Tigers and Penitentiaries

This weekend was a special one to say the least. Our Louisiana friends had been telling us about a rodeo in Angola, Louisiana that inmates compete in. After much discussion about it they finally convinced us to take a weekend and go. It's about a 2 hour drive from us so we stopped in Baton Rouge on Saturday so Vince could watch his Bulldogs. We bellied up to a bar that was obviously very alternative (Vince's find, not mine). The very large selection of Whiskey and Scotch was the purpose of this visit. We sat and watched the Bulldogs win against Florida! Sitting in what seemed like a cave for a bar created boredom for me....I was very tempted to set them on fire! After our few drinks we took a drive through the LSU campus. We've been living here for 2 years now(WOW) and it was overdue, even if we are not fans.

The campus is absolutely beautiful. It really made me miss my college years. We visited the stadium as well as spent time talking to Mike, the tiger. His habitat was incredible! 

I promise you he's real. 

Unlike the first tiger you saw, this tiger was very cold...

The next morning we woke up early and headed to the Louisiana State Penitentiary(you heard me...). The gates opened at 9 but the rodeo itself did not start until 2. This rodeo is very special, it is only every Sunday in the month of October.  So the inmates have the whole year to build and create anything they think they can sell. To help give you a visual, it's more like a flea market. Some sell their art (which are incredible! Vince bought one), some build furniture and sell it, including wooden beds, gun cabinets(ironically), bars, rocking chairs, etc. They even make jewelry! It really blew my mind how much merchandise they had. You may be thinking, how safe is this to walk around with a bunch of inmates all day?!?! Well, I actually did not even think about it or even feel unsafe at any point. They were all very nice. Now the other inmates....at one area of the market, there are inmates that are put behind a chained fence and their items are on the customers side with an in between inmate that helped with the negotiations. These inmates are ones that haven't accrued enough trusting points...maybe next year boys! 

After walking around looking at all the creative merchandise, the rodeo finally began and it was entertaining to say the least. I haven't laughed so hard at a rodeo than at this one. It was truly hysterical to see these guys be thrown across the dirt like rag dolls. Not only were we laughing but cheering them on at the same time! Their prizes were money, which goes into their prison account for them to spend in their commissary. The very last event of the rodeo is the best and the craziest to say the least. All the inmates that have performed get out on the dirt. The bull is released wearing a red puck on his head in between his eyes. Who ever can get this puck wins $1,400! This was really the only event that I was excited to see since I had heard so much about it. And unfortunately it lasted less than 2 minutes before someone actually got the puck! I couldn't believe it! These guys really are CRAZY! Being that this is the only thing they have to look forward to every year, I could understand why they were up for doing performing. 

We had a blast and are looking forward to going back next year with our friends...and any brave family members that want to attend with us! :) 

Ignore my husband and his BM.

I've seen it all! 

Meat.

This was an event where the inmates had to stand in the hula hoop while the bull charged. The last one standing in his hula hoop won. Amusing but scary.