooped part of the rainbow! (Sorry folks! Truly, I am! That's TMI, for sure... )

Okay, I feel like I should apologize (again!) for that colorful post about the blueberries...

'Better not become the ultimate thread-killer post!

yeah, I believe you quoted the technicolor pooh phrase before!

I am happy to report that DD had no accidents today!! (not including nap and sleep time where we are still using the diaper). And we even went out to Target and Costco today!

OK, can't wait to hear about French Lick -- esp how it got that name!

 

[DISgeeksfromDC]

yeah, I believe you quoted the technicolor pooh phrase before!

You may be confusing poo for spew. (I think that was this Winter when the DISgeeks family was hit with the flu. This time, I'll spare you the details...)

 

[DISgeeksfromDC]

BAM!! I just surpassed 1,500 posts! ("O Tag Fairy! Wherefore art thou?") Surely that kind of hallmark is deserving of some "love," right?!?


Oh, and congrats, Marshay, on your DD's progress on the potty-training front!

 

[Disneymommom]

Here! Here!! I agree!

Thanks so much mommom for touring LA...I definitely want to visit Avery Island if I ever get down there again.

Thanks Marshay. I am glad you enjoyed the tour and hope that you will get to Louisiana one day and visit Avery Island when you do. I found it very interesting and beautiful there.

I just recently got introduced to sweet tea -- my oh my this is good.

I grew up on Mint Tea and having been growing fresh mint in my garden. I finally asked my mom for the recipe since I could never get it exactly like hers. Now I can (or close!)

There's nothng like sweet tea, is there? McDonalds now carries Sweet Tea, do they have it up your way??? You could get yourself a glass there!

Great you have mastered the Mint Tea, your Mom, I'm sure, is proud and happy that you did that after her own recipe!

 

[Suz D]

Hi Everyone!

You'll need to decide where you want to stay. Either the West Baden Hotel which at one time was the largest domed structure in the world.

or...the French Lick Springs Hotel

 

[DISgeeksfromDC]

Hi Everyone!

You'll need to decide where you want to stay. Either the West Baden Hotel which at one time was the largest domed structure in the world.

or...the French Lick Springs Hotel

"Wow!" and "Wow!" Based on your photos, it looks like you really can't go wrong with either.

In fact, the domed Grand Foyer of the West Baden Hotel sort of makes the Grand Floridian look like something out of a Cracker Jacks box...

 

[Circusgirl]

Hi Everyone!

You'll need to decide where you want to stay. Either the West Baden Hotel which at one time was the largest domed structure in the world.

or...the French Lick Springs Hotel

Does anybody want to go to the spa with me for a mani-pedi once we've checked in?

 

[DISgeeksfromDC]

Does anybody want to go to the spa with me for a mani-pedi once we've checked in?

Oooooh! I'm there!