Blogs from New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, North America

Living in America Lauantaina syötiin tuoreet aamupalat walmartista, jonka jälkeen lähdettiin keskustaan kahvitteleen ja netteileen. Aika kulu nopeeta skypetellessä ja keskipäivän pahin aurinko alko väistään sen verran, että päätettiin suunnata rannalle. Rantaviivaa st Petersburgissa on paljon. Päätettiin laittaa sormi vaan kartalle jonkun biitsin kohdalle ja suunnata sinne. Rannaks valikoitu treasure island, joka nimestä huolimatta oli vaan ranta. Aurinkoisena lauantaina muutamalla muullakin oli ajatuksena mennä rannalle ja parkkipaikat oli täynnä. Etittiin aika kauan paikkaa, mutta hyvä paikka löyty kuitenkin aivan rannan vierestä ja vielä sellaselta paikkaa, jossa ei hellevarjot ollu ihan vieri viereen kairattuina. Porukkaa tuppaa oleen rannalla kylmälaukkujen, katosten, aurinkotuolien ja hellevarjojen kanssa aikas paljon. Me ollaan jonkin sortin amatöörejä... read more

Day 21……21/04/2012 Well to all those who have been paying attention, the answer was obviously yes, if this means nothing to you, then you will have to go back and read through the last blog. We have decided to stay another day in Memphis, one to avoid riding illegally while still nursing a sore head from yesterday’s celebrating, something that would be a big no no with us, and secondly we have planned to go on a Mississippi Riverboat trip, something that was on our list to do, and as we seem to be within spitting distance of the river in question, it seems like a good plan.The day started a little overcast and definitely cooler than it has been, but as the morning went on the skies cleared, and we had perfect weather ... read more

As jazzlovers we cannot visit the USA without seeing New Orleans, the cradle of jazz. The town is fully aware of its historic value. It is a short walk to the Louis Armstrong Park. Here it all started once, specially on the Congo Square, where the slaves gathered to dance and to sing, inspired by old voodoo-rhythms from Africa. A little bit further on we see a statue of legendary cornetplayer Charles 'Buddy' Bolden, the first bandleader in jazz. He played harder, higher and faster than anyone else and was allready institutionalised when he was only in his thirties. There are only some pictures left, but no recordings. While Buddy Bolden bit his time in a psychiatric clinic other jazzmusicians took over. One of them was a poor boy, who worked on a wagon which transported ... read more