We met the ship when it docked in Galveston. Lindsay was not feeling well, so Michael and William gathered her up and took her to her parents, near Houston. We didn't see her again, but she's recovering well.
Michael and William met the rest of us at the Space Center Houston -- for those of us who are older, its a trip down memory lane as you relive the creating of the American Space Program, and for the others, its a museum of cool old stuff. And from there -- everyone went their separate ways to celebrate Christmas in their now separate ways.
When I think of Christmas, I an old grammy of a certain age, think of....
- Hanging stockings
- Laying on the couch after everyone is in bed, and looking at all their ornaments on the Christmas tree -- kind of a history of our family.
- Watching little kids open presents with wrapping paper everywhere
- The Miller greed fest on Christmas afternoon
- Getting those kids to write thank you notes.
None of that has happened for years. And years. And years......
We missed it for a long time, but now.....well, we moved on (literally).
We left Houston and its traffic behind and pointed Baby Beluga towards Baton Rouge, a city we knew nothing about except that it is the capital of Louisiana and we could walk a Volksmarch there. Any of you who have driven on Interstate 10 will remember the miles and miles of causeways across the Louisiana bayous, and what a crazy-cool road that is. (Unless you are looking for a quick bio-break stop, and then you are out of luck!). However, we did find something pretty nifty for you geographers and other such geeks: The Atchafalaya Basin swamp and the Atchafalaya National Historic Area. It is all about the swamps and the cypress trees Some called Purchase trees because they were there when the Louisiana Purchase occurred) It is about how dynamic and water-driven the environment is there, and about so much more. Did you know the Mississippi River needed man-made help to escape capture by the Atchafalaya river? We'll go back there some time when it is not a major holiday and the visitor centers are open. We'll go back there some time when its not a major holiday and the visitor centers are open. And because we like to document nature so well, I took a picture of the causeway, from underneath!
And one of Santa's sleigh, with a sign in it, indicating he's gone fishing.
We arrived in Baton Rouge with full on time to 'do' Christmas Eve:
Started with a visit to the Local Unitarian Church. Absolutely striking building and the service was a series of 3-minute homilettes (their made up word) on favorite ornaments interspersed with Christmas Carols that would not be counted among the ones everyone knows. Interesting and effective Christmas Eve Service.
"When in Rome" mentality demanded a Cajun lunch. The lovely church ladies had a lively response to our request for a recommendation, and we saw a lot of Baton Rough's neighborhoods until we found one of the recommendations that was open on Christmas Eve. Papa Noel and his boat - pulling alligators are painted on their window. The picture captured the local Santa Story, and reminded me that my mother used to paint our large front window with holly and candles, not alligators. To our much farther north ears, it took a minute to understand the Heaux, Heaux, Heaux, and then we were embarrassed. GO!
We ate Jumbalaya, gumbo, red beans and rice and enjoyed it all!
And Christmas Itself --
The rain had finally stopped so we walked the Baton Rouge Capital Volksmarch. Really a very pretty city -- I would move to this city for its trees and its camellias. Then I would become The Lorax! I would do it ... be an old crone Lorax.
These are black-bellied whistling ducks. A kind of tree duck (says wikipedia --I'm no zoologist). They flew into this tree just when we heard the sound of an alligator in the water where the ducks were swimming. We carry bear spray, which I suppose would work for alligators, but nonetheless, we moved away from the lake where we were watching the ducks with some dispatch! Moved on to walk along the famous Mississippi River levee. In my mind this river separates East from West -- and just for this reason, it is a great and mighty river.
This sculpture sits on the banks of the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge. The picture with Bill on the right is taken like it was taken in a mirror -- the mirror of the sphere. Any thing seen on the left is a reflection, so including and behind me. Any thing on the right is not in the sphere -- it is facing the other way.
(Yes, I should have untied the raincoat from around my waist before taking this one)
And then off to the sunny, warm, and lovely Mississippi Gulf Coast. It really was sunny most of the time.
Started off by meeting up with a Virginia friend who now lives there. Such a treat to see her. Little did we know she had worked for the local Chamber of Commerce. For a few hours she was our personal tour guide. Thank you, Donna! 
Taken early in the morning, when you could still see in the room, and breathe in it. This was truly a smoke-filled room. We'll never be gamblers....for so many reasons.
Donna-- so good to see her!
Because it was Christmas day, and everything else was closed, we went to the Island View Casino to eat. It was absolutely awful food, but we could sit on a beach- side deck and watch the sunset! Island View also had good bathrooms and let Baby Beluga camp outside their casino. Important considerations for VanLifers.
Taken early in the morning, when you could still see in the room, and breathe in it. This was truly a smoke-filled room. We'll never be gamblers....for so many reasons.
Then there was a huge and impressive, interactive Harbor Lights Festival in Gulfport. As much as I am embarrassed to admit it, we knew about it from a Prime Video movie called "Christmas in Mississippi" and from a site called "Only in your State" and it was one of the biggest and best light displays we've ever seen. It filled our need for something that seemed legitimately "Christmas-y". I am uploading a YouTube about the festival This includes the amazing tree light show -- better than my video for sure, and some, excuse us for saying so, little-bit-creepy-talking reindeer heads.
The end!
Retirement Lesson Learned: Everywhere has something to offer
VOYAYA
It was great to see both of you!
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