What a whirlwind...

So...spring has finally arrived.



Well, I don't think it feels like it in Ohio. But WE are on spring BREAK!!!!



I have to admit, it was a whirlwind of activity to get to this point!

On Thursday...our home was blessed with some new carpet (the old was 10 years old...had survived (or not) 2 toddlers, a cat, and a previous husband that refused to remove his shoes)...time for it to go!!



While they were installing the new carpet...my new CAR arrived!!! Um, well, just realized...my old car is also 10 years old!!! P.S. - Plug for the guys at G&M Auto Sales in Coshocton - and thanks to Justin, I finally got the vehicle I have been waiting for!!



All this while trying to get some real work done. My kids arrived home from school and I still hadn't packed for our 7:15 pm Skybus flight.



As I wrapped some things up, trying to get out the door, my son also announced that he was lacking in certain clean garments for the trip. I believed they were in the dryer, so I sent him down to get them, only to find that they had washed alright...a FEW DAYS AGO. AAAAAAAGGGHHH!!!



So, we rewashed them and threw them in the dryer while I finished packing in a hurry. I couldn't think of what I possibly needed so in went a few spring clothes, flip flops, and my sunglasses. Oh, and a few other important items also.



Minus ONE important item.



I'll let you see if you can figure it out.



We arrived in Gulfport, Mississippi about 8:30pm Thursday night. We went to the store to pick up a few items and headed to our hotel. The hotel wasn't quite what I was expecting, but interesting nonetheless. It was a Hampton, but was like a motel...the lot was full of semi's!! The road this was on appeared to be the center of this area, much like Rt. 79 in Heath.



Anyway, we gathered our stuff and got to bed around 11pm.



Friday morning we drove to New Orleans, about an hour and 15 from Gulfport. We were amazed at the obvious remaining hurricane damage from Katrina in 2005. Though there is evidence of construction and re-build, other spots are still completely devastated. As if providing a riddle...other areas look just like they never experienced anything at all. Sometimes these are tucked in between homes or businesses that have not been dealt with since the storm plowed through.



We arrived at our hotel in the city, after driving right past a tent city under a highway. Actually, the kids noticed it and I missed it until I was turning the corner. We are perplexed by this. Are these people poor and homeless? One would think obviously, yes. But these aren't shantys, or even army type tents. These are the big tents that a whole family would use on a camping trip. And there were maybe a few hundred, tucked under the overpass, within yards of Canal Street on either side. Were the tents provided? Or is this some sort of staged protest to the lack of assistance? We just aren't sure.



We checked in, parked and headed out on foot. We walked down the famous Canal Street toward the Riverwalk, and we got to see our first paddleboat/steamboat, docked on the Mississippi. We moseyed along until we found the French Quarter. We did a lot of walking, and suddenly my kids were STARVING. Oh, where to eat with so many choices!



We chose a little place called "Napoleon's" after much walking and Megan "almost dying". She had a delectable "Po' Boy" roast beef sandwich, while Ian and I split a famed "Muffaletta" and a panini. We also got a sample side of jambalya, which was fabulous! On the way out of this cute pub, we took a quick pass down Bourbon Street (and that was enough!). It's...well...a mini-Vegas of sorts??



We topped this off with a visit to the famous Cafe du Monde for our own taste of real beignets! All this while sitting on the steps in front of Jackson Square, with the beautiful St. Louis cathedral and horse-drawn carriages as the backdrop, and live jazz music to listen to!



Ahhhh - this is vacation to me. New sights, relaxing in the warm sun to some live jazz music! And the kids enjoyed it too!!!



A ride on the streetcar took us across the city to the cemetaries, where all are built into mausoleums. Though there was much about witches and voodoo along the way (and supposedly in the cemetary), we chose to pass up those "opportunities" for time spent better elsewhere. Like I told Ian...they will see enough on their own someday. No need for me to introduce that stuff!



We finally made it back to the hotel and went down for a good night's sleep.



Today, I decided since I had to leave my parking space to move on to the next hotel, we might as well "get lost". I am so glad we did!



First stop - Louisiana Superdome. It is hard to believe that this was home to so many who were stranded. It is difficult to picture water all around in the city, but it was there!



Next, we drove through the beautiful garden district. Incredibly huge and decorated homes, with tree-lined streets and flowers everywhere. Again, a mix of homes under re-construction, others look like nothing ever happened. We ended at what appeared to be a small oil refinery on the river. There were railroad tracks right next to it - and so we waited a little bit - and here was a train!!! Neither I or the kids had been this close to a train moving right next to us!



From there we hit the Audubon Zoo. Here we took in all the wildlife, most notably an anteater and some really beautiful flamingoes, as well as seeing a white alligator and snapping turtle being fed steak!



We headed back in the late afternoon to chill, and get ready for our Easter Eve adventure...

a jazz and dinner cruise on the Mississippi!!! On the big paddlwheel Natchez tour.



We'll see what tomorrow brings...here is a taste of what we saw!