Travel Journal

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="002285a1erlcgo.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>www.chapmansfriend.com</B></FONT><B>     |     </B><A HREF="default.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.chapmansfriend.com"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div>                                                   </div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="001d2c00dkelyh.gif"> <div> <A HREF="id59.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Wrapped Too Tight For New Orleans"><U>"Wrapped Too Tight For New Orleans"</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id61.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Pictures"><U>Pictures</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I><B>Travel Journal</B></I></div> <div> <B>January 10</B></div> <div> <B>7:14 AM</B></div> <div> <B>O'Hare</B></div> <bR> <div> Just waiting for my flight now... It's scheduled for 8:30.</div> <bR> <div> <B>January 11</B></div> <div> <B>12:19 AM</B></div> <div> <B>in New Orleans</B></div> <bR> <div> It turned out to not be a "full" day, mostly getting settled and doing a few quick walks through the French Quarter. I'm even still sober! </div> <div> I ended up getting to the hotel (about 3 blocks from the Quarter) around noon, checked my bag until check-in time, strolled until I could get to my room. Then did another stroll in the late afternoon. Tomorrow will be my first full day, though, so I expect to be more active!</div> <bR> <div> <B>January 12</B></div> <div> <B>11:21 AM</B></div> <bR> <div> All things considered, maybe morning updates are better for this trip-- let's just say I wasn't in any condition to post last night!</div> <div> Yesterday, I took a little more time to explore the French Quarter, and I partook of two essential New Orleans experiences-- beignets at Cafe Du Monde, and po-boys at Johnny's. Then later on I went looking for some good bars. There's a clear distinction between the good comfortable dive bars in other areas of the Quarter, and then the Bourbon Street scene. Both were fun but in different ways! No flashing sighted yet on Bourbon, though... Found a bar in a quieter part of town which has had documented sightings of Paul Shaffer and Ray Davies in the past, so maybe I'll run into a celebrity there?</div> <div> Not sure what I have on tap today and tonight (no pun intended!)... </div> <bR> <div> <B>January 13</B></div> <div> <B>10:49 AM</B></div> <div> Yesterday I took a short walk up to one of the city cemeteries... I think it was the one featured in <I>Easy Rider</I> but I'm not sure. Other than that, just some strolling around during the day. The main event of the evening was seeing a few sets at Preservation Hall-- it was a trombone band that sounded like the "real thing".</div> <div> On my checklist of New Orleans landmarks, I can now mark down Preservation Hall, a Hurricane at Pat O'Brien's, and a muffuletta from the Central Grocery :)</div> <bR> <div> <B>January 14</B></div> <div> <B>6:33 PM</B></div> <bR> <div> Didn't get a chance to post last night or this morning-- been busy...</div> <div> Last night, I did what I wondered if I'd be able to do for the past few weeks, which is go to the Saints' playoff game! I was able to get a ticket on ebay and met with the seller yesterday afternoon to pick up the ticket.So I was part of Saints Nation last night at the Superdome...</div> <div> The game itself was quite tense and exciting, and by the end of the game the Dome exploded with relief. I was glad I got to experience it, and also glad to see the Superdome in more pleasant circumstances than remembered from the Katrina aftermath.</div> <div> Afterward, there was a little partying in the French Quarter. Heh. I spent more time, though, in my new favorite hangout, a little bit of distance away.</div> <div> This morning, I was up very early to catch a guided tour of the Katrina sites. I worried that it would be inappropriate to take it, but as it turned out it was very tastefully done. The tour guide, who lives in the 9th Ward and had been involved in the rescue work afterward, was still pretty pissed about the bungling by the ACE, FEMA, ect.</div> <div> Other than that, just a little rest and some strolling today. Did ride the streetcar today...</div> <div> Last night in New Orleans-- I'll probably try to do a little tonight, just to give me something to remember the town by...</div> <bR> <div> <B>January 15</B></div> <div> <B>5:17 PM </B></div> <div> <B>at the airport</B></div> <bR> <div> The flight back home has been delayed a bit... Last night was fairly quiet, with a last few drinks at my new favorite New Orleans hangout and a leisurely walk back through the French Quarter, punctuated by a stop at Cafe Du Monde for beignets. I swear there was a full cup of powdered sugar dumped on those things! I only took in a few blocks' worth of Bourbon Street, and no drinks there. Not even a Big-Ass Beer.</div> <div> This morning, I took a last look around bought a few knick-knacks, and in the midst of it all checked out of the hotel. Major SNAFU because the airport shuttle lost my reservation, and therefore never showed up. I ended up splitting a cab out to the airport, where I'm now waiting for the flight. It <I>should </I>be in about an hour.</div> <bR> <div> A few days ago, I saw a T-shirt with a list of "10 things you need to do in New Orleans." I realized I'd done 5 of them already, and I ended up doing, I think, 7. They were, if I can remember them all, seeing a show at Preservation Hall; a Hurricane at Pat O'Brien's; beignets at Cafe Du Monde; riding a streetcar; eating a Lucky Dog on Bourbon St.; and I can't remember the 6th one (possibly something to do with po-boys or muffulettas), but the 7th was, of course, "buy some t-shirts." Hee. (Only ones I missed were; drinking a Big-Ass Beer, and two I think that had to do with dancing.) But I was already aware, as I'd been discussing the other night with somebody at my NFNOH (new favorite New Orleans hangout), that this really isn't the type of place where you have a strict list of things "to do". I mean, there were some things I felt I wanted to do because it was part of the experience, but the analogy I used at my NFNOH was that you had to let the city seep, let things come naturally. I hope I did <I>that </I>successfully...</div> <bR> <div> <B>January 16:</B></div> <div> <B>back home...</B></div> <bR> <div> Last night's journey back home took a little longer than anticipated. Weather problems around the country threatened to delay my flight back to Chicago until 8:45, but it eventually left at around 8:20, and I was at O'Hare by a little after 10...</div> <div> One thing I did not address was New Orleans music, not necessarily how much good music has come from New Orleans, but how many songs there are about the city. Other than NY and LA, probably more than anyplace else I can think, and off-the-charts when considering the relative city sizes... Just a few of the tunes that were on my mind last week:</div> <div> <I>Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans</I></div> <div> <I>Walking To New Orleans</I></div> <div> <I>Pearl Of The Quarter</I></div> <div> <I>Take Me To The Mardi Gras</I></div> <div> <I>Lady Marmalade</I></div> <div> <I>House Of The Rising Sun</I></div> <div> and, of couse, heard many, many times:</div> <div> <I>When The Saints Go Marching In</I>; and</div> <div> <I>Who Dat?</I></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>