Louisiana Travel Guide
Geographically Louisiana is a logical part of the US, yet from a cultural point of view it is very much out on a limb. The rest of the States may consider that their forebears came over on the Mayflower but in Louisiana, the view is very different.
Now, pay attention because I am going to fly through Louisiana history. It was firstly explored by the Spanish but was claimed (and named) by the French in 1682. This was not successful so the French let the Spanish have the part west of the Mississippi River in 1762, the following year the rest of the territory went to the English. After the War of Independence Napoleon took the Spanish part back from the French but despite promises to the contrary he sold it all to the US in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. Statehood was granted in 1812.
With me so far? Good. The next thing was that Louisiana seceded from the union because it didn't approve of Lincoln becoming President. It was an independent republic for a short time before joining the confederacy. Even here there were differences; the French had administered their states in a more 'liberal' way than that of the rest of the confederacy. Eventually after the Civil War Louisiana was readmitted to the union and that is where it still is now. Phew.
Louisiana has much that is very different from any of the other States. The climate can be positively tropical. The language is diverse, as is the cultural heritage. The music, from the backwoods Cajun Zydeco to New Orleans Jazz, is as spicy and vital as the food.
Then there are the swamps and bayous of the Cajun country or the wooded hills of the more strait laced northern part of the State. Visit Lafayette or the State capital Baton Rouge to get a different flavour of this endlessly fascinating state.
The one place that visitors to Louisiana do not want to miss is the 'Big Easy'...
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