Adventures in New Orleans (Madi Gras)

What can I say New Orleans is an experience you wont forget. From the moment we arrived at the airport it seemed to be a whole new world out there.  The drivers are crazy even worse than Dallas/Ft. Worth area. I had my eyes closed the whole way.  LOL.  The hotel we stayed out was Royal St. Charles. Beautiful hotel on the corner of Common and St. Charles st. (uptown).  Room is small but it seems everywhere in New Orleans is too that’s how it was back in the day, the balcony was great to have. Even if our chair was missing after the first night.  We were starving at this point so we decided to walk along our street to find a place to eat. Right next door was the Po-boy shop.  Featured in the window was Bobby Flay from one of his Throw Down experiences. We decided to stop I just had to have the muffalette he lost to.  I was a little disappointed in it. Seemed to be dry. But maybe that’s how New Orleans prefers them.  The ones at McAlisters were better I think. Josh has himself a hamburger po-boy. Cute little place to eat with football footage everywhere along with helmets from every team known….  The second surprise I had for Josh was the WWII museum featuring D-Day show at the Imax Theatre called “Beyond All Boundaries” narrated by Tom Hanks.  We walked 9 blocks so I could just surprise him without telling a sole where we were headed.  He was totally surprised, didn’t know that there was one in New Orleans, neither did I until recently.  Beautiful museum 3 floors of artifacts and stories.  You can find old vets talking about the old days of war. (just recently the last WWII veteran died that Monday we were back).  I had planned to take a nap in the theater while he watched the video.  LOL yeah right… loud noise and guns firing along with the chair vibrating like you were in an old plane.  It was crazy an experience to remember for sure.  Along the outside of the museum on the walk way were names and dates of service members who died in WWII. Another way to remember those lost. After that we walked the 9 blocks back to the hotel to find a mini Madi Gras happening on our street.  The theme “St. Patrick’s Day”.  Music and people crowding the streets along with locals giving out souvenirs.  That was my first present from Madi Gras, a stuffed Ape and St Paddy’s day scarf.  Yay!    We found dinner shortly after along

Canal St.

getting ready for the 1^st parade of our trip.  The only place looked good to us was IHOP.  And would u believe it was rated the best food we had while in New Orleans.  In Nawlins (as the locals would say.) that is one thing they know what they are doing.. cooking and getting it to you faster than anywhere I’ve ever been..even faster than some fast food shops.  LOL.  Once we were full we were headed for the parade. However, we stood there for 3 hrs waiting on the parade to get around to our street.  It reminded me a lot of New York on how they block off the street for New Year’s Eve.  The traffic wasn’t blocked until the very last minute.  The parade was not what we expect for sure.  Friday night was calmer than Saturday.  So the parade starts off with Cox Cable rolling down the street.. lol then followed by the Police from different areas and then high school bands with all ages playing.  LOL.  The floats are not what I expected either.. lol there were pulled by tractors or trucks and there kids on the floats with adults throwing beads and what not. LOL… most hilarious parade.  I was expecting huge floats with “R” rated scenery.  Let me tell you I was pleased to see it rated “PG”.  Parades last about an hour or so.  Had a nice collection of beads the first night.  That ended the night perfectly.  Day 2, was a lot of walking involved. We had our map and set out around 9am or so.  To the French Quarter we went.  Walked forever, its easier to walk then get a taxi in the crazy town.  French Quarter is cool.  We had a lite breakfast at Café De Monde with famous Beignets and some water. NO STARBUCKS anywhere to be found.  They like this PJ’s Coffee down there. After our snack we made it across the street to

Jackson Square

to find some art for my mom’s kitchen.  On each corner of the square are these people that act like statues all painted up. It seemed later when walking thru Riverfront we saw homeless people with the same paint.  I take it that this is part of there job.   They seemed to make pretty good tips.  If you have never seen one they are pretty cool.  I’ve seen them in Las Vegas at some of the hotels.  Along the way we saw a Transformer.. yep they are real..lol I had to get a pic for my little man back home.  Still haven’t shown him guess I had better do that tonight. LOL.  Saw the beautiful St. Louis Cathedral where John Pope II visited one time during his United States tour. However of course it had to have a shop inside to sell stuff…LOL… but again this is Nawlins a whole new world.  Outside the steps of the Cathedral are physics and palm readers isn’t that ironic. LOL… went all the around and inside the square then went back to this one guy that I need to friend on FB.  And bought my mom’s picture for her kitchen.  I think its pretty cool piece of art.  Lots of art I wanted to take home but had no room in suitcase. LOL.  Once back thru French Quarter we decided on lunch at Bubba Gump’s Shrimp Restaurant.  Great atmosphere they quiz you on the movie which of course we failed. LOL… might need to see it again just to see. Food was awesome too…great shrimp. Pepsi people though L lol… After lunch we went to the Riverfront side of town.  Walked all the way to canal street along the riverfront.  Our next ride was the 2 hr cruise up the Mississippi River.  Great time of resting and relaxing in the sun along the way.  Departed off to the Chalmette Battlefield of 1815. Back aboard 30 mins later to depart back to

Canal St

.  Went thru Harrah’s casino not like we don’t know what they look like lol but decided to visit it anyways.  Didn’t play anything we are saving that for the Hawaii cruise next month. Walked back up to our hotel for a little bit.  (Nap time).  Time for dinner and our last parades for our trip.  Dinner at Deanies Seafood… an hour wait..but food took less time to get to our table.  Good Gumbo! Best thing was the Gold Brick dessert.  That was awesome!  Back down to

Canal Street

to await the parade this time we didn’t wait as long.  Two parades back to back.  More beads and what not thrown.  Same kind of scenario with the parades… but lots more people, a lot more drunks.  Homeless of course everywhere in Nawlins.  We watched one guy sleep thru a parade, sleep thru people putting beads on him. Then he woke and keep hitting himself in the head.. like he didn’t know where he was. Poor guy… gotta be tough living like that.  End to the last and second night there was great with a suitcase full of beads and lots of fun catching this time instead of taking pics. LOL… Dreamland time.  I woke to 5am yelling and screaming people below.. wanted to get out on the balcony and tell them to hush it.  But later that morning come 7am we went downstairs to wait for the shuttle back to the airport and the police and crime lab was there.  NOT a good SIGN!   God was for sure watching over us as we traveled to and from and thru out Nawlins.  Everywhere we went we said God Bless You.. not one returned or said thank you.  Guess it is VOODOO city for sure. On the way back we missed a wreck that turned out to be a 4 car pile up. Finally got to see some of the graves those are crazy and awesome looking.  We arrived back to the airport safe and sound.  Went thru my first x-ray screening.. that was cool like this tube looking thing u stand in and it screens you. They wont let you go until they get an okay to clear from the watching eye. LOL… safe flight from Nawlins to Houston.  Once in Houston we boarded our plane then departed from gate.  Then had to turn around cuz the peddle jumper wouldn’t make thru the west Texas wind we had on Sunday.  Put us on another peddle jumper wasn’t too thrilled but we were flying with God and his angels.  Had a lot of turbulence about 100 miles out.  Not as bad the 12 seated plane from Wyoming to Midland over the Rockies back when I was 12 by myself.  God was looking over us .. looked out the window and saw nothing but dirt even way up high as we were.  The adventures with God continue. Next trip is this weekend to Gaylord Resort in Grapevine for our marriage retreat.  Can’t wait.  Then off to Hawaii in April to renew our vows. God is good. “all the time”! Until next time God Bless!