Blogs from Louisiana, United States, North America - page 79

(Wes writing:) We drove into town on March 18th and found our way to our couchsurfing host, Ben, who almost immediately took us out to “the Alamo” (a friends house which looks strikingly like the Alamo) for home-made corned beef and cabbage (it was the day after Saint Patrick’s Day). Ben lives with Walker in a rebuilt shotgun style house on the second floor. The first was still barren from after Katrina. Both Ben and Walker are really great guys. Good hearted people with plenty to talk about. They had a side yard which was unused, and just so happened to be just big enough for Gimli to park in, off the street. We stayed in the bus, and used the house facilities. After just a little bit of driving around in that city we ... read more

I am planning to apply to grad school for the Fall 2008 semester. Applying is a long, drawn out process. It is a lot different than applying for your undergrad because the competition is extreme. There are far more hopefuls than can be accepted in many respectable anthropology programs in the country. I plan to focus on historical archaeology and historical preservation. Our most cherished cities are the ones that have managed to preserve their history and maintain their connection to the past. That is a testament to the importance of preservation issues to local people, and it's an issue that will become important in the 21st century as cities become more crowded and developed. So far, my list of universities includes Tulane University, the University of New Orleans, Texas Tech, and the University of Chicago. ... read more

N’AWLINS. RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW You know when you’re at the bottom of the social ladder when you’re leaving an airport in a courtesy minibus full of people who actually have reservations at their hotel. You’ve got 11 stops until you get off. 10 stops for the others to alight at the ‘Sheraton’, the ‘Marriott’, the ‘Sorry Sir I regret to inform you that you are declined entry on the grounds of you being scum’, and all the other hotels that ‘welcome’ you with a revolving door guarded jealously by some twat in an outfit borrowed from that ‘Buttons’ geezer who was invariably played in panto by chirpy cockney type Charlie ‘Awight my Darlin’ Drake. Stop 9 takes you out of the main tourist zone. Stop 10 takes you into the ghettos. The last tentative ... read more

This entry wouldn't be considered a one month trip nor would it be considered a weekend trip, however it would be considered a day trip. A day trip may not seem like it is worth mentioning but I had so much fun that I think this case is special enough to do just that. The day started out with my Mom and I heading out in the morning to Ponchatoula, Louisiana, which isn't a very long drive from where we live. First thing was first, we stopped by Berry Town Produce. It's a family owned produce market/stand with amazing prices on a lot of their fresh fruits and vegetables. We got a lot of vegetables and some fruits, but not as much as we would have liked to get because of the season we are in ... read more

After regretfully leaving New Orleans, we headed west through Cajun country. Have you ever looked at the label on a bottle of Tabasco and thought that 'Avery Island, LA' sounded exotic? Well I have. After I saw it on the map, I found a brochure in the lobby of our hotel advertising Tabasco factory tours. It was fantastic! Although the factory wasn't operational, being Sunday, we learned interesting facts about the history of the factory and got to taste the wide range of varieties they now offer - from bbq chipotle to sweet asian and even worcestershire. We even got to take home some tiny bottles after the tour. The island itself was a quiet oasis over a short bridge, with lots of mossy oaks and birdlife. Interesting fact: each worker picking the tabasco chillis, wherever ... read more