Movin' East - Day 68

Monday, November 10, Day 68 - driving to New Orleans.

We awoke early (6AM) so that we could get to New Orleans in daylight, and have a little time to sightsee before the place got too crazy after dark. The above photo shows the sunrise in Ajax, LA this morning. We took several pictures on the road to New Orleans, so b sure to check out the web album.

This photo was taken at the entrance to the RV Resort we are staying at tonight. We have received several mailings from this resort in the past couple of years. They built this park in 2006, just after Hurricane Katrina. In fact, the day before Katrina is when they broke ground to begin building the resort. It is small, about 52 lots (sites), but each site is paved with paver bricks, with grass between the pads. There are NO trees anywhere on the property, so shade is a problem. However, it is only two blocks from the French Quarter, which makes up for the lack of some amenities. Walking from the resort into the French Quarter is easy, and, since there is not much parking , except for lots @ megabucks, recommended.

Here I am, at the corner of St. Louis and Bourbon Streets in the French Quarter. I have never been to New Orleans, so I really didn't know what to expect. All I can say is, this has to be the Honky Tonk Capital of the World! If you can't find it here, it doesn't exist!

Our walking tour began with looking for a yarn shop Kathy found on-line. They carry the yarn she is looking for, so we HAD to find it! Fortunatlely for me, it was on Chartres Street, right off of Jackson Square. After making her purchases there, we headed over to St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square for photographs. Next, we were both a bit hungry, so we decided to have dinner in the Quarter. Kathy had asked the woman in the yarn shop for a recommendation, and she directed us to a little restaurant called "The Gumbo Shop", where, she explained, "all the locals go" because it's not expensive and the food is excellent. Based upon her recommendation, we went there for dinner and we both enjoyed the food very much, and we didn't "break the bank" for dinner, either. Kathy had the "blackened catfish", with creamed spinach, and I had the "combination platter", which consisted of creole shrimp, jambalaya, and I substituted the crawfish etouffee instead of the "red beans and sausage". I was a bit worried, since I had never eaten crawfish before. However, the food was delicious. I tasted Kathy's catfish dish, and that was excellent. My combo platter was even better, if that's possible. The dish was not too heavy on the cajun spices, but was spicy enough to give it that extra little "kick". I will not be downing any TUMS tonight, if that gives you any indication. Kathy wanted to go to "Brennan's" for breakfast tomorrow morning, but I don't think my pocketbook can afford it, not to mention that we have to be out of here by 11AM, and Brennan's doesn't start serving until 9AM. Still, she says I have to take her somewhere for breakfast, soooo, looks like an IHOP morning!

Check back tomorrow for further details, as we head eastward into Florida (finally!).

Here's the link to today's web album:

http://picasaweb.google.com/cbenoitiii/TheTripDay68DrivingToNewOrleans?authkey=wYSFxk5tdO4#