New Orleans (V)

Saturday, I went for a tour of the bayous, the swamps. An early departure at 7:30 AM after about 4 hours of sleep. I am sleeping in the van on the way there, half asleep during the tour and only the sight of a giant alligator wakes me up entirely. The tour is good although it is difficult to imagine oneself in the wilderness considering that there are about 15 people on the boat and that at one point during the cruise, we will find ourselves about 10 meters behind and 15 meters in front of two other boats from rival tour companies. When we pass them on our way out from the bayous, I take my camera and pretend to snap pictures of the other tourists on the boat. They wave at us. "Touristus Vulgus in their natural habitat."