New Orleans

This was mostly a side trip for Cindy and Pat.  We rented a car from Alamo for the trip.  I have been here before.  I was stationed at Keesler AFB, in Biloxi Mississippi for 4 years.  It is within a good hours drive from there.  We took the scenic route along highway 90 so we could see the coast and the remnants of the many hurricanes that have passed through since I was last there.

I had left Biloxi just after hurricane Camile in 1969.  A lot had changed.  The house that we had lived in when Cheryl was born was still there.  The Mobile home that we lived in when Michele was born, was not.  I couldn't even find the Trailer Park, things have grown so much.  I think there is a bunch of apartments where it should have been.

Lived here when Cheryl was born (1969) - too many hurricanes have been through here since.

We stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott just about 2 blocks from the start of Bourbon Street.  I had some Marriott points left over from my many trips of Oklahoma City when I was teaching classes for the FAA.  I had enough left over for 2 free nights, which is about the amount of time it takes to walk Bourbon street, look at some cemeteries, and take a few pictures.  Thank Heaven it was NOT during Mardi Gras.  It was strange enough as it was.  I will include a few of my favorite pictures then turn it over to Cindy to complete this portion of the blog.

Cindy's Observations:  Larry's right about being glad it wasn't Mardi Gras.  The streets are barely wide enough for a sober couple to walk down.  There are faded colored remnants of past parades left hanging from the  wrought iron balconies, beads. Beads and masks are abundant in many gift shops.  Tee shirts with cleaver phrases are also on every block.  My favorite, I GOT BOURBON FACED ON SHIT STREET.  This is the place to pick your poison and drink yourself to near annihilation and live to brag about it.  The "Ladies of the evening" or "nooners," are not allowed to stand beyond the thresh hold and shy away from cameras in fear of being run in.  Street performers are soulfully playing jazz tunes for pocket change.  Or just paint themselves, mock a few tourists and expect a saw buck.  It is a crazy way of life on this street.

They don't like cameras

Cabaret

Bourbon Street

2 Bars - Hustlers and Barely Legal Hustlers
Always open for auditions

Saw 3 of these guys painted silver???

Probably the other way around!!

 

St Louis Cathedral



St Louis Cathedral from the Mississippi River
 

Cindy's Observations: The Cathedral-Basilica of St Louis King of France is the oldest practicing catholic church in the country. The original place of worship from 1718 was later destroyed by fire had been rebuilt and enlarged to present design in 1851.

The Saint Louis cemetery is one of the oldest in town. One of the more known crypts is that of Marie Louvou. Believed to be a voodoo queen followers still visit her tomb and ask her to fulfill their requests what ever the nature. To properly greet the tomb, knock 3 times above the door and then mark 3 x's on the tomb and give your request.

 

 

I am sure you are familiar with the symbol Fleur De Les for the New Orleans Saints, but did you know this symbol in the catholic religion refers to the Trilogy (Father ,Son, Holy Ghost) on the top 3 points. The bottom 3 points refer to Joseph, Mary and Jesus. The area to the right of the cathedral is the French Quarter open market. Crafters and local growers provide an assortment of goods for you to browse or buy. Way off to the left was the Mardi Gras Museum. Don't tell anyone but Pat and I snuck in the back and gave ourselves a tour of the past and current parade paper mache' heads and all sorts of animal things used on floats. There were artist spray painting and carpenters building new floats for this upcoming Mardi Gras. Out in the cafeteria the concessions fellow even gave us a piece of King cake, included in the tour. Traditional Mardi Gras King cake is 2 cinnamon bread rolls twisted together and baked. Then .topped with a powdered sugar glaze. A tiny plastic baby is hidden in the cake, he who finds it will have good fortune.
We had some delicious redfish with craw fish garlic, butter and mushroom sauce at Oceanus. Wonderful seafood is no surprise here.

In the French Quarter at every corner were brass street plaques embedded in the concrete. All of the water main covers were adorned with the cities crest. Palm trees are common landscape trees along with long needle pines and live oaks. The southern magnolias are a definite feature of the south.
At this point of the trip we have all made a sacrifice to the river gods. I was the first back at Kaskaskia with an arch support for my shoe. Larry the second with his communication devise (the gods should have been very pleased with that one) at Demopolis and Pat the last with a flag silencer (velcro strap) at Mobile. While at New Orleans we came upon a mini umbrella cover, which somebody else was sorry enough to loose, that would fit perfect over our flag to silence it for Pat while sleeping. I had extra arch supports, Larry now has a new and improved state of the art "insured" phone. All river gods and people are happy.