We have a local park here in Jennings. It is at the junction of I-10 and LA Highway 26 and is called the Louisiana Oil & Gas Park, commemorating the discovery of oil in Louisiana here nearby in a little town called Evangeline. There is an old wooden oil derrick and there is a lake that is stocked with catfish and in the spring, believe it or not, rainbow trout. Around this lake is a walking trail and Tricia and I frequently walk briskly for 30 minutes around the lake taking in the sights. There are numerous ducks and tourists flock in (pardon the pun) and purchase feed to feed them. The fat ducks waddle up and poop all over the sidewalk that makes up the walking trail, making messy obstacles to maneuver around.
But the real attraction at this park is the Gator Chateau. You can go inside the visitor center and enjoy free coffee and a gift shop and listen to locals playing french music while they pick up tourist information that gives where to get boudin and cracklins in town, among other things. It's called the Gator Chateau because it is home to a number of alligators that lounge about in their nice habitat.
It's clean - much cleaner than where we normally see them in muddy bayous. They pose for pictures and probably feel quite fortunate that they aren't someone's cowboy boots, purse are belt. At least not yet, anyway.
The main attraction in the Gator Chateau is that you can actually get to hold a baby gator. They have their nails painted and that's how you can pick out the one you want to hold. The one below with the pink toenails is named Chloe.
I enjoyed my free cup of coffee and looked at Chloe for a bit while finishing up being a tourist in my own town. If you're ever in our neck of the woods, stop off at the Oil and Gas Park, sit for a spell, and enjoy yourself.
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