Caching in Lafayette, LA 4/3/2010

This morning we headed back into Lafayette, LA to do some caching although it was cut short by the problem with our a/c in the car as the weather here is kind of hot and muggy so it got kind of hot in the car for Muffy & Raggs. We did get 8 caches done before we had to find someone to look at the car and that was Firestone, but they couldn't help us today as they really weren't sure what the problem was and suggested taking it to a dealer in the next city we will be in, which is Sulphur, LA. Of the 8 caches we found 4 of them were NRV caches. One of the other ones was in the University of Louisiana wetlands research facility which was kind of nice to see. Another of the caches was in a small park that was called Mardi Gras Park and was decorated Mardi Gras stlye with benches and an arch decorated with tiles in the Mardi Gras style.

Another of the caches was at a beautiful church called The Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist which was originally called l'Eglise St. Jean du Vermilion. It was the first church in the Lafayette Parish, built in 1821. The Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist in downtown Lafayette, LA stands as a sentinel to the faith of generations of followers. It is the third church built on the site donated by Jean Mouton in l821, when Lafayette was the town of Vermilionville. The present Dutch Romanesque landmark, completed in l916, is on the National Registry of Historic Properties. Massive brick walls contrast with graceful arches and delicate red and white brickwork. Turrets flank the octagonal steeple above, from which the bells toll. That's about all of the history I could find on the church as they have a book for sale about the history so I guess they don't want to put it online. There was also a 500 year old oak tree at the site and as you can see by the pictures it is lovely.

Another of the sites we saw was the 911 Memorial in downtown Lafayette. It was in the center of the city and was steel beams and plaques around the beams. Again not much else we can say about it other than it was very compelling and mind boggling. As you can see most of the caches we did today weren't awfully informative or historic but there are better days to come.

After we found this cache was when we started having trouble with the car again so we went to Firestone and seeing as they couldn't help us we drove back to the coach for the rest of the afternoon. Well until tomorrow we love and miss you all. Mom & Dad Dori & Dick