Nuke Miko: Chronicles of America

Moreover, Christian religious parades are usually relatively orderly, with religious leaders and people of higher status walking in front, and civilians trailing behind in order according to their rank and status.But the voodoo parade is a messy group booing, and people often join in and sneak away...

These people are happily walking on the narrow old streets of the French Quarter. On both sides of the street are old French-style houses that are closely connected and staggered.

On the mottled old walls, the small balconies with carved railings on the second floor are covered with green hanging flowers and plants, gorgeous and gorgeous.For more ostentatious houses, colorful carnival beads should be hung in the green, and a few bird and animal statues should be dotted among the flowers and plants. The city with a tropical atmosphere is filled with small suspended tropical rainforests, adding countless charms out of thin air.

Voodoo parades walk through these vibrant, colorful and tropical streets, and people in houses along the way poke their heads out of balconies and windows, waving fans and wine bottles to cheer and say hello to them, or It is calling the honorable name of the voodoo gods.

It seems to be praying that the Loa god enshrined in voodoo will come to this world and bring a little change to the bewildered lives of black people in the United States.

"...It's a pity...it's just a layman's approach, all this is completely useless!"

In the midst of the hustle and bustle of this school, the little witch Akiyama Hui commented coldly, feeling a little dispirited at the same time, "... this trip to New Orleans, let's stop here, let's add car Fill up the gas, buy some food, and continue to set off.”

She announced that she decided to leave New Orleans early, which unsurprisingly caused a group of shrine maidens who hadn't played enough to wail.

But Akiyama Hui was not moved at all.

It has to be said that it is easy to go from frugal to extravagant, but difficult to go from extravagant to simple.

Although before coming to the United States, Akiyama Megumi did not feel any discomfort after living in the non-magic world for so many years, but now after living in the place where the spiritual energy has been revived for half a year, she finds that she seems to be very It is difficult to adapt to a non-magic environment without spiritual nourishment.

——In the extraordinary world of magic and mystery, she is a famous extraordinary person in the world.It has attracted worldwide attention and is famous far and wide.

But in the ordinary world without demons, she is just an ordinary mortal.Humble and insignificant, not worth mentioning.

Such a huge psychological gap, as well as the sense of emptiness caused by the sudden loss of extraordinary power, made her not want to stay any longer.

Even the lively carnival parade and the unique urban street scene can't make Akiyama Megumi much interested.

As a result, their tour in New Orleans had to end early, and they entered the shopping process of replenishing supplies for the green leather caravan.

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Then, when refueling in New Orleans, Akiyama Hui found that the price of gasoline here was cheaper than that in Arkansas, and it had dropped to twelve dollars a gallon. It's unbelievably cheap now.

After all, the southern United States itself has large oil fields and refineries, and Louisiana can naturally use cheap gasoline by virtue of its proximity to the water.

However, in addition to the drop in gasoline prices, most food prices remain high, especially the price of meat, which is staggering.

"...Damn it! How did the price of meat go up so much? A hundred dollars a pound of steak? That's an exaggeration!"

Next to the freezer in the organic food supermarket, seeing the price of steak several times higher than in St. Louis, Megumi Akiyama blinked in surprise, "...this is not the Japanese wagyu snowflake meat that grew up drinking beer, doing massages and listening to music. , to sell such a high price, won't your conscience hurt?"

Next, she was even more surprised to find that not only the price of beef was rising, but the prices of pork, chicken and turkey also doubled and skyrocketed. Even so, customers were still crowding around the freezer and scrambling to buy, as if not rushing to buy. For meat, it seems that the price will increase in the future.

And the reason is because...

"...Huh? An unprecedented large livestock and poultry plague broke out in the central states? Millions of plague chickens, 30 plague cattle and 10,000+ plague pigs emerged in a week? Because there was no time to deal with it, the plague cattle could only be removed. Plague pigs thrown into the Mississippi River, making it look like the Ganges?"

After listening to the explanation from her manager Freya, Megumi Akiyama understood the general idea when she rolled her eyes, "...This, could it be that Talona, ​​the goddess of poison and disease, preached smoothly, causing the divine power to surge and overflow. Increased disease factors, allowing the plague to spread from humans to animals?

My God, if you say that, the price of meat in the United States and even the whole world may continue to soar on a rocket! "

——The power of the god of plague, which is rising like a rocket, can not only harm mankind, but also harm "friends of mankind"...

"...In fact, not only cattle, sheep, pigs and chickens have been plagued by plague, but even rice and corn have also suffered from blight. This year's production reduction is a foregone conclusion."

Dolores shook her head and sighed, "...So, in the next few months, the price of meat will only become more expensive, and it will be difficult to drop.

Ah, the better meat seems to have been sold out, why don't we do as the Romans do, buy some crayfish and go back!

I don’t know if you know that the coastal swamps in Louisiana are the birthplace of crayfish! "

In the end, Akiyama Hui barely bought anything to eat and left in a hurry.

Chapter 231 The origin of crayfish is Louisiana

Seventy kilometers southwest of New Orleans, a seaside wetland on the edge of the Mississippi River Delta.

The blue sky and white clouds, the waves bursting, and the strong wind blowing people.

Beginning here, has re-entered the aura-covered area of ​​the North American continent.

"... Huh! I didn't realize this problem in the past, but now I realize that the feeling of being bathed in spiritual energy is really great!"

Stopped the green leather RV with a rustic appearance and splashed with mud, and jumped to the dense reeds by the water, feeling the abundant spiritual power bathing every inch of my skin and flowing into my limbs Baiku, the little witch Akiyama Hui couldn't help but cheered happily.

Perhaps because she was so happy, a pair of furry fox ears suddenly sprang out from the top of her head, shaking slightly with the wind.

There is also a fluffy fox tail, which also pops out from the back of her buttocks, pushing up her witch red dress.

"...Meow! The feeling in New Orleans before was really bad meow, it feels so good to be able to leave that ghost place meow!"

At the same time, Serena, the black-skinned cat girl who finally regained her human form, also slowly climbed to the roof terrace, muttering and stretching—well, it’s not the way humans stretch, but the way cats stretch posture, lying on the stomach high up buttocks stretched forward, a very coquettish look.

After all, now she, the cat god Buster's chosen body, is already a cat, only occasionally turning into a human.

So at the beginning, Serena still had a lot of "human residues", but as time goes by, it will inevitably become more and more meowed.

In short, Akiyama Megumi and Serena were very happy, bathed in the flowing aura and feeling the extraordinary power that was lost and recovered.

However, apart from these two extraordinary people with real divine power, the rest of the mortal girls who got out of the car, including the three new Japanese witches, ended their discussion hastily because they could not feel the aura. The trip to New Orleans was generally not very happy.

Now being forcibly taken out of the lively, interesting and exotic New Orleans French Quarter tourist attraction, to this wild swamp in the wild, breathing the sultry, humid air mixed with a touch of rancidity by the sea, all the pampered girls It's all a stomachache.

Some of the girls who got motion sickness started to vomit "wow" as soon as they got out of the car.

It's just that he didn't dare to attack for a while because of the identities and status of Akiyama Megumi and Serena, the two god-favored people.

——Like other deltas where large rivers enter the sea, due to the continuous deposition of river silt, the coast of the Mississippi River Delta in Louisiana does not have any beautiful beaches with clear water and fine sand, but is full of muddy water and endless sandy beaches. Mudflats, swamps and reed beds.

In addition, the roots grow in the water, and the endless swamp forest of cypress and cypress (similar to the mangroves along the coast of Lingnan in China).

If you look closely, you can also enjoy the alligators swimming in the water and sunbathing in the crisscross waterways of this wetland jungle.And snakes climbing up the branches, turtles and frogs leaping from floating logs into duckweed-covered waters, and swarms of raccoons haunting the branches.There are also countless birds in search of food in the mud, including Louisiana's state bird: the pelican.

(Louisiana is also known as the Pelican State, just as Australia is known as the Kangaroo State.)

If it is in a documentary or tourism promotional film, seeing such a vibrant green field and wetland scenery may make the audience's eyes brighten.

But if you are really in this swampy forest, and it is the midsummer season of high temperature and humidity, you will really be sweating like a tap is turned on all over your body, your whole body will be soaked in the blink of an eye, and even your breathing will be abnormal It is strenuous, making people feel like they are in a steamer.

When it's windy, feel the air flow over your skin and feel a little more comfortable.

But once the wind stopped, the suffocating heat was really annoying.

"...Although it seems that the scenery is very lively, why do I just feel out of breath?"

Standing by the water, after barely enduring it for a while, the sweaty Miss Ma Tong finally couldn't hold on, and while wiping the sweat with a handkerchief, she muttered, "...Huihui, what are we going to do in this broken-down village?" How long will you stay here? There are so many mosquitoes here!"

She killed a mosquito that was sucking blood on her arm with a "slap", and complained to Qiu Shanhui with her mouth pouted.

And Akiyama Megumi's best friend, Asakura Yu, also touched her flat stomach, and complained, "...Megumi, can we go back to the car and turn on the air conditioner now? Also, when do we have lunch? Theirs My stomach is so hungry!"

Uh?lunch?

Akiyama Hui was taken aback when he heard the words, and then raised his hand to look at his watch, only to realize that it was already 01:30 in the afternoon.

Because I was too uncomfortable staying in the magic-free area east of the demarcation line, I was in a hurry to get out of downtown New Orleans, so everyone in the car missed lunch and failed to enjoy a luxurious meal in a French restaurant in New Orleans. meal.

As for why not grab something to eat on the go...

The road was so bumpy that they were about to throw up, and they didn't even dare to speak for fear of biting their tongues.

How dare they have a meal when the RV is driving fast?

Is it true that this car can drive as stable as a high-speed rail on the broken roads in the swamps outside New Orleans?

——The city of New Orleans is surrounded by swamps, no matter how much the roads on the ground are repaired, there will still be a big hole from time to time.

Coupled with the corruption and incompetence of the local government, the problem of land subsidence has always been lying flat, so the poor roads in New Orleans are unique in the United States.Today, coming to New Orleans to experience the big potholes on the road has already become a famous scene that tourists from all over the world talk about.

Among them, although the roads in the urban area of ​​New Orleans are full of potholes, the municipal authorities will reluctantly repair them in order to attract tourists.

However, the rural roads outside New Orleans are poorly maintained, so there are big pits connected to small pits, and the pits are connected to the sky, so that the vehicles driving on the road always fly up and fall from time to time... It seems to be a rather exciting heartbeat game.

In addition, Qiu Shanhui, who was eager to leave the magic-free area, kept urging him to drive faster, and the female driver he recruited was also a veteran with high skills and courage.

As a result, the green leather bus caravan was driven like a roller coaster, so that the passengers on the car seemed to be experiencing "Fast and Furious"!

Moreover, such a broken road is obviously very expensive. Akiyama Megumi estimated that after seeing Dolores' hometown, he would have to repair the chassis of the RV as soon as possible.

Therefore, until now when they re-entered the enchanted area covered by aura and pulled over to the side of the car, the girls, who were just in shock, thought of having lunch.

"...Uh, it's really time for dinner! Look, are we making pasta in the kitchen of the car? Or..."

The little witch Akiyama Hui thought for a while, then turned to look at the red-necked girl Dolores, and asked, "...Dolores, you are from Louisiana, this is your hometown, so you must know a lot. So , Do you have any recommended restaurants near here?"

"...Ah, this is not my home either. My home is in the westernmost part of Louisiana, two hundred kilometers away from here!"

Dolores scratched her head, looked left and right, and then looked at the street signs on the side of the road, suddenly her face showed joy, "... However, I am quite familiar with this place, a friend used to live here, We come here a lot during the summer to catch alligators!

So, if you want to talk about the restaurant I want to recommend, there is really one, not too far from here!

The crayfish salad and meatballs made in that restaurant are very, very good!

Much better than the crayfish made by my mother!Since you are here, you must try it! "

"... Crayfish? It sounds very nostalgic. When I finished my self-study at night in high school, I often had crayfish as a supper."

Ma Tong's eyes lit up when he heard it, and he interjected with great interest, "...Are there crayfish here in the United States? What's the taste?"

"...Ahem, isn't it a bit cheeky for you to say that! Crayfish have been a specialty of Louisiana since ancient times."

Upon hearing this, Dolores retorted a little unhappy, "...don't make it sound like it's some kind of Chinese food!"

——I don’t know when, spicy crayfish has become a famous dish popular all over China.

Sitting in the food stalls lined up along the street, eating spicy crayfish while drinking beer, is a kind of enjoyment in hot summer.

Many young people who don't know the details even think that crayfish is a traditional delicacy that has always existed in the local rice fields.

But in fact, if you go back to the source, crayfish are imported from the Americas just like potatoes, peppers, corn and tomatoes.

Unlike potatoes and corn, which are widely distributed, in the Americas, the distribution range of crayfish is very narrow. 90% of crayfish in the United States are produced in the Mississippi River Delta in Louisiana, and even the remaining 10% of crayfish, there are many Produced elsewhere in Louisiana.

As early as the nineteenth century, when most Chinese didn't know what crayfish were, French immigrants in New Orleans had already started fishing for crayfish.

In the [-]th century, Americans explored the crayfish farming technology, so that crayfish no longer rely solely on wild fishing, and the production has greatly increased.

Therefore, many small towns in Louisiana will hold their own "Crayfish Festival" from March to May every year, singing and dancing while tasting the freshest crayfish dishes.

Of course, the traditional American crayfish is different from the Chinese crayfish. It inherits the simple and rough style of American cuisine and pays attention to a "big" and "many" style. It is to cook the crayfish with corn and potatoes. , The corn should be in large sections, and the potatoes should be whole.

Although the large plate is very solid, it seems to be quite refreshing to eat, but it is too simple, it is simply cooked, without any tricks.

However, with the passage of time and the introduction of various food cultures around the world, in Louisiana, the origin of crayfish, there are more and more ways to cook crayfish, from crayfish salad to crayfish rice bowl. , so that diners can taste the flavors of various cuisines from all over the world.

So, since we have all come to the crayfish producing area of ​​the Mississippi Delta, how can we not take the opportunity to try the freshest crayfish?

In this way, Dolores successfully persuaded the rest of the girls, and everyone got in the car and set off again, heading towards the restaurant she recommended.

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Although Dolores said that the restaurant she recommended was not far away, because the road was too bad, the green leather RV continued to struggle for about an hour along the potholed road, in the continuous swamps and vast forests. Finally, it suddenly became clear that a village appeared.

Uh, according to the administrative divisions of the United States, this village may already be a "city" organization.

But looking at its size of a few hundred households at most and a population of 3000 to [-], Kei Akiyama still thinks it should be called a village.

This is a village surrounded by swamps and forests. It is located on a mudflat formed by river mud, so the terrain is very low-lying.

Looking from a distance, the village is covered with lush wetland plants, and there are winding rivers and ponds scattered all over the village. The banks of the river are full of wild flowers and grass, and there are boats, rafts and lotus flowers floating on the river .

The houses of the villagers are scattered in the middle of this low-lying swamp forest. In addition to the American-style middle-class wooden houses, there are even tropical-style big grass sheds and houses on stilts, as well as tree houses built on big trees, and suspension bridges made of ropes. Connected to each other, climbing the green vines.

how to say?At first glance, it seems to be very different from the "orthodox" American-style village in the impression.

Beside the entrance to the village, there is a large paved parking lot next to a French-style two-story building—this is the restaurant recommended by Dolores.A red crayfish statue is erected in the fountain in the middle of the parking lot, which is particularly conspicuous.

The owner of the restaurant is a fat Mexican, wearing a floral shirt, standing at the door with a smile on his face.

But when Dolores said that she wanted to try the best crayfish dinner in this store, the boss showed embarrassment.

"...What? There are some other ingredients, but the crayfish have been sold out? There is no one left? Are you kidding?"

Dolores clenched her fists and knocked on the bar unhappily, "...there aren't many customers here, so how could there be no crayfish?"

"...Little girl, please check what time it is. Lunch time is long past, and dinner time is still far away."

The boss pointed to the big clock hanging on the wall, which showed 02:30 p.m., "... At noon today, several tourist groups came to the store in one go, and the crayfish in the kitchen were all sold out.

My wife and her younger brother just got on a boat an hour ago to fish for prawns to restock.

Look, are you eating something else first?Or wait for my wife to come back later with crayfish? "