Some things I will take back with me

1.  New Orleans smells terrible
2.  There is no place in the world like Bourbon Street
3.  Southern Hospitality somehow didn't make it into the Big Easy
4.  New Orleans smells terrible
5.  Beignets taste like funnel cakes
6.  Young children should not be allowed here
7.  Jambalaya is wonderful
8.  New Orleans smells terrible
9.  I need to come without kids so I can go into the joints and listen to the bands
10.  Never drive through the city
11.  The EMS and Fire Department crews are extremely busy
12.  There are alot of homeless people here
13.  New Orleans smells terrible
14.  New Orleans is a very expensive place
15.  The swamps are really awesome
16.  Always take an airboat ride
17.  I love alligators

All in all we had a great time.  Jon really enjoyed his time here.  He may never be the same after some of the things he saw on Bourbon Street.  Tomorrow morning we embark on our cruise.  Can't wait for some sun and relaxation!  See y'all when we get back!!!

Last day in NOLA

 This morning we walked to the National World War II Museum.  I had heard great things about it and was excited to see what it was all about.  I will say we were not disappointed.  I would recommend this museum to anyone and tell them they have to go see the movie Beyond the Boundaries.  It is a 4D IMAX film that is narrated by Tom Hanks.  Wonderfully done and the effects were great.  Seats rumbling when the planes went over, the radio news stories about the war efforts, everything was done perfectly.

 This museum focused more on the personal stories of the soldiers and citizens that lived through the war not just cold hard facts.  One of the questions we had going into the museum was why was it in New Orleans.  None of us had ever read about New Orleans being involved in the war effort.  Today I learned that the designer and manufacturer of the boats that landed the troops and supplies on Normandy and other shores around the world was from this area.  He is credited with the success of the D Day invasions.  In fact Hitler compared him to Noah because his boats saved the troops.  I talked with a vet who steered these boats in the pacific campaign.  He said without the work of Higgins and his company the outcome of the war could have been very different.

 A German bomb shelter.  I never seem to have problems getting Jon to pose for pictures  : D

 A super cute sculpture on one of the streets

 A human statue who was trying to teach Jon the tricks of the trade

Um, WHAT?????

 A dance party erupting in the streets

 One of the few times we actually saw police down here

 Beads!

Down in the Bayou

 Saturday afternoon was spent on the bayou.  We signed up for an airboat tour to take us around the swamps.  It was about $75.00 a person but so worth it.  We had a great time.  The day was extremely sunny and warm so we all came back with some funky tans, but since I am not trying to find a summer romance on the boat I'm not that worried about it.  Jon and Josh are a different story  : )

 Our tour guide was Jay.  He is from Louisiana and he knew these waters extremely well and was able to answer all the questions we had.  Actually, me and Ken had.  We were the only ones who did any talking.  Even Jon was quiet.  Which is so weird for him.

 This is like the boat we were on but ours was only a six passenger.  Which worked out great for us because I hate being crowded.  These boats can go fast and move over land or water.  Since the marshes are losing so much land every year it is now illegal to move these boats over vegetation.  Punishable by fine and/or jail.

 Jon got to sit up in the co-captains chair for the first half of the tour.  Then he switched with Josh.  He looks natural up there doesn't he.  He absolutely loved it.

 Yes this boat is sideways but we are moving forward.  All I could think of was how my camera would be ruined if we tipped.

 Since we were in the marshes we all expected to see alligators.  I just didn't expect our guide to call them right up to the boat.  Apparently screaming words in french causes them to surface.  I can't get  my dogs to come to me when I call them and all he does is yell and six alligators show up.  I am doing something wrong.

 See that handrail?  That was my seat.  I moved.

 He was feeding them raw chicken but telling them he had rabbit.  Do alligators eat rabbit?

 Can you say close up?

 Part of the marshy swamp.  We have seen mountains, oceans, desert, plains, but never the marshes.  This is a totally different ecosystem then what we are used to.  I really enjoyed being out there.  So beautiful and peaceful.  Except for the 10 airboats flying by us every few minutes.  Guess they need to make their money somehow.

 This was our extremely stupid guide grabbing the tail to show us that she is a female and was getting beat up due to mating season.  He didn't have to show me, I would have believed him.

Hello Mr. Alligator

 They call this the cajun mohawk 

 This baby alligator will be raised on an alligator farm and released when it is about 4 years old.  Alligator farms actually take eggs from wild alligator nests and raise them for food, clothing, and souvenirs.  Because they take them from wild nests there are required to put 25% of them back into the wild.  They wait till they are around 4 years old so they have a greater chance of survival.  1 in 6 wild alligators survive to maturity.  6 in 6 survive on the farm.  

 Here's another tidbit of information.  The sex of the alligator does not depend on x or y chromosomes.  It depends on the temperature of the eggs they are developing in.  If the eggs are cool they will become females, if they are warm, males.   Don't ever say this blog didn't teach you anything  : D

 The Barataria Preserve is a national park.  And I love national parks.  And I really love getting stamps in my national park passport.  So this find was especially exciting.  We didn't spend a lot of time here, but there were quite a few trails we could have walked.  I didn't even know about it until I went to the national park website to watch a geyser in Yellowstone erupt and saw there was a park/preserve by where we were going to be.  Proceed to happy dance.  STAMP!!!

 See those little stumps in front of Ken?  Those are called Cypress knees.  They are actually the roots of the Cypress tress coming through the soil to get oxygen.  I had never seen that before so I thought they were pretty neat.

 View from our balcony.  Jon is just looking so much older to me  : (

 Bubba Gump bench in front of the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.  We didn't eat here but I had to take a picture.  These two wear me out!

 We ate dinner at the New Orleans Oyster Company.  Oh look, Ken had jambalaya and oysters on the half shell.  I had crawfish queso and chips and Jon had Alligator and a burger.S

 A historic church in Jackson Square.  We couldn't get close to it but it looked beautiful.

 Sitting watching the Mississippi River go by.

 At Cafe Du'Monde home of the world famous Benoit.  Also known to me and a big funnel cake.

 Jon and Josh on the streetcar.  These two can have fun anywhere.

A payphone?  What's a payphone?????

The Big Easy

May 25, 2012 was both an exciting and sad day.  While I am extremely excited about our trip to New Orleans and the cruise, I am also sad that this is the first vacation Ann has not accompanied us.  In fact, this is the longest I will go without seeing her.  Luckily, her pregnancy is going great so I really don't have any fears along that front.  I just really wish she was here to experience all this with us.  But Jon is super excited so I do look forward to having a great time with him.

Jon and I are alot alike in the "just roll with it" category.  Ken tends to fret over everything, and Ann just is a stay in the background kind of girl on trips.  Not me and Jon.  We have no problem busting a move with the street performers or just being able to really enjoy our experiences.  Ken says he always enjoys the trips after they are done because he has nothing to worry about then.  I live by the motto CARPE DIEM!!!

 We started our journey with a lunch at Lambert's Cafe, Home of the Thrown Roll.  Jon had never been here before so I really wanted him to be able to experience this.  I don't know if Jon was actually hungry for all the bread or he just really liked catching flying rolls in the air.  We all were stuffed to the gills by the time lunch was over.  And since Ken had not yet been to bed, this was the perfect time for him to hunker down for a nap.

 Jon Blaylock's dad let us borrow his Excursion, and it was a life saver.  We were all able to drive together and it offered us a ton of room.  Of course, Jon and Josh had trouble getting comfortable.  Or else they just liked screwing around in the back seat the whole time.  But they did catch some zzzzzz's  on the way down.

 Jon learned the sleeping on the floor was not the best solution.  It is easier to sleep in a car when you aren't longer than the seat.  Sometimes it sucks growing up  : )

 Once we arrived at the Holiday Inn at the Superdome at 8:00pm we were all starving so we headed down to Bourbon St. for dinner.  Holy Moly that place is crazy!  It's not a good picture but on the corner of one of the streets a band set up and people were in the streets dancing to them.  And the town stinks like trash, vomit, pee, and alcohol.  The atmosphere is unbelievable but I don't think I am brave enough to venture down here during Mardi Gras.

 Ken asked around to people who had been down here before for places to eat.  One that was mentioned over and over was Felix's Oyster Bar.  Believe it or not, we found it right away and sat down for dinner.  Ken loves oysters and Josh decided to be brave enough to try one.  So Ken gave him instructions on how to eat them while the rest of us sat back and laughed.

 Ken eats his with horseradish and when he saw the bowl of it on the table he was giddy like a little kid.  Josh prefers tabasco sauce which is what he put on his oyster and cracker.

He likes it, he really likes it.  In fact, he went back for seconds.  I will stick with my shrimp po' boy and crawfish etouffee thank you very much.  Jon really ventured off the charts and ate a hamburger.  That boy lives dangerous I tell you.  Ken followed up his oysters with jambalaya which he said was awesome.

Our first night in the Big Easy is considered a success.  Looking forward to a full day to be able to explore all this town holds