January 31 – February 1, 2011 New Orleans – and some friends

It isn’t the state slogan, but a sign entering Louisiana declares it the “wet state” or maybe “wetlands state” and it is.

I-10 crosses miles of shallow water on a causeway, and on our drive south on I-55 to New Orleans we again drive miles on a causeway; in fact, interchanging with I-10 is all accomplished 20 feet above shallow waters and soggy looking bedraggled ground. Occasional fishermen in flat boats, one old bayou-type settlement, and a lot of twiggy and broken trees, grey-green colors. Maybe more appealing in appearance in the wet season, foreboding, but bug-free! in January.

A lady-bug visits.

We enter greater New Orleans crossing the old Huey Long bridge on a construction-narrowed lane – reminiscent of the situation that got me in trouble coming home from Gillette. We camp at Bayou Segnette State Park in Westwego, named for the shouts of settlers as they headed west. Nice campground, about $22 (W, E), free so-so WiFi and free so-so washers and dryers. Protected from a bayou by a levee wall, which is being raised by the Corp of Engineers.

Surprise! Bill and Beth are here, also winding their way to Florida for the caravan. They are Oregonians that we met at the Grass Valley rally. Bill publishes a blog with fantastic photos – http://web.me.com/ferry360/ferry360.

New Orleans style atop a tall building.

Hurricane, a man's drink.

A Mint Julep for the lady.

Two very old bars to each side, Pat O'Brien's courtyard in the distance.

A slow night at Cafe Du Monde.

It is late afternoon but Marcia and I decide to go to New Orleans as thundershowers, a tornado watch, and “severe hail” is forecast for tomorrow. In sunshine and 70 degrees we drive at least 10 miles and catch the free (for pedestrians) Algiers ferry across the Mississippi, and walk to the French Quarter. This is a Monday in January and things are pretty pathetic – loud amplified sounds from nearly empty bars, few tourists. We go to a courtyard at Pat O’Brien’s and have a Hurricane and a Mint Julep; it feels right, but we can’t help noticing we are easily 15-20 years older than anyone else. We walk south through the historical area (makes us feel young again) and eat gumbo and jambalaya at a no-name restaurant, cross the street to the Café Du Monde (a rat scurries away) and finish the evening with the traditional beignets and coffee. We are home by 8:45 PM, our ferry crossing the river in very heavy fog.

Mike and Jane

Tom and Deanna

Bob

Larry and Kathy

John and Elain

National WWII Museum

Bob's BD party at Olivier's in the Quarter.

The next day, as we get ready to go to the National World War II museum in New Orleans, the NorCal caravan to the Florida Fantasy arrives – John & Elain, Tom & Deanna, Mike & Jane, Bob, and Larry & Kathy. They settle in and we split into two groups – the guys going to the museum, and the ladies hitting the shopping areas. I can only report on the museum: very well done, including the 45 minute “4D” film that covers the entire war – from origins to surrender – with enough pizzazz and brevity to satisfy the short-attention crowd and their seniors. The rain lifts and we reconvene for a nice birthday dinner for Bob at Olivier’s on Decatur, another walk through the quarter (more people than Monday but still sad), and a return to camp by 7:30 PM. No tornado, no hail, and much less rain than forecast.

Bob savors his seafood gumbo.

On Wednesday, the wind is strong and the temperatures are in the mid 30s. The wind-chill is terrible – a laundry day for sure. At night we go to a second birthday dinner for Bob at a neighboring grill, good for the price but scampi served very wet in a soup of yellow buttery flavorings (or maybe real butter, I dunno). It is a bit heavy.