Later gator!

We went on a Swamp Tour today and it was so cool! We'd been warned that there is no guarantee you will even see anything and thought it was certain that when we went on one there would be nothing to see but water and trees. But we saw loads of gators! It was brilliant, there was one particularly huge one that is the alpha male of the Bayou (bayou is french for slow moving river or stream. See, I learned stuff...) and was particularly scary as it circled around the boat coming right up to us!

I even held one!

Seriously! If you know me you'll know just how terrified I am of all reptilian creatures and can't bear to be next to one never mind touch it, but the guide had a smallish one that was about 3 years old (I say small, it was about 3 foot long nose to tail! Its jaws had a temporary band around them so no snapping. It was only there because it had been rescued as a baby and was due to be rereleased soon - not a pet!) and it was passed around the boat. I didn't think I was going to go near it but at the last minute I did and I have the photos to prove it too, with me trying to smile but looking fairly freaked out! Much softer than I'd expected though :o)

Later that day when we were back on dry land Maggie held out a tiny pretend snake to me and I jumped and screeched the place down, much to everyone elses amusement. Especially Maggie's. Hmmmm....

When we got back to the Quarter we went for lunch at Napoleon House on Chartres St which was lovely. Its all old and decaying but utterly wonderful.
The name of the building is derived from a plot (in which the pirate -and huge French Quarter hero, his name is everywhere here - Jean Lafitte participated) to rescue Napoleon from exile on the Isle of St Helena. The house was being enlarged and was to be offered to the Emperor in 1821 as his home in the new world, however Napoleon died before the plan could be fulfilled.

For dessert we went to Cafe du Monde and had their famous beignets (French square doughnuts drowned in icing sugar - they must be eaten when hot). Very messy indeed, I'll be brushing the powder off myself for evermore!