From Antiquity to Tranquility.. The Louisiana World Tour

Tweet

On the road to Sicily Island, LA

When I began what would be the Last Louisiana World Tour of 2016 back in September, the plan was simple. 

-->I was going to re-visit Sicily Island for some re-shoots, and then check out the Native American mounds that surround the area.  BUT…then my car broke down and plans changed.  (see last blog entry HERE..i know..just getting around to this one…don’t judge me, I’ve been busy…)

Suddenly car-less, I was determined to finish the re-shoots that I needed to get to complete the World Tour performance piece…so, with my handy Nissan Rental, I headed to Sicily Island, Copenhagen, Lisbon AND Athens…all in one day.  I got the shots I wanted and, in keeping with the theme of the World Tour,  then some.  

-->

First, I found my way to Sicily Island where I got to see even more of the town than last time.. I didn’t know that was possible. 

Sicily Island Town Hall

Gwen's Little Place

Sicily Island Library & Water Tower

Sicily Island, Louisiana

But most importantly, what I really wanted to capture was the Mediterranean charm of Sicily Island, Lake Louie.  (also referred to as Lovelace Lake)

Sicily Island

Sicily Island

--> Overlooking the lake was the vista of my original World Tour intent, Peck Mound. 

Peck Mound 650-860CE

Peck Mound was occupied from 650 to 860 by the Troyville & Coles Creek Culture. Of the five mounds in the complex, only one is no longer visible.  

I could have continued on as planned and explored the other mounds in the area, but I instead traveled onward to Copenhagen where I photographed familiar scenes, though this time around I did not get lost or maim a squirrel (click on the link to refresh your memory).  I did, however, find myself surrounded by Forests and my Horse Friends. 

Pine Forest, Copenhagen, Louisiana

Horse Friends

                                             I also was able to capture a sparkly sign pic.

  

                    I still wanted to explore the Ancient World, so I drove a little further and reached            another  mound site, Wade Landing, seemingly in the  middle of nowhere. 

The Road to Antiquity

Yet it is easily visible from the road…a little piece of antiquity with a giant mansion right next to it.  According to the marker it is about 1000 years old and the cemetery on top of the mound helps to preserve it.    

Wade Landing

Wade Landing, 1000 year old mound

       Finally, it was time to head up north where I once again drove through the metropolis of Lisbon,

                                         and picked a few new shots on my way to Athens. 

Lisbon, Louisiana

Lisbon, Louisiana

Tiny Houses in Lisbon, Louisiana

I always shoot a tree in Lisbon, Louisiana

As I arrived in Athens in Northwest Louisiana, it was as much as I left in 5 years ago. 

But I did discover another church.

Athens Town Hall

St. Rest, Athens, Louisiana

 

I really wanted a shot from a hill, as I read that Athens, Louisiana was named for Athens, Greece and the original town was built on top a hill. 

Ask and ye shall receive

At the end of the day, I found a hotel near Vienna and got to work looking up what ancient mounds could be around this area . Most of the mounds in Louisiana are in the east, situated along bayous and the river.  I wasn’t expecting to find any in North Central Louisiana, but lo and behold…..I found one!

The next morning I was off. I passed through Vienna long enough to capture this sign – Old Wire Road.  The sign, situated between two posts of blooming morning glories, says that it was the first road across North Louisiana and began as an Indian trail.  How apropos..

Old Wire Road, Vienna, Louisiana

Turns out the mounds I was heading for were only a short drive from Lisbon where i had been a day earlier.

View from the Road near Lisbon & Vienna

  

Hidden amongst the trees and fancy houses of  Union Parish and overlooking D’Arbonne Lake is Scott Place Mounds.

D'Arbonne Lake

The mounds from the late Coles/Creek early Plaquemine periods dates to about 1200.  This by far was my favorite mound to photograph. As I kept climbing up the hill I couldn’t place where the mounds would be.  Just around the corner though, there was the sign and the mound. 

Scott Place Mounds

800 year old Scott Place Mounds

On the way back home I got to take in some more Louisiana loveliness. I also got to experience some good ole southern hospitality.  As I stopped to take this photo, 

Louisiana Bayou

a truck immediately pulled up behind me, the driver jumped out thinking that I was having car trouble.  I thanked him and told him I wasn’t ..I was just driving like a maw maw in my my Nissan Rental observing the State of my World.  

This particular World Tour may not have gone as planned, instead it was so much better and left me in a state of true reverence.  It reaffirmed that the present coexists with the past and reminds us that nothing is more important than preserving  the State of Our World, both the inner and outer, for the future.

Flowers blooming in 2016 at 800 year old Scott Place Mounds

In that regard, this World Tour road trip, and all my World Tour road trips have been:

 It’s all in how you see it. 

Happy New Year!

 Coming in 2017:

A New Website

More blogs 

more World Tours

Thanks for reading, viewing and supporting the State of My World

~ Natasha

all content (c) Natasha Sanchez

www.nattie-concepts.com

Tiggers Never Get Lost - in Copenhagen, Louisiana

Tweet

Tis True.  A Tigger never gets lost.

But I do.

It was bound to happen.  After all, I am an admitted hypocrite.  Just call me "Rabbit".   I knock technological advances all the time. I've written enough songs about it to produce an entire show. Yet when I go on my World Tour adventures  I am armed with only Google Map directions and my hotshot phone.   Yes, the Once-Upon-A-Time Wanna-Be Geographer doesn't even bring a map with her...It never dawned on me that I might want a broader view of the landscape, but then again, isn't that what this whole World Tour shenanigan is about?

But first - Copenhagen.

When I think of the Copenhagen countryside, I am going to think of tall trees and log cabins.  How appropo..

 I will also think of these Horse Bff's I encountered on my drive:

I should have suspected something was amiss in Copenhagen Proper, when the signs just didn't add up. Clearly, this shoe shop was closed.  And it was Saturday.

It took me awhile, driving through the winding wooded roads to realize that I didn't know where in the heck I was, that I had missed the signs for the roads I was supposed to turn on.   Since I didn't realize I was lost, I had no problem stopping off now and then for a photo shoot in the lovely forest.

Soon after the forest shoot was when I realized - 'Oh. I'm not supposed to be here anymore'.  Woops.  GPS and fancy phones work GREAT when you have a car charger or at least keep your phone charged. And when you are capable of reading a map the size your thumb.  (okay, palm..)

After a while of driving and guessing where I need to be, all the roads started to look the same, and I began to feel like I was in some sort of Truman Show type of reality.

Open Road...Curve...Woods...

Open Road...Curve and Woods...(again)

Open Road..Curve..and Woods...(again..)

Then finally --- I found my way out of the Forest.  I was so happy to see this sign:

And I knew which way I was headed - South.  So off I went.. Carefree, happy, and at peace with the lovely images I had captured in and near Copenhagen, Louisiana. Getting off track actually helped me to stay on my path.  So I was content.

And then.  The unthinkable happened.   I hit a squirrel.  I maimed it I think.   It happened so fast yet so clearly in my mind. I saw it flip and scamper off...WWTD?  (What Would Tigger Do?)  Well, I'm not Tigger, so instead of bouncing back to the injured Squirrel, I kept driving. With my hand over my mouth, shocked at what I had done.

 I didn't want to write about The Squirrel.  I didn't want to admit it is part of my journey. But it is.  I can accept that.  And hold out on the hope that 'yeah, maybe I made that Squirrel even stronger!'...sigh...

In conclusion, my trip to Copenhagen was beautiful, but also yielded many adventures.   I got lost like Rabbit, bounced back like Tigger, and then I maimed Twiggy.

I think a nice jar of honey would be good right about now.

All content (c) Natasha Sanchez

www.nattie-concepts.com

Facebook  Twitter