Day 29 Tabasco factory, Natchez MS.

We began the day with a nice walk. We really love this area since it is so different than what we are used too. It's also the perfect time to visit since it is not hot and most of the Mosquitos are gone. 

This is what we like seeing. Swamps and forests of trees in water. 

Our first visit was the Tabasco Factory. They grow a small portion of their peppers here while the majority are grown in South America. It's still very much a family business. 

The air smelled of peppers! 

In the museum

Yay! Samples

Bottling Tabasco 

The island is an active salt mine and the salt that they extract is over 98% pure. It was the first salt mine in the US. 

We met a nice fellow who was interested in seeing our airstream and in return he offered us these treats! The people are nice and the accents are thick! We must be in the south. 😀

Then we got the trailer new tires! Yay four new tires for Christmas! 🎄🎅

Thankfully, we bought new tires because the remaining roads out of Louisiana were HORRIBLE! 

The evenings' geography lesson. 

Look we still have three more states to drive through! 

We are currently in Natchez, Mississippi. At the state park out of town. 

Day 28 heading east

Destination: Louisiana

Depart 12:30 after a run to Kroger and a trip to the napa store. Jason had to finish lubbing up the wheels. 

Arrive 5:30

Highways: a ferry out of Galveston then 87-124-73-82-Cameron ferry- 82 to Palmeto Island State Park. The Louisiana Creole Nature Trail

Animals: longhorn cows, a raccoon in a tree over the highway! Lots of shore birds. Lots of hawks!! Dolphins! 

States: Texas to Louisiana 

Highlights- 

Arlene- a beautiful shore drive and a beautiful sunset and moon rise and a flat ocean, Free laundry at the campground!! Riding TWO free ferries! Staying off hwy 10. 

Jason-the drive along the coast

Ella- riding the ferry

Gordo- looking out my window as the sun set knowing we were going to stop soon so I could poop! 

Lowlight:

Gordo- when Ella dumped my water bowl in my bed. I had to stand at the back of the car so my paws wouldn't get wet. 😞

Waiting to board the ferry in Galveston, TX. 

It fits! 

Ahh the wind tickles my face. 

This is us waiting to board the second ferry. We were all stretching out within the car since we saw Mosquitos! 

Finally on the Second ferry to Cameron LS. 

Day 27 Galveston (Lakewood Church, Moody Gardens aquarium and rainforest pyramids)

Second full day in Galveston. We drove over an hour to visit Lakewood Church in Houston. Might as well see the real thing!  I really think Ella enjoyed the nursery too. When I picked her up all the kids were asleep in a swing and she was swinging away talking to herself. She spotted me right away too. 

They put there visitors in the front. I think all the ushers doubled as security! It was a great worship service which lasted an hour. I heard pretty much all new songs. It was difficult to not get up and sing and clap along. Joel Osteen talked about God's "one more time" that he has for all of us. It was more realistic than the podcast. 

After the two hour service we are at Elevation burger. An organic grass fed burger joint. It was yummy! 

Ella liked the Aquarium Pyramid. She watched all the animals swim by.  

Where did it go? 

Whoa that look down is fast! 

Listening to all the creatures in the rainforest. I think she remembered benign in the amazon!! 

Bright birds!

A tired monkey 

Then in the evening we drove back to The Strand for some icecream and shopping. This is gordo keeping an eye on my while I shopped. 

Day 26 Galveston Lone Star Museum, The Railroad Museum and Rosenberg library

What a humid morning we had today! Now the wind is blowing hard. I was hoping for more sunshine but it is mid December. I'm thankful it's not snowing! 

Lone Star museum

This plane is mentioned in the book "Unbroken." It's the one that crashed often. 

Out of order! This is her breakfast. 

I really like how the wings fold up. It needs to fit on an aircraft carrier. 

A Triad. Land, sea and air

The Railroad museum

She loved exploring and fussed if we left her in the cart is we could explore. She wants to see everything with us! 

Such a big girl! She loves to stand. 

Christmas train ride

An old train car. 

Nice bathroom restoration

She loved this tour! 

This car reminded Jason of Thailand 

She was very suspicious of this Santa. 

Facts on the building of the Panama Canal. This was not too long ago but yet we have come so far with civil rights for all.  

After lunch in the park, where we listened to carolers, we walked over to the Rosenberg Library. They have a free museum upstairs which includes the history of Galveston. It's the oldest free library still open in Texas. The library has four floors! It's huge and within a beautiful building. 

I really enjoyed learning about and seeing photos on how they built the sea wall and then raised the land 17-10 feet by pumping in sand. What a huge undertaking! They built the wall first. Then they raised homes and buildings up on stilts and pumped in sand underneath. Everything that was not raise they buried in sand. The before and after photos are very impressive. 

A tower garden. I enjoyed the beachy stores. Having a garden this late in the season would be awesome!