Acadiana “Rail” Road Trip

Enjoying a bit of free time before Thanksgiving, Ricci decided to take us on a photographic road trip through Acadiana. My husband loves decrepit buildings and is fascinated by old steam locomotives so he planned a circuit of defunct rail depots, following the tracks of the Southern Pacific Railroad and the Rock Island Arkansas and Louisiana Railroad, taking us to cities like Krotz Springs, Opelousas, Mamou, Eunice, Church Point, and Sunset.

I can’t say this was a theme that particularly interested me but it was an opportunity to spend some fun time with my hubby and take the Rolleicord on an excursion. One of our first stops was Opelousas, where we explored a silent downtown that seemed frozen in time, with most businesses being closed but still displaying signs and props from another era.

I missed some photo opportunities in Mamou, declining to carry my camera for a walk along Sixth Street, deeming I would not see anything of interest. This main street featured many locals intrigued by our presence and eager to investigate the presence of outsiders on their turf.
Lesson learned: you never know when you’ll witness captivating scenes and should always have your camera ready to capture that experience.

I definitely perked up when we reached Eunice. Ricci decided to stop by the Eunice Depot Museum to take some shots. Next door was the Cajun Music Hall of Fame, inhabited by the friendliest and cutest little kitty cat: I had found a subject worthy of my aspirations! By the time I got all my settings ready on the camera, the affectionate feline was closing up on me and demanding attention, making it impossible to photograph her. As Ricci was finally done with his project, I enlisted his help to distract the critter and was eventually able to capture the adorable furball.