Betty's RV Park

In Abbeville, we are staying at Betty's. We heard about her last year in Florida. She has turned her yard into parking for RVers. She has happy hour every afternoon on her patio and her back porch has brochures and all kinds of info about the area. She knows where the best of everything is.



We went to dinner at Cajun Claws with couples from Arizona and Ontario, Canada.


Enjoying the boiled crawfish. The waitress showed us the trick to peeling them.


Notice how many napkins I used!!! Very messy eating. They brought hot wash cloths to us at the table.


Tomorrow we head home----Two more days until we arrive!!!

Scenes from Cajun Country

After we left Florida, we spent Easter in Biloxi doing the usual gambling and attending Easter sunrise service on the beach. Then we drove to Abbeville, LA to enjoy some Cajun culture. It is crawfish season. We took a tour today of a rice/crawfish farm. Very impressive how the two coexist. We also drove the back roads to watch the harvesting of crawfish and the planting of the rice by airplane.

We were amazed at how high they build their houses.

A crawfish boat waiting on someone to pick up the crawfish in the green bags.

The crawfish ponds are full of birds.

Indian Pass Raw Bar

Last year, we found this place that I had read about in Southern Living. Out of Apalachicola in the Big Bend of Florida (yes, they have one just like we do). It is in the middle of nowhere and you would never know to stop unless you know about it. It is in an old trading post and has been rebuilt after hurricanes. Apalachicola Bay is famous for their oysters which are supposedly sweeter. This place serves them 3 ways as well as steamed shrimp and crabs legs, gumbo, and hot dogs for kids. Lots of beer and that is it!!! Nothing fancy, but oh, so good. People hang out front drinking beer while they wait on their table. The smoker has firewood in it so you can warm up by that. Huge crowd here on a Wed. night---license plates were from GA, IL, IN, MI, WI, TX ,LA, so people have found the place.

We told them we would sit at the bar so we didn't wait too long. Fred said that it was because we were the oldest ones in the crowd. (Ha) You just get your beer from the cooler that is one whole wall of the joint--they work on the honor system--you keep count of how many beers you have and tell them when you pay out. Since we were here last year, we knew what to do. We laughed at all the newbies who just couldn't understand the idea of serving yourself and not paying until the end. Some would try to hand the ladies some money every time they got a beer. You order off the chart on the wall and wait a short while for your meal.

I always eat the baked oysters--- topped with Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, garlic,and butter served with garlic toast.


Fred loves his raw with lots of red sauce. They even have about 5 kinds of red sauce here, some made locally, so we had fun finding our favorite.

What a great place with lots of atmosphere!!!!

Shelling all along the way!!!

We have found Huge shells!! This is so much fun that it is hard to know when to stop hunting for more. We even go back to the Jeep to find more bags to put them in.--have even used
doggie poop bags to collect them in. Every beach seems to have different shells and different sizes, too. We are going to use some in landscaping by the pool and also have seen some crafts that we are going to copy.

Fred is on Honeymoon Island here. The sand is so white, it looks like snow.


It was cold and windy but that didn't stop us.


At Alligator Point in the Big Bend region of Florida, known as their forgotten coast. It is south of Tallahassee and is reached by back roads. We love it here. The kite surfers were out--about 5 or 6 of them. Tex just wanted to chase the kites.


I just love these swings on the beach.

Tarpon Springs

Now we are north of Tampa---we visited Tarpon Springs, the sponge capital where the Greeks came to harvest them from the sea in the early 1900's. Then Greek businessmen came and started restaurants and businesses. So this is a whole Greek village right here in Florida. We bought some sponges and took a boat tour to see the barrier islands. We learned about the kinds of sponges. The one I am holding is a flower sponge.


These sponges strung on ropes are the way that they are brought in on the ships.

We had Greek food at Hellas Restaurant by the sponge docks. Our appetizer, saganaki, is a flaming cheese dish. Delicious!! Then we had Greek salad and one of their noodle dishes. But the pastries and desserts are to die for!!! We have had baklava, cheesecake, a custard dish, and we are going back for more tomorrow. Their display cases are just full of the most beautiful desserts that you have seen!!!

Sunshine Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay.

Shiny Coach

While in Sunshine Key, a mobile service came around to wash and wax RV's. So we decided to have ours done. Fred is so proud of the job that they did!!! Really shines like a mirror.

Last Days in The Keys

On our last days here, we have enjoyed the beach and the water. We went to Sombrero Beach. Tex enjoyed the sand there and got it all over his face and in his eyes.


We also went to Bahia Honda State Park, one of Dr Beach's best beaches. We enjoyed the ocean side the best although the gulf side is more beautiful.

We stayed for sunset by the old bridge.

Happy hour at Dockside.

So sad to leave Sunshine Key---but we have more to explore along the way home and we always have next year to look forward to.