Cross-Country Ramble 32: Acadiana!

Sent: 98-03-19 20:07:43 EST

"You've just got to take them to Bork's." We had arrived at the Country House B&B in Washington, LA, just a few minutes before, and are now relaxing on the porch drinking coffee and tea with our host June and two of her friends. One of her friends has just make the recommendation, and June agrees. They've decided that we must experience a real Cajun band in its natural setting. "Of course," we say, and rush upstairs to scrape the salt off our bodies and get ready.

Three days before, we'd ridden out of the piney woods of western Louisiana and into Eunice, "Louisiana's Prairie Cajun Capital." We'd stayed over a day to learn a little about Cajun culture at the Jean Lafitte Prairie Acadian Cultural Center and to hear Cajun music at the Rendezvous des Cajuns weekly radio show (imagine Prairie Home Companion in French). We'd eaten shrimp etouffee (A-2-fay on one menu) and seafood gumbo and catfish made several great ways.

Now, we're on our way to Bork's. Out in the countryside past Opelousas, we only have to stop and ask directions once. "No problem," say the guys drinking in the parking lot outside a convenience store, "Just down this road and take the first road on the right." We pass a dirt track on the right and decide that must be it. Once we're on it, we know we're right. The road is lined on both sides for fifty yards with mostly pick-up trucks. Down the road, I can already see the sign over the narrow door of a low no-windows building: "Bourque's."

We pay our $1 cover charge as we enter, and are welcomed with a pat on the back by the armed deputy. I'm not sure what he says; the band at the other end of the long smoke-filled room is well amplified. Most of the long tables are already full; we're waved toward the end of a half-full table by the folks already there. We get a Bud and a Coke (for $2.50) and take a look around. The band is typical Cajun: button accordion, guitar, fiddle and drums. Every number the band plays fills the floor with enthusiastic couples. Their spirit is catching. I watch the steps closely; suddenly they look familiar. The two-steps look a lot like the polka step I learned at every-Saturday-night wedding dances when I was in high school. The waltzes look familiar, too. We haven't danced in a while, but Carol & I are inspired to dance. We're a little rusty, but it's great fun and I don't see anybody laughing and pointing at us, so I guess we're doing ok—at least we're within a couple standard deviations of normal.

As we drive home, June tells us that dancing has been an integral part of Cajun life since they arrived in the late 1700's. "They work hard and they play hard," she says.

Ken

Itinerary (days from Ventura, CA, in ( )'s)

• Day 8 (67) DeQuincy, LA
• Day 9 (68) Kinder, LA
• Day 10-11 (69-70) Eunice, LA
• Day 12-13 (71-72) Washington, LA
• Day 14 (73) St. Francisville, LA
• Day 15 (74) Denham Springs, LA
• Day 16 (75) Hammond, LA

Ramble 33: Across the Father of all Waters