P&D’s Pop agreed to my whim and this morning we drove to St. Francisville for a gourmet or rather for me a gourmande stop at the Birdman Café. After indulging in a sweet potato waffle extra crisp with lots of butter and cane syrup Mr. P brought me down to visit My Mississippi even though the American Queen was docked there and there were visitors coming and going. I had not had a chance to walk along the banks of my river in a long time and while Mr. P stayed with the car I took my trusty camera and most ridiculous footwear imaginable and ambled along the mighty Old Man River just alookin’ round. There were a couple of fishermen and I thought I would get pictures of them after I turned back when I got to the entrance to Bayou Sara but as I peeked through the trees I could see a tugboat up the river and two gentlemen at the point on shore in a discussion of some sort. I moseyed around them and got my photos of Bayou Sara and although I didn’t want to disturb the men I asked them for permission to photograph their unusual looking canoe (unusual to me because it is a kayak.) They both said of course it would be okay and as they answered I detected a familiar accent so I asked them in French where the came from. I was flabbergasted at the answer. They were paddling down My Mississippi from Chicago! Yes! And we spoke French for a while as they explained that they had rented a car in Québec and driven to Chicago where they started their marvelous voyage down the Mississippi to New Orleans. I believe they are on their 44th day of this superior journey. Gaétan and Joseph, I wish you well and am so pleased to have met you in my accidental wanderings along my adopted river in the beautiful southern state of Louisiana at Saint Francisville. It makes me feel kin to the pioneers.
