02-27-11

Had to gas up tonight, since tomorrow is a travel day if it’s not too icy.

$36 to fill my little tank. I remember when it was much closer to $20.

Sure hear a lot about gas in the headlines. National average is $3.70/gallon. Gas Prices up 18 Cents in Past 2 Weeks. Republicans pushing for cheaper gas.

And life goes on…

02-26-12

Home again, Finnegan.

Got caught up with the family, unpacked, did Sunday chores, bundled up in the cold (snow falling!), started working on a digital album, attended evening church, and tried to logic with the DQ workers that $3.59 + $3.69 does not add to $15.

“You are all separate beads strung together on that one thread, God.” -Sri Sathya Sai Baba

02-25-12

So long, New Awlins!

Today we got out of the French Quarter again, using the Canal St streetcar to explore City Park. We went for the statue garden, and it was worth the trip, but is a lovely immense park that also offers more mansions, stand up paddle boarders in the bayous, and great old oak trees with Spanish Moss. The moss and palm trees differentiate it from our parks.

At the airport, with a lot of travelling hours ahead...

02-24-12

Our last full day in New Orleans...

Today we had breakfast at Cafe du Monde, did a fun but cold bike tour, bought a streetcar all day pass, walked around the Garden District mansions, found more street bands, and tasted Muffalettas and Bananas Foster.

Our bike tour guide thought this was a funny sign, calling a tomato Creole. Ironically, we were talking to the gal in this photo (from Las Vegas) about the noticeable absence of produce in this town...

02-23-12

My system has started saying WHO DAT over all the red beans and rice and lack of fruits and veggies I've been eating, so I had a house salad and grilled asparagus tonight as we dined on the patio with a blues band. No nutria/swamp rat/bayou rabbit on any menus, though. :)

Today was tour day - swamp tour, plantation tour, and heading out the the ghost/voo doo tour. Learned a lot more about the history of NOLA, creole culture, cajun swamp life, and Katrina. Oh, and we learned we don't care for Mint Julips!

02-22-12

Bruce thinks the theme of the day might be architecture, but I think it's walking.

We walked to Starbucks, now that we know they are hiding in hotel lobbies. We walked to the French Market, taking photos all the way. We made the long trek to Degas House, stopping at cemeteries on the way back. We walked by lots of folks with ash on their forehead, since this a heavily Catholic area. And we did our first walking tour, visiting 5 bars and learning about creole society and saints and sinners.

Happy Ash Wednesday from St Louis Cathedral, the oldest cathedral in the US.

02-21-12

I've been seeing lots of:

Costumes. We fit right in in ours.

Police. Huge police presence; our cabbie said no worries about safety during Mardi Gras.

Parades. Seven in all since arriving.

Creole food. Thumbs up to po boys, red beans and rice, jambalaya, and gumbo.

Jesus freaks. With megaphones and signs telling us to repent of this filth. Ouch!

Nudity. The body paint is amazing, the drunk flashing not so much...

Happy Fat Tuesday!