Should I write or just lay down and sleep

Well today is Thursday.  Just a day and half and I am heading home to great rainy North.  Well I think it is probably raining.  It mostly always rains there.

We have been living down here for a week and half.  Beautiful weather a little rain and a couple of thunder storms.    The heat is great but still is not doing much for my aches and pains.  Hands still tell me they are stiff and sore.  Legs do not want to walk my punch anymore.  My back says are you done yet.  My body is talking to me about allot of things.  But I just keep trucking along.  Want to get in as much and see as much as I can and do as much as I can.  It may be cutting into my retirement fund but hey I got to do what I got to do in order to get some bucket lists done before I am not able to do them.  I don't want to say I could have but I didn't because I wham just too chicken to do it.  So pushing myself to get it done before I end up were I can not walk anymore or do the stuff I love to do.  Older age will be fun spoor some people for me old age is going to be a different story.

So today I got up and went out and did some more exploring to see as much of New Orleans as I can. Before I head home.   Yes my feet are telling me about it but who the heck cares.  The aches and pains can live with me but they are not going to get me down if I can help it.

We didn't get up none too early today.  I guess rest was in the forecast.  But then again British Columbia time is two hours behind New Orleans time.  So if you look at it that way we did get up in a good time if we were in BC. But late for being in Louisiana.  

So today I said food wise just want something small and understandable.  I wanted some chees sticks.   Not the spicy food that I have been seeing of late.  So I said we are going to Arby's which is just around the corner.  I am going to have some cheese sticks and a cherry turnover.  Oh yes oooie goose cheese sticks.  I do love them once in while and that is what I was going to get.  Rob said you are in NO should be trying new foods and experiencing the culture.  Phooey on culture just some plane old cheese sticks.    I got my way.  He wasn't too happy about it though or is was that he was tired and did not go to sleep last night.  That could have had something to do with it.

So after we finished our meal we went and got a ticket for the trolley.  Made plans to go either to the zoo or to layfette cemetary.  Road the trolley to epwere the first stop would have been.  All of a sudden the clouds opened up and windows were being closed on the trolley.  It was a huge down pour.  Water Justin pouring down.  I think we should stay on and just ride for a little bit and see if it stops any time shortly.  Well the zoo stop came and went.  We got off at the end of the ride and got on another trolley heading back towards down town.  Rain not stopping.  I guess we are not getting off.

It starts to get very humid now and the rain starts slowing down.  The thing is we are past were we were going to get off so just keep riding it down town and look around there again.  Last stop off we get.

Okay now what do we do.  I guess go over to the ticket booth and trade in our voucher for the ticket for the ghost tour.  After that is done go along decanter street and Rob buys some pralines and a bit of chocolate.  Which I promptly ate.  Sucker for chocolate.

We head over to were the carriages are and see if we can go for another ride.  We want to see the cemetary. But unfortunately the cemetary is closed because of construction going on around there.  Oh well won't see that cemetary either.

I find a hippy shop to look in.  The clothes are loose fitting and tie dyed.  The kind of close I wear.  I find something I would like to buy.  But I don't for some reason.  Maybe I can go back there again tomorrow.  Just for a little drop in and look at it again.  Do I really need it that is the million dollar question and yes I do not have a million dollars.

So We end up going back to the room and drop off his pralines.  Just so they do not get softer Sitting in a bag. The bag is getting a little wet and stuff is starting to tear the bag.  Got to get it back somewhere so he isn't dropping anything.

We stop in at a seafood resteraunts to have a little supper.  I eat the gumbo.  Something I can eat without burning my mouth on the spices.  It was pretty good but for some reason the chicken tasted mor elite beef.

After a little rest in the room we go back down to the tickets centre and wait for our tour.  Not long and a few people are waiting for same tour.  There is about 18 of us to listen in about ghosts.  She tells us allot a folklore of a few of the people that had been killed or, but we do not see any ghosts.  So. Ugh for a spookie tour.

Tired and hot and my legs and back and feet are really am starting to tell me stories.  So now back in our room and I am sitting with my feet up.  That dirt tan is back again.  I will fix that in the morning.  For now just sitting here is the best medicine.  Tomorrow one more day before we fly out on Saturday.  Hope weather is better then when we flew in.  Do not need to sit on a plane for any length of time.  

That will really play havoc on my body.maybe tomorrow will hit the cemetary off of St Charles.  That is if is not raining.  I have a few things I have seen that I would like to buy.  So maybe a little shopping in hand for tomorrow.  Or just lookie louing. And saying do I really need it

So one more day to write in this blog and then heading for home to my hum drum life.   Talk to you tomorrow if I am not to sleepy.

Well I have day three and four in New Orleans.

Way too tired last night to get this one the road and write down what I had done yesterday.  Just sat and let the feet relax and cool down.  Then falling asleep last night not getting up until 10 this morning.  Well that made for missing part of the day.  We had a few plans for today but I guess they are going to be out on the back burner till tomorrow.

Yesterday was a great day.  All except having to get up early to catch a tour bus outside our hotel.  Bus was to be there at 7:45,  hmmm!  When we walked down at 7:00 to get something to eat from the continetal breakfast he was already outside.  Well I guess he is going to have to wait a little.  I need food on my stomach or my drugs will upset my stomach.  That would make the day a little rotten then wouldn't it.

Walked out to get on the bus at 7:30.  First thing he said was I think you should put on some pants. These jet boats go fourty miles an hour and it can get a might chilly.  Well I did have a sweater but went back up stairs and slipped on a pair of pants just in case.  Came back down boarded the bus and we were off to pick up a few more that we're going on the tour.  There was twelve in all from fpdifferent hotels in the neighbourhood.  Two from Australia,  two from Oklahoma,  and the rest by golly were from Canada.  Two of the ladies just came to from the next town from were I live.  We are practically neighbours. So to speak.

After all were picked up we were on our way.  First stop the swamp tour. A ride on the airboat.  Six got on each  boat.  Puttered along in the water down one canal to another.  Telling us stories about the canals and how they were constructed and that they were the waterways or roads for the area.  Can get you just about anywere if you follow the right route.

Then he opened it up.  Down one canal and up another. Through dense cypress trees some of them over 100 years old.  We slowed down and he turned off the motor.  Over on the shore was and alligator sunning him self.  A little ways down another one.  This one ready for food.  Came into the water and over close to the boat.  The guide threw out some marshmallow and the alligator came closer.  Okay that is close enough.

The guide stopped in another place turned off his motor and started talking about a murder mystery he was writing.  It was about a tour guide who gives tours in the swamp.  It seems that none of his group never seem to come back from their tours.  He is never really caught but people are disappearing.  He then picks up a stick and says he has decided on his next chapter.  Starts to point it at the Aussie but then uses the stick to push us away from the trees we are slowly guiding into.

He then started up the motor again and off we go again. Every so often you can see a gator in the water ahead of us.  They plop under the water as the boat goes over top of them.  He then takes the boat down a water way that does not seem to have any water.  We go over humps of dirt and then he stops for only a minute then gets us over the hump.  Said there was a razor back snake there.  Glad I didn't see it.  Not much on snakes.  We then zoom on full speed back to the dock.  Were we get off and are back in the bus.

Our next stop is a little ways along the Mississippi River.  We pull into oak alley plantation.  We get out of the bus and take a walk up to the resteraunts were we have a yummy buffet meal.  Wow lots of food. And some of it is not spicy.  I can't eat it.  My pallet does not go for spicy food.  I would not survive down here if I had to eat spicy food all the time.  I did find enough to not burn my mouth.  After lunch is over we have free time to take in the plantation.  Have a tour of the house.  Just such a beautiful house.  I love the woodworking and all the items that are in the house. Not get a jest of how they use to live.  The most impressive thing about oak alley is the oak trees.  They make two lines down the front of the house and they are about 300 years old and the ones in the back are about 150 years old.   These trees give shade and collect the breeze off the river and cool down the temperature.  When the breeze blows through the house  it cools it down.  The trees in their two rows set off the house beautifully..  I loved this plantation

The second plantation was laurel plantation.  It was a creole plantation.  European not American.   Very. Ugh a slave plantation.  We're the slaves were not treated very well at all.  The house was not as impressive as oak alley, but I thought the building of the house was impressive.  Made out of cypress trees from the swamp.  Beams run across and the uprights were doves into the cross beam.  No nails used at all to build this house.  It was also build off the ground so that if the River flooded it would not be damaged.  This has been restored a couple of times as fire has spread through it.

It was a big come trash from one plantation to the other.  Very interesting history story.  I liked seeing these plantations.

The ride back to the city took  about an hour.  I might have done a little napping on that trip.  Well I know my head was bobbing allot.

Dang tired last night.  Into the room and never left again.  I sat on the bed did a little picture transferring and then I companies out and did not wake up until 9:30 this morning.  Felt good to get a little sleep but we had some things we were deciding to do so soon had to get a move on.

The first was getting some brunch.  Couldn't be breakfast and it was too early for lunch.  So walked around the corner and went to the ruby slipper.  Had to eat someplace the continental breakfast was long done.  Waited about 20 minutes to be seated at the bar.  This place is busy.  Someone gets up and another one is seated right away.  They can do breakfast and lunch and not have to be opened for supper.   They say it is still a money maker.  I did enjoy my brunch it tasted very delish.

So after we finished eating.  Well what do we do now.  Go get a ticket for the trolley and take a ride on it.  Um!!!!!  How about we go this way.  Maybe we can go do that.  Well we finally figured out what to do.  Walking and walking and walking.  The sun was warmer today but yes we still walked.  We walked down by the river.  Then a little through the French quarter.  Then back around and went into the cathedral as we couldn't see it the other day.  Wow!!  Is what I said.  The three story ceiling and the painting on the roof.  The stained glass windows and the large pipe organ in the balcony.  I love looking at old building that have character.  We came out of the church and decided on more walking.  Went over to the French market.  All the crafty stuff there.  And the food.  My gosh so many food places.  I saw a few Dolphins carved out of stone.  I was temped but how the heck would I get it home without breaking it..  I saw hats that I would have liked as well.  They are a straw type hat that the air would blow through.  Would keep my head from getting too much sun and not sweat my head to death.  I thought about both, but then an do I really need them.  I still have a couple of days may be back there.

When we came out of the market.  Ventured back into fren quarter for a few blocks.  Coming out were the carriages are.  Would we like a ride.  Me yes I need to sit down for a little while.  Hm. 18 dollars to go through the French quarter and 36  per person to go to the cemetary.  I want to do both bi put that is just getting a little expensive.  Well I did want to sit down for a little while and get to know a bit of stories about the French quarter.  Just walking around does not get you much.  And I am never sure whether I should be walking into any stores or not.  The chicken is still in me and I do not want to end up someplace I should not be.  But that is just me myself and I talking to each other about what is right and what is still right.  I know sounds funny but they are very little stores and should I walk into them or not. Well anyways we got on the carriage and went around the French quarter on a little tour.  After a period of time trying to get the dang mule to move.  It seemed he just wanted to go back to the stable.  Or not move at all.  They pulled and pushed the mule but he kept backing up.  And trying to go back to the shade he was in.  He knew a good thing when he had it.  They finally got him out and walking around.  Up one road and down another.  We learned what real estate prices were for some of the places.  French quarter is an expensive place to live and the square footage is not much more then a garage size.  The front of the houses were to the inside of the block and the back of the houses were to the street side of the block.  I alway thought it was the other way around.  In way back days the street were used a toilets and garbage places.  Hmmm would you really want to live there.  I guess if you had no other place to live.  These places were called shoot places.  That is because you could shoot a gun straight through from the front to the back door of the house.  No walls in between.. Learn something strange every day.

The carriage ride was over.  We ventured into a couple of stores.  Looked at the masked and tried a few on. I was looking for on with allot of feathers.  I found one for 185 dollars.  Um no and put it back were it was sitting.  It was pretty nice but not for that price.  While I was looking at some other ones Rob went and bought a smaller one for himself.  Much cheaper then the one I was looking at.  I would have wanted it but not for that price.  And you know it was on sale.

After our little shopping expedition we headed back to the hotel room.  My feet are bushed.  So putting them up for a little while made some sense to me.  Rob wanted to take his bag back to the room anyways.

Oh earlier in the day I had also changed over our ticket for the Natchez.  I had an Internet ticket and they wanted a different ticket to get on the boat.  Good I thought of that or we would have had to get out of line tonight and go to the ticket booth and get it changed over.

So after a little rest in the room we headed over to the boat dock and waited to board the Natchez. Music playing from a pipe organ on the roof of the boat.  You could hear this from a long ways off.   It wasn't a long wait that was for sure.  They said they would board at six but were boarding at 5:45.  Up the ramp and onto the boat. Taking a seat in the dining room as we were first sitting.  Got a window seat.  Great could watch from there as we launched.  The dinner was buffet.  Lots of yummie food.  And bread pudding for dessert.  We had finished our meal before the boat even left dock.  So found a place to sit outside and enjoy the rolling water go by.  Not cold sitting out on deck.  Enjoyed the ride down the river.  Jazz music playing on the top deck.  A nice cool breeze blowing across the deck.  The landscape going by and a tour guide telling us about the landscape.  After an hour out we turned around and headed back.  Went down to the highway 90 bridge and turned around once more.  To get a right angle to dock the boat.    That was an enjoyable trip.  Up the river and back down.  The only thing is the whistle is very loud.  A steam whistle at that.  You could hear something like that for miles.

After we got off the boat we boat the picture of us that was taken before we got on.  Not a bad picture of us.  Then walked back to the hotel.  A little different at night then during the day.  But not too bad.

So two day three days down and two more to go.  Tomorrow will be taking a ride through the cemetary and that night ghost stories.  Gonna be one spooky day.  Maybe another ride on the trolley and see a few things in the garden district.  That one is up in the air yet.  Still figuring what else can be done in our next two days.

Our time is soon coming to an end.  So far are having a great time.

Talk to you tomorrow

Day two, New Orleans. Having a great time, but alas my feet are not

Today was a bit of a walking day.  Well not all walking but quite a bit.  My feet and knees are telling me about it right now.  So they are up while I sit here a blab away

Started our day a little latter today.  Yeah kinda slept in a little longer.  It was my own fault.  I started on a book last night and just did not want to put it down..  Finally did though and went to bed.  Dumb, dumb of me.  I know I want to get up in the morning and get on the touring but I just kept reading.

So up and out and around at about 9:30 or 10 o'clock.  Not too late but still. Could have been down stairs and had a continental breakfast.  Instead went with out anything and ate a little later.  Whatever turns our crank I guess.  Walked over to Walgreens and I picked up a couple of jerky sticks and ticket for the trolley. Read the packaging after I was out of the store and it said beef and alligator meat.  Oh oh I am eating alligator again.  Hey it was something to snack on while we waited for the trolley.

The trolley came about 15 minutes later.  We got down about two roads and then came to a dead stop.  The trolley waited and waited for about half to three quarters of and hour while they cleared a police incident on the road in front of us.  Cars could get onto another street but the trolley could only wait until the track was clear.  Not sure what was happening but the place was blocked off with lots of police everywhere.

Finally heading down St Charles street.  We get off a little while later and head over to the ww2 museum.  We're first going to go to the civil war museum but it was closed on Monday.  Well maybe another day.  So in we go to the second museum.  Not much on my cup of tea butRob wanted to see it so we went in.  Told about the invasions by hitler and Stalin and the Japanese.  And how they had planed on taking over the world.  Then we walked on and learned about the war at sea and on land.  How the frontal attacks came about to finally win the war.  The women who worked at home to fill in for the men who were off at war.  Last building we came to was the flight museum.  We could go up four levels on cat walks and see the planes that were hanging from the ceiling from all angles.   Also watched two movies while we were there.  One a four d movie.  Took five years in the making and was narrated by Tom hanks.  The floors shook and some of the noise and lights were great effect.  The second movie we saw took us into a sub and we had to torpedo the heck out of enemy ships.

After the museum we went back to the trolley station and waited and waited and waited.  Were planning on going to the Lafayette cemetery but the trolley had not come in the hour we sat there.  So made a change of plans and walked down to the convention centre and over to mardi grah world.  Got ther half hour before they close.  So took a quick look through.  Wow the colours of some of those floats and the lifelike of some of the people they produce.  And all made out of plater and wire. And styraphom.  Interesting to me anyways.

So today Rob got to see something he wanted to see and I got to see something I wanted to look at.  Fair trade..  

After leaving mardi grah world we walked along the front of the convention centre to the river walk outlet.  There we thought we might be able to walk along the Mississippi.  Nope that didn't work so had to stroll through the mall to get back close to canal street.  Rob stopped at one of the stores and bought his souvenirs.  Me I just like looking at all the things for sale.  Once in while might buy something but not very often.  I would have to figure out what would be the purpose of it afterwards.  I just like taking pictures and adding them to scrapbook.  But yeas I do buy souvenirs just not very often..

So heade up canal street and back to our hotel.  It is around 7 and now my feet are up and hoping my knees do not give me too much trouble tomorrow.  Plantation and swamp tour tomorrow.  This is gonna be fun.  We get to ride on an airboat see alligators hopefully not too close.

So no reading tonight.  Have to be up in morning to catch our ride on the tour bus.  Well maybe just a little reading

Well finished red hatting and am now on a Minnie vacation in New Orleans.

Came Down to Louisiana to enjoy a few days with my red hat sisters .  Red hat adventure is now finished and another adventure begins thus the different blog..  I had a couple of weeks off work so decided to see if my son would like to come along and we would stay for some extra time and enjoy the city of New Orleans.

We brought back our car we rented today to drive out to Houma.  Took a taxi back over to the hotel we are staying at in New Orleans.  Still in same condition we left it in two days ago.  Messy as we said do not bother to make up the room.  So we are now back in the room and stuff sitting all over the place .  The room that has a mirror for a window.  It is a little dark in here.  I don't think if it storms or anything we will not know what it is like outside until we head out.

So now that we have gotten back to our room.  We took our first walk.  I put on my shorts first.  The sun is just a beating out there.  Very warm but not as humid as the day we had the thunderstorm here. 

So we picked a direction and headed for it.  Not sure whether we are going in the right direction or not.  Want to get down to the river walk..  See the muddy Mississippi.  Well they call it the mighty Mississippi though.  One of the longer rivers in the USA.  So we walked a little of it.  Ended up going into the aquarium for a cooler walk.  29 dollars each to walk through there.  And you know.  There was no Dolphins.  Aw!!!  Oh well.  Saw allot of other things.  Otters, eels,  lots of different fish, sharks and turtle.  Walked through the bird sanctuary and had parakeets landing on you to get a ride out of the sanctuary.  They were digging in my purse to see if I had anything.  The littlest pick pockets I have seen.  Sorry guys no food for you and had to shoo them away before we walked back through the outer door.

After the aquarium we headed over to the outlet mall along the water.  I know shopping.  Not a touristy thing but it was out of the heat..  I found two places in there that had blingy stuff.  I was good I didn't buy anything bi put I was tempted by a baseball hat with bling on the visor part and and set of big blingy lips on it.  Red to boot.  No didn't buy it.  I have another funvation coming up and can not spend all my money on New Orleans.  I am behaving myself.

After the mall we sat down for something to eat.  When our plates were set down I noticed my sandwich had jalapeños on it and started picking them out.  Rob then said you know I think you have my sandwich and he had mine.  So traded plates.  Aw much better for me.  And Rob is stuffing the jalapeños back into his..  Too hot for my pallet.  After finished our meal we waited and waited am

No waited to get our bill.  I finally went up to the bar and said I would like my bill please.  It still took a while to get it.

Our next stop was a little more of the river walk.  Found the place were we will get on the river boat in three days.  We have reservations for a dinner cruise and listening to jaz music.  Aw one relaxing night.

From there we cut across the park and headed for the cathedral.  Went inside.  I love looking at stained glass windows and the architecture of older building.  Then realized it is Sunday and a service was going on.  We'll have to come back another day and take a look.  What I saw was amazing though.

After leaving the church we walked around behind and found ourselves in the French quarter.  Small one way streets.  Little cubbies of stores.  Voodoo places and three level building with rot iron railings around the balconies.  I like looking at the difference in building from one area to another.  This is architecture I have not seen before except on TV.  And in such closed quarters.  We walked up to bourbon street and then headed along bourbon street back to canal street.  Oh boy you can see allot of the raunchier side in these streets.  There was a man and a women walking towards us.  She ipdid not have a stick of anything on and was painted silver with a little dark paint over the places that need covering.  He was painted silver as well and had a little ball carrier.  Well my prudish eyes have seen a little more then they wanted too.  Yes I am prudish.

Out of the French quarter and back on canal street.  If we want to see more of the French quarter might take a carriage ride through it.  Then a guide can give us a little history on it while we ride.  Or we have a few days may walk around a little again.  I know I have been told beware in there as pick pockets are aplenty.  Well that could happen just about anywhere as well as in the French quarter.

Found the Hard Rock Cafe and looked around it a bit.  Elizabeth I picked up a pin for you that is a little mardi grah theme.  Hope that is what you were looking for.  We then stopped in a convenience store and picked up a few supplies for tonight in the room.  Walked a little further along canal street and magazine street.  Later heading back to hotel to cool off and rest a bit.  

Well that was our first full day in New Orleans.  My skin is a turning a little red so got to remember the sunblock or I will turn into a lobster of red.  Well I will match my red hats then won't I.

Tomorrow are going to head out and see about riding the trolley.  Heading over to the wwii museum and then maybe onto a couple of othe museums out that way.  Hope back on the trolley and go to the cemetery a little further out.  I know I know.  I always traipse through cemeteries.  This one I don't think has any relatives in it though.  Just curious as to what the tombs look like.  I do wander around cemeteries though.  Or at least I use to allot.  To find family info.  That has slowed down allot in the past few years though.  I still look once in while but I an not the researcher I use to be.

After those are done may make our way back a little and see if we can find the mardi grah museum.  Might be interesting to take a look at..  Other then that eating and checking out sweet stores and I am always on the lookout for bling.  Rob says there is a sweet store that he wants to look at.  Sugar is always good you know.  Well for some of us anyways.  For others it just adds on the poundage.

That should give us a day of being tired by tomorrow night.  And hot and sticky and ready for a shower.  The next day we have a tour planned.  This will take us to a couple of plantations and then a swamp tour on an airboat.  Rob says I fall in he is not going to go save me.  Well if I fall in there will not be much left of me to save.  The gators might get me.  But there is more meet on my son.  Sorry couldn't resist.

So that's about it for today. Heading out here in a little while to grab something to eat..  Talk to you tomorrow