6/20/17
Today was another absolutely jammed packed day - I thought I had built in some rest time today, but that didn't happen... everyone is unconscious at the moment and I'm up typing the journal and making sure things for tomorrow are lined up. I thought with two teenagers on the trip I'd be going to sleep with them still doing whatever, but no - I've outlasted every one every night so far. It's pretty funny.
So what did we do today? First and foremost - breakfast. Eating out on vacation is one my favorite things. I love finding unique restaurants that I could never get at home. This morning we tried Surrey's Cafe and Juice Bar. The french toast had rave reviews on Yelp so I had to give them a shot. Mama also had the french toast - she loved it, I didn't care for it too much. The cream cheese center was too much and the sauce was... well not for me. I ate enough of it, but not really my cup of tea, the coffee they had on the other hand was delicious. Their OJ was also fresh squeezed, though I wish they would have refrigerated the oranges before squeezing them or something as it was luke warm :(
After breakfast, which no one raved about, we went down to catch the hop on and off trolley. On our way we hit a bit of traffic where a tractor trailer had misjudged the turn, went up on a curb and got stuck under the bridge. That was one thing... the funny thing is that the beggars were playing traffic cop. It was quite humorous.
Once on the trolley our first hop off was Lafayette Square. We walked around, took some pictures of the square, the federal building and Gailier Hall before meandering back to the bus. One thing to note was we made a brief stop at the convenience store to get drinks and the guy was so funny. He was ignoring a gentleman at the door, I assume a regular beggar, and was mumbling to us. But he was funny - with a smart ass sense of humor. When I asked where the closest public bathroom was he said "Go to the hotel next door, just walk in and pretend you are a customer, no one will tell you no". He was right of course... but the look on his face after his transactions with us thus far just made it hilarious to me. I have no idea why, but I will remember him for quite some time.
So I went to bathroom at the hotel and off we went back to the bus. What interest me about the dynamics of this group is that Kaylee and Amanda are always walking ahead of us. Which is fine, they are young girls who want to chat about whatever young ladies talk about without us "adults" in range, but they don't know where they are actually going. So I'm constantly having to yell - stop - right - or something to that effect. I prefer that over them behind us as I would worry I lost them, but it just amuses me (most of the time).
Once back on the bus we listened to the commentary for a bit before hoping off to take the Garden District tour which is included in our ticket price. I want to remind you at this point, that it is pushing upper 90s and my mother is right there with us. Step for step. You have to admire her and Thank God for oxygen tanks that make it possible. Without them, there is no way she could do this.
Speaking of O2 let me digress for a second. She has an oxygen concentrator and it is giving an error column replacement needed. So I call the local Lincare to get them... they don't carry them! What the frack, why have a portable O2 concentrator you can travel with and not carry the equipment in all of your locations to handle issues? This is why we went with a nationwide company... UGH! I was able to get her some portable tanks, but I'm a bit worried about having them in the truck due to the heat. I may use them tomorrow and then return it... but then what will she use in the other cities. Have a day to figure this out -- any nurses/medical staff that want to chime in, given Lincare is about useless, I would appreciate it.
Ok... back to our regularly scheduled travel blog. The Garden District tour was an hour walk around the neighborhood looking at the homes and being told about the architecture and the history. I found the guide to be fairly interesting and the pace was not so much that it tired us out, but the heat was extreme. After the walk, which was extremely nice, we rode down to Jackson Square for a bite to eat.
We ate at a restaurant called Gumbo Shop and it was really good + the A/C worked! We relaxed, enjoyed our meal and told stories with the waiter. I really did enjoy it, but it had to end and the heat beaconed.
We went over to Jackson Square and visited the St. Louis Cathedral. It was quite pretty on the inside and well worth a visit if you ever come this way. We then meandered around the square and relaxed for a bit before going over to Cafe Du Monde. This place is supposedly famous and these "french doughnuts to die for". They taste like funnel cakes and not even good funnel cakes. So we ate most of it, then headed back toward the bus.
Unfortunately, we had just missed it so there was a 30 minute wait. We could have walked it, but I think everyone was done for so we looked at tourist shops before waiting in a shady area for it to return. Once returned we got on the bus - rode back to our car and came home for a much needed rest.
We stayed here for a few, then Amanda, Kaylee and I left to go get some stuff at Walmart while Mama slept. When we got back she was up getting ready so we all did the same. I could have handled a nap myself, but alas, I can sleep when I'm dead.
After we got all dolled up I called an UBER to take us down to Bourbon street. I wanted to be able to drink, but more than that I just wanted to relax and not try and find parking at night in a party town. We first went to Preservation Hall to watch the 9 O'clock performance. With an age restriction this is one the few places that I knew the girls could enjoy the music...
While we waited we chatted with a local bouncer that was near our line and generally had a good time cutting up and trying to not swelter. The facility itself has no air and limited seating so it wasn't the best experience, but at the same time it is supposed to be a throwback to the old Jazz clubs so ... Mama was able to sit outside in the hall and hear it perfectly + it was cooler out there as there was a fan, so win. The three of us all went in and out, sitting some in the hall, then standing and watching. I don't think Kaylee enjoyed it, but Amanda seemed to - even if it was not what she had envisioned. I thought the music was good, excellent in fact, but the venue needs to get over itself and get some seats and an A/C - vintage is only good for some things.
Once the performance was over we walked the girls down a section of Bourbon street itself. This is of course known as the wild city and even though it was only 10 o'clock and a weekday the girls got to see plenty of what Bourbon Street is. I would have liked to have went into a bar and listened to some music - maybe next time. I must say I thought there would be more street music to listen to, I was hoping the nieces could experience more of that, but didn't see it tonight. Maybe tomorrow... we shall see.
I then asked what they wanted to do - sleep, walk more, or go eat. 1 said eat, 1 said sleep and 1 didn't really answer so eating it was. I had another restaurant picked out, but it was too fancy for a quick bite so we ended up at a place called Royal Cafe. It was a little pricier than I had planned, and not what everyone wanted once we got there, but they walked off when I was trying to choose a restaurant so I vetoed the right to complain and we decided to stay there and get a bite.
The hamburgers people got seemed good. I got a Gumbo and it was good, but what I had at lunch was better. Once we had finished eating it was 11 pm and they were closing down. I grabbed an UBER and we are now safe and sound in the hotel.
It was really a great day, but super busy. They are saying rain tomorrow - pray it holds off for us please. We welcome the breeze, but the rain can stay :)
Good night blogland - sleep well and thank you for joining us on this journey.
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