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Published: October 31st 2009
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In the last posting, I indicated we were on our way to Texas, but a funny thing happened along the way. After we left Albuquerque, hoping to make significant progress toward Dallas by Sunday evening, we headed East on I-20. After about 50 miles, there was a loud noise and vibration--one of our rear tires was flat. We unloaded the car and jacked it up, but the wheel stubbornly refused to come off. Fortunately, I pay an auto club for road service, and now I know why. They dispatched a fellow who brought his sledgehammer to knock the wheel off, then finished mounting our donut spare. Meanwhile, as we were waiting by the roadside, my brother-in-law Steve in Dallas called to tell us he had to go to Oklahoma for a business meeting, and his wife Jan was taking care of an ailing daughter, so our Dallas segment was not going to happen. Steve and Jan, sorry we didn't get to see you. We'll have to catch up down the road.
We decided it wasn't a good idea to go very far on the spare. The tow truck guy was able to recommend a tire man who actually was willing
to work on a late Sunday afternoon, so we reloaded the car, drove it to him, then unloaded it again so he could replace both the flat tire and the opposite one on the rear, as it was also showing signs of wear. He sent his wife off to pick up the new tires while he took off the old ones. Eventually, all was ready to go again, so we (sigh) once again reloaded the car and set off. By this time, the day was waning and we only made it as far as Santa Rosa by nightfall. We checked our atlas and decided to continue East into the Texas panhandle the next day and onward toward our next destination, New Orleans.
Texas being the size that it is, we only made it as far as the East-Central part of the state on Monday. Tuesday, having secured a nice room in the French Quarter via Hotwire (and at a great price), we rolled on into Louisiana and headed South for the Crescent City. The landscape changed dramatically once again, with swampy wetlands, cypress, and sugarcane fields becoming commonplace. It was pretty strange to see so much green after all
the dryness of the Southwest, but also more like home.
We arrived in New Orleans in plenty of time to settle in before going out to explore the Bourbon Street night. Although many of the neighborhoods in the city continue to struggle in the drawn-out aftermath of Katrina, the French Quarter is going strong. The excesses of Bourbon Street are mythic, and it fully lived up to its reputation.
After taking in the sights and sounds for a while, we were ready for dinner. One of the many oyster bars, the Royal House, did not disappoint. We shared a dozen on the half shell, then ordered a great-tasting variety of entrees that satisfied each of us. We hit Bourbon Street again, just in time to enjoy a performance by the TBC Brass Band, a loose confederation of young street musicians who lit up the night. The idea that music permeates the streets of New Orleans, at least in the Quarter, is no exaggeration. TBC was exceptional by virtue of its size, but street musicians were audible on a virtually continuous basis, and they were exceptionally accomplished.
After a final stroll, we had a nightcap and returned to
The renowned Antoine's
The Royal House, where we had our first dinner in NO, is on the left. our hotel. Somehow, despite all the action, our room managed to be very quiet and we got a good night's sleep. Early the next morning, I headed to the Cafe du Monde for their famous cafe au lait and beignets. They were every bit as good as I had hoped, and I had the opportunity to explore more of the Quarter along the way. Jackson Square and St. Louis' Basilica were a great setting for another impressive street musician, a clarinetist who was joined by a tuba player. They noticed the Indiana U. t-shirt I was wearing and took off on "Back Home Again in Indiana," or "Indiana Blues" as Louis Armstrong called it. The music was terrific and pure, even if the Sousaphone was held together with duct tape and baling twine.
I wandered around many of the side streets, then returned to the hotel to rejoin the boys for lunch. We went to the Napoleon House, originally built as a potential residence for the Emperor, who was to be spirited off of St. Helena and brought to to New Orleans. He died instead, but still lends his name to what has become a wonderful and atmospheric place
TBC heats up the night
To Be Continued Brass Band performs on the sidewalk outside the Foot Locker. They got folks dancin'. to dine. The service is impeccable, the food is classic NOLA comfort food (red beans and rice, jambalaya, etc.), and the building is very special, inside and out. It doesn't hurt that the prices are quite reasonable, too.
We congratulated ourselves on our choice of restaurants, then walked South along the riverfront and, ultimately, back to our hotel. We had been having such a good time with food so far that we decided to splurge on our dinner. We made reservations at G.W. Fins, touted as perhaps the best seafood restaurant in New Orleans. Despite our reservation, we had to wait for over half an hour for our table, but, as Alec pointed out, they can't help it if they are overwhelmingly popular and people want to linger over their dinners. He was absolutely right, since, once we were seated, we had a truly memorable experience. We shared appetizers of delectable wood-grilled shrimp (heads on), and lobster dumplings (more like ravioli, and melt-in-your-mouth delicacies). We all chose different entrees, and all were extraordinary. Further, the service was truly special--always there when needed, never obtrusive. The concept is simple enough, but seldom executed this well. Then we came to dessert:
the waiter had asked us before we ordered our dinners if we wanted to have baked-to-order desserts, and we, of course, said yes. Although we were approaching satiety, this was one time when forging ahead regardless was a good idea. Andrew savored a delectable molten-centered chocolate cake, and the lightness of the cake was a perfect complement to the richness of the center. Alec and I shared an apple pie for two, with a cheese-straw crust. I didn't think I'd find a pie to rival Lyle's homemade dessert way back in Wisconsin, but this was definitely in the running. The fruit was full of flavor, both sweet and tart, and the cheese in the crust added a perfect savory element. All in all, our experience of food in New Orleans lived up to and even exceeded the city's reputation as a food capital. We strolled through the Bourbon Street night again, now getting a bit jaded to it's tawdry charms, then returned to our hotel for the night.
We needed to make it South Carolina the next day, so it was a relatively early night. Since the boys hadn't experienced the coffee and beignets at Cafe du Monde, I
thought we should make time for breakfast before hitting the road. Besides, I really wanted another round myself. Having taken care of that need, we hit the road for a long driving day. Our next destination would be Kiawah Island, South Carolina.
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Nancy
non-member comment
New Orleans
I loved the entry. I felt as though I was right there with you and all of your experiences. I love New Orleans. It is a great city, and a real one of a kind. Sounds like you guys are having a great time. Can't wait to read more.