NOLA - Sat., May 17

After work on Friday, and after packing for the weekend, we hopped in the Escape pod and headed east on I-10. Bob, his mom, sister and I are off to Bob's great aunt's 90th birthday in New Orleans, LA (NOLA). We had dinner at Taco Cabana about an hour out of San Antonio, then spent the night in Beaumont, Texas.

By 10:30 a.m. Saturday, we headed east on I-10 to New Orleans. One of the main things we noticed traveling through the southeast part of Texas and into Louisiana was how green everything is.

I wanted to stop at the Louisiana Visitor Center at the rest area (just after we crossed the bridge into Louisiana) to pick up a Louisiana map and info on New Orleans. The rest area had a pretty swamp behind it with a nature trail where we stretched our legs.

We're not in Texas anymore.

Swamp at rest area

I think we'll pass on swimming.

Bob and I

Nature trail behind Visitor's Center.

Bob on nature trail boardwalk

Cypress trees in swamp

Laura and Louise

Driving east on I-10 we were on an elevated freeway over swamps for a long way. It got to be lunch time. We exited the freeway looking for food, drove about 1-1/2 mile and there was nothing to eat. We did see a beautiful Good Sam RV park. We got back on the freeway and drove until we found an exit where we thought we'd find food. The local Visitor Center told us there really wasn't a good place to eat in town and they gave us directions to Acme Oyster House in Baton Rouge, LA. That is where we had lunch and enjoyed our meals.

Continuing on to New Orleans, we checked into our motel, then met up with Bob's youngest brother, Steven, his wife Nancy and their daughter Amanda who drove from Florida. They were staying in the Garden District. From their place we walked to Magazine Street to have dinner at Tracey's. 

Lower Garden District

Magazine Street

Magazine Street

Tracey's

In the photo below are Steven, Bob's youngest brother; Nancy, Steven's wife; and Amanda, their daughter at Tracey's on Magazine Street.

Steven, Nancy, Amanda

While we were having dinner, the Zombie Pub Crawl group came in. About ten people were all dressed up for the evening's activities.

Zombie Pub Crawl participants.

After dinner, we walked and window shopped along Magazine Street. This area reminded Bob and I of NW 23rd in Portland, OR.

Amanda found an elephant

I found some garden gnomes. The one
on the bottom right is supposed to say "Hello."

Music mural on a restaurant.

Magazine Street

Unique mural

Colorful hot dog restaurant "Dat Dog."

The following photo is the outside back wall of a restaurant's dining patio. The "waterfall" comes out of old beer taps. Very clever idea

Beer tap waterfall wall.

Our feet on Magazine Street.

On our walk back to our car and the place Steven and Nancy are staying, we stopped at Sucre on Magazine Street to have Gelato. I had a Malted Milk Chocolate Chunk gelato that was very good.

After saying good night to Steven, Nancy and Amanda, we headed back to the La Quinta. Tomorrow we will all meet up at Mina Lea's 90th birthday party.

Travel Bug out.

Social Butterfly -- Tues., Jan. 29

Our windows were all open today for the light breeze that was blowing. With the outside temperature 78 degrees at 11:00 a.m., it was nice to let in the fresh air. "Let the sun shine, let the sunshine in."  

Today, a new 5th wheel pulled in next to ours. I went out to welcome them to the "sardine can," i.e., our smooshed in spaces. They are Kim and Brian from Edmonton, Alberta. He was a roof inspector before he retired. They purchased a lot in Yuma which has, or will have (can't remember which), a modular home on it.

Brian and Kim are on a trip from Yuma to New Orleans and will be in this park for three nights. They're headed to Mardi Gras for a week.

I headed back inside so they could finish setting up. With the windows open, the cats quickly discovered that the new neighbors also have cats--female cats! My two boys spent a good part of the afternoon on the kitchen counter scoping out the "girls" at screen door just a few feet away.

A little later, Kim and Brian were sitting outside and had their cats outside in a really great enclosure. I went out and we talked for a while until the wind kicked up and the temperature dropped over ten degrees in 1/2 hour. While wechatted, my two (neutered) tomcats were looking out the kitchen window keeping an eye on the two femme fatale felines just below them, and their food source (me). I think my cats wanted to be in the enclosure with their cats.

We plan to spend a week in New Orleans in March (after Mardi Gras is over). I'll be looking for a good RV park or COE campground within 1/2 hour of the city. Bob has a great aunt there who is in her 90s who we want to visit. It's been a number of years since we've seen her.

I am doing some proofreading, editing and layout work on a presentation brochure for the construction company Bob works for. I should have it done tonight.

All for today. Travel Bug out.