yellow door

 

The Ouachita River divides the cities of Monroe and West Monroe.  During the heyday of steamboats, the Ouachita was a highway of commerce for Louisiana.  Today the riverfront area is a target of redevelopment with a cultural district touting restaurants, apartments, shops and even a riverwalk.  The first steamboat to cruise the Quachita - the "Monroe" of course.

 

422 Jackson Street

Monroe, Louisiana

cypress and swamp

 

The 1700 acres lake at Black Bayou Lake has cypress and tupelo trees and is surrounded by swamps that become bottomland hardwoods.  Although the preserve signs indicated much wildlife, all I saw were dragonflies and grasshoppers -- but I didn't venture far along the paths.

 

Black Bayou Lake Natural Wildlife Refuge

Monroe, Louisiana

not just a bicycle

 

If you guessed this hanging sign denoted a bicycle shop, you would be wrong.  As the owner notes in an on-line interview, it is a "landmark" for his photography studio.  You can visit him at the link below, but be advised he lists himself as Xavier J. Peg (Xavier was evidently his father-in-law's name).  Had the photographer been in residence, I imagine an interesting conversation would have ensued.

 

Studio d'Xavier

422 DeSiard Street

Monroe, Louisiana

http://www.flickr.com/photos/studiodxavier/

bayou desiard

 

We enjoyed the Louisiana landscape watching the sun set over the bayou,  the turtles bobbing and the graceful waterskier -- all from the comfort of the air-conditioned, bug-free dining room.

 

Bayou DeSiard

Monroe, Louisiana