NEW ORLEANS

Louisiana Purchase 1803 - 2003

Paris.

Barcelona.

2 GO TO NEW ORLEANS & BECOME 4
John and Julie's holiday 2003 to New Orleans, just the two of us this time started out from Manchester but became 4 when we were met by Julie's brother David and Elizabeth they flew in from Canada the day before.
Starting on the Thursday when John again went to Northampton to collect his Mum, (again she would be looking after our house and Cats for the seven days we were away). This time we packed our case on friday night.
Jules' Diary.
24/5/2003 25/5/2003 26/5/2003 27/5/2003 28/5/2003 29/5/2003 30/5/2003
24 May 2003 - Saturday morning we were picked up at 6.20a.m. by taxi and taken to Manchester Airport for our 7.20 flight to London's Heathrow. The flight was fine, the food was very good John had an Egg & Bacon roll and I had the vegetarian meal Egg & Cheese roll. We left late due to the number of people fly from Manchester but arrived in time to catch our connection to Chicago at 3.30 p.m, collected our bags on arrival and then booked them in again to New Orleans, we arrived in New Orleans to be met by David and Elizabeth, went to collect our cases and off to the car to be taken to our hotel Best Western Landmark, in Matairie. Room very large - bed big enough for 4!
Good to see Dave & Elizabeth.
Had a trip to the French Quarter to sample the nightlife, music
everywhere, partying that obviously continues until you drop!
Many people so boozed that the only thing that kept them upright
was the fact that they leaned towards each other.
An interesting and lively atmosphere, great walking along Bourbon Street.
Fit to drop! back to the hotel fell into bed at midnight,
John & I have been awake now for 24 hours.
25 May 2003 - Sunday had another look round the places in the French Quarter we visited last night. On to the French Market and Flea Market. We had a very nice lunch at Jimmy Buffets. Then we took a drive, saw some absolutely beautiful houses - you could smell the money very different in sharp contrast to the squalid conditions of some black areas nearby!
On to look at the Cemeteries, unfortunately they were closed and the gates were locked; too much vandalism, stupidity and crime, we will be going again as these are very interesting sites above ground.

26 May 2003 - Monday, today we traveled to Baton Rouge and looked around the old State Capitol building; this was quite interesting but decided it hasn't been a healthy place down here if you had black skin.

It started to rain quite heavily and so cut short our little walk, moving on to Lafayette with the promise of a Cajan village - Oh dear! It's memorial day and everywhere was closed - it seemed like a ghost town. Ate at Chilis, good, Mexican food and home for a early night. Tried to see the cemeteries but arrived to late, will try again tomorrow.

27 May 2003 - Tuesday a very busy day.
Cemetery tour - very interesting to see these small 'houses'/crypts above ground; strange and eerie.

On to the Mississippi Steamboat "NATCHEZ" most enjoyable, the trip takes you down river turns round and back up the other side it takes about an hour, lots of people had boarded early to get lunch before the steamboat left its dock, but I don't think I want to eat sugar again having seen the Domino refinery.

The highlight of the day was a trip to Blane Kern's - Mardi Gras World, absolutely fascinating, colourful and exciting.

We even met the man himself.
Took lots of photographs here. Some of the floats were 3 carriages long and really well designed. We were shown the floats at various stages of production for next year's 'Fat' Tuesday.

Finally had tea in the Riverside Mall, you could name your own poison, so much choice. Tired but happy.

28 May 2003 - Wednesday up quite early today, Breakfast at Dennys of eggs and pancakes (very good, too) and then an early start on the road to the Laura Plantation (formally a Creole Sugar Plantation). This was an excellent trip and we learned much about the family's plantation business and the strange laws in the area governing inheritance. Apparently 'Fats Domino' was born on this plantation Antoine "Fats" Domino Jr, a grandson of one of the slave families. Michael, our guide was really good and I made friends with a very sleepy inhabitant of the cat variety.

Traveled early pm to the gulf coast, white sands, warm sea and lots of well trained seagulls; taught them to swoop for food thrown into the air - we could have a class act here! Had a picnic on the beach. Didn't see the promised pelicans. On the way back we called at Wall-Mart, Wow what a store!

29 May 2003 - Thursday we were supposed to be going on a swamp tour but John was more interested in a shopping spree so that's what was on the itinerary for today, back to the French Quarter shops and market. Shame! I quite fancied seeing the alligators; I don't think! Yuk.

30 May 2003 - We left the hotel at 10am to get to the airport for our flight from New Orleans at 12.20 this would take us to St. Louis for our connection to Gatwick and then on the Manchester arriving at 11.05am a very long trip.

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