Exploring New Orleans

Ok... let's get this out in the open... I look like a blimp (thanks to my darned meds), to add insult to serious injury, my hands and legs were just not working well, I did my best to put all those little "inconviniences" on the back burner and just enjoy the week.

We started kind of early, since we got to New Orleans Sunday (the conference was due to start Tuesday), I would have plenty of rest and enough time to explore at my slow speed...

Started the day bright and early... left the hotel and headed towards the Riverfront walkway with the best laid plans to photograph the city and enjoy the morning... the first thing that hit me was the heat!... it was 7am and I believe it was hotter than the lobby in hell!... then, the weirdest thing happened... the Harrah's casino just blocked my way to the Riverfront!!... the cool AC, the sound of the slots machines calling my name, the sweet smell of the breakfast buffet... it was too tempting and yes... I sinned!... here you have it, I totally fell for it!... completely threw away the idea of sweating my heart out walking the Riverfront, eating fabulous beignets and coffee at the famed Cafe Du Monde, and taking photos of the beautiful French Quarter... all plans came to a halt when those casino doors opened and the slot machines called out my name!.... We went in, had breakfast (needed the energy!... it was slot maching heaven out there and you need a lot of elbow grease to pull all those "one-arm-bandits"!) and with a $20 budget, off I went looking for a penny machine (must make the $20 last, right?....)

Well, as soon as I got to $167, decided to call it quits for the day!... and went hunting for nice shots!... but first things first!.. I just had to pay a visit to the Hustler store... did you know they sell toys upstairs?.... I couldn't go up the stairs and they didn't have an eleveator, so don't you go on asking what kind of toys... I can tell you one thing, I doubt they have the latest spongebob toys there!...

Another must was a refreshing rest in the Cafe Du Monde where I learned that the calories eaten in New Orleans, stay in New Orleans!... I had beignets with coffee (and I don't even drink coffee!)... rested up away from the heat and unrelenting sun before going out there once again looking of all kind of photo opportunities!...

For dinner, we went to Oliver's and had a fantastic dinner!... walked back to the hotel and totally made another detour to the casino before calling it quits for the night!... $20 out of my winning went "puff"... with no jackpot!.... and that was just day 1!... hahaha!

Our adventure began with the drive from Ohio to Louisiana...

After looking at the map and with two days to spare, we packed the minivan full of goodies, the luggage all neatly placed on one side, the icebox packed with ice cold drinks, munchies and of course ice!...Off we went and right from the start, a good omen... entering Pennsylvania, a pigeon crapped right on the windshield window!... Then, as if ordered from above, the cloudy skies opened up and beautiful rays of sunshine were showing us the way (ok, the map was more accurate, but the sunshine 'effect' was more romantic for the story... so, bare with me...).

As we crossed state lines and West Virginia was on our site, we went to the closest department store (it happened to be a K-mart), and bought a sleeping bag for the trip (there's always something forgotten!), then we stopped for the night (it was about 3:30am) in the welcome center in Beckley, West Virginia, called Tamarack.

That has to be the most beautiful rest area I have ever seen!... The sleeping bag was set and I wasted no time falling asleep, just as so many weary travellers did... oh! was I comfy!...Next morning, at the crack of dawn, the smell of fresh coffee brewing coming from the general direction of Starbucks was heavenly!... and the photos I took were spectacular!... mind you, I ran to the restroom, brushed my hair and teeth, got my vanilla bean frappuccino venti and off I went shooting photos!... All the photos are in the slideshow titled "Postcards From Nola".

During the rest of that day and night, we crossed Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi until we finally saw the welcoming sign to Louisiana!... We drove all night... stopped for a shuteye every couple of hours at various rests areas until we found ourselves this a dilema... should we continue to New Orleans?... or... should we detour to Biloxi, get breakfast and pay a visit to the gulf beach and the Grand Casino?... it was a no-brainer!... we made the detour... ate in IHOP, drove to 90 east and viola!... there it was... the Harrah's Grand Casino!...

After spending a wooping $20 and no jackpot, we took to the road again... New Orleans here we come!!!!