We enjoyed Spring Break with the kids this year with a week long trip to New Orleans....uh N'awlins. Lauren and Richie's USU break ended up being the same week as Landon's U of U break, and Lindsey joined us to round out the numbers.
We started our visit to the Big Easy with a Segway tour through the city streets, the French Quarter, into parks, along the Mississippi, through the markets and down Bourbon street.
Lindsey wanted to be certain to document the ride, so she took a photo of herself, while IN MOTION on the segway. Yes, that's me right behind her, calling to her the whole time: "Lindsey, there's a car coming! Get over!"
Scott and I having a tender "Awww, Shucks!" moment.
After a few hours on the segways, we worked up quite an appetite, so we headed over to the House of Blues for a burger and a brewsky. Okay, maybe just a burger.
We strolled through the French Market, and the girls both found a few trinkets and souvenirs they couldn't live without.
And, of course, New Orleans would be complete without a trip to Cafe Du Monde for Beignets and Hot Chocolate!
They were good enough that we had to repeat the visit another time or two during the week.
Jackson Square was busy and bustling.
The square had artists and a bunch of kooks all over...We bypassed "Michael the Realistic Mystic" who wanted to tell our fortunes with Tarot cards, and went straight to Penelope the Palm Reader
She gave it a go with Lauren's palms, and was surprisingly accurate with many of the things she told her. We now know Lauren is going to live a long and healthy life! Whew! And, if Penelope the palm reader is correct, Lauren's baby is the first of four, and she is having a ..... girl!
The next day, we took the trolly out to the garden district to see the beautiful homes there, have lunch, visit the LaFayette cemetery, and have ice cream at Sucre.
That night, dinner was at the Crazy Lobster right on the Riverfront. I could be wrong, but I think Lindsey enjoyed her crab legs immensely!
The next day, we headed east and went on a swamp tour on the Pearl River, right on the Mississippi/Louisiana border.
We saw alligators, frogs, A LOT of snakes, turtles, egrets....
.... and a blue heron.
We all got to hold this baby alligator, named "Fluffy."
It was a great ride, and most of us returned with a bit of a sunburn!
The heat and humidity of Louisiana did a complete frizz job on my hair, so Lindsey took pity on me and did a wash and blow out for me! I felt totally spoiled!
Wednesday, we made reservations to attend cooking classes at the New Orleans School of Cooking.
Our instructor, Harriet, was a New Orleans native and a real character! She entertained us with her amusing anecdotes as she taught us how to make Jambalaya, Gumbo, Bread Pudding, and Pecan Pralines. After she demonstrated how to make the dishes, we got to eat it all for lunch!
Then, it was off to the Audabon Aquarium and an IMAX presentation, "Hurricane on the Bayou."
When we headed back towards the Riverfront area, there was a mini-parade of Mardi Gras floats going down the street!
That evening, we took a dinner cruise down the Mississippi River on the Steamboat Natchez, an authentically restored Paddle Wheel steamer.
After dinner, we sat out on deck and enjoyed the Dixieland Jazz music by the Dukes of Dixieland.
We enjoyed a yummy lunch at a John Besh restaurant called The American Sector. It was housed inside the New Orleans World War II Museum.
We all thought New Orleans was an odd place for a WWII museum until we learned that "Higgins Boats," the Amphibious landing craft used at Normandy, and various other locations during the war, were designed and built in New Orleans by Andrew Higgins.
Our last day in New Orleans, we drove west of the city to an area called "Plantation Row" to see some of the beautiful Civil War Era antebellum plantation homes and estates. We toured Oak Alley and walked the grounds there
There are about 30 Live Oak Trees that form a beautiful entrance to this estate.
On the way home, we took the 24 mile causeway across Lake Pontchartrain. The causeway is the longest continuous bridge over water, and is supported by 9,500 concrete pilings.
When we arrived back in New Orleans, we drove through the Ninth Ward area that was so devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Although much of the area is still in shambles, and many bare foundations are still evident, it was interesting to see some of the new growth and development in these areas.
We started our visit to the Big Easy with a Segway tour through the city streets, the French Quarter, into parks, along the Mississippi, through the markets and down Bourbon street.
Lindsey wanted to be certain to document the ride, so she took a photo of herself, while IN MOTION on the segway. Yes, that's me right behind her, calling to her the whole time: "Lindsey, there's a car coming! Get over!"
Scott and I having a tender "Awww, Shucks!" moment.
After a few hours on the segways, we worked up quite an appetite, so we headed over to the House of Blues for a burger and a brewsky. Okay, maybe just a burger.
We strolled through the French Market, and the girls both found a few trinkets and souvenirs they couldn't live without.
And, of course, New Orleans would be complete without a trip to Cafe Du Monde for Beignets and Hot Chocolate!
They were good enough that we had to repeat the visit another time or two during the week.
Jackson Square was busy and bustling.
The square had artists and a bunch of kooks all over...We bypassed "Michael the Realistic Mystic" who wanted to tell our fortunes with Tarot cards, and went straight to Penelope the Palm Reader
She gave it a go with Lauren's palms, and was surprisingly accurate with many of the things she told her. We now know Lauren is going to live a long and healthy life! Whew! And, if Penelope the palm reader is correct, Lauren's baby is the first of four, and she is having a ..... girl!
The next day, we took the trolly out to the garden district to see the beautiful homes there, have lunch, visit the LaFayette cemetery, and have ice cream at Sucre.
That night, dinner was at the Crazy Lobster right on the Riverfront. I could be wrong, but I think Lindsey enjoyed her crab legs immensely!
The next day, we headed east and went on a swamp tour on the Pearl River, right on the Mississippi/Louisiana border.
We saw alligators, frogs, A LOT of snakes, turtles, egrets....
.... and a blue heron.
We all got to hold this baby alligator, named "Fluffy."
It was a great ride, and most of us returned with a bit of a sunburn!
The heat and humidity of Louisiana did a complete frizz job on my hair, so Lindsey took pity on me and did a wash and blow out for me! I felt totally spoiled!
Wednesday, we made reservations to attend cooking classes at the New Orleans School of Cooking.
Our instructor, Harriet, was a New Orleans native and a real character! She entertained us with her amusing anecdotes as she taught us how to make Jambalaya, Gumbo, Bread Pudding, and Pecan Pralines. After she demonstrated how to make the dishes, we got to eat it all for lunch!
Then, it was off to the Audabon Aquarium and an IMAX presentation, "Hurricane on the Bayou."
When we headed back towards the Riverfront area, there was a mini-parade of Mardi Gras floats going down the street!
That evening, we took a dinner cruise down the Mississippi River on the Steamboat Natchez, an authentically restored Paddle Wheel steamer.
After dinner, we sat out on deck and enjoyed the Dixieland Jazz music by the Dukes of Dixieland.
We enjoyed a yummy lunch at a John Besh restaurant called The American Sector. It was housed inside the New Orleans World War II Museum.
We all thought New Orleans was an odd place for a WWII museum until we learned that "Higgins Boats," the Amphibious landing craft used at Normandy, and various other locations during the war, were designed and built in New Orleans by Andrew Higgins.
Our last day in New Orleans, we drove west of the city to an area called "Plantation Row" to see some of the beautiful Civil War Era antebellum plantation homes and estates. We toured Oak Alley and walked the grounds there
There are about 30 Live Oak Trees that form a beautiful entrance to this estate.
On the way home, we took the 24 mile causeway across Lake Pontchartrain. The causeway is the longest continuous bridge over water, and is supported by 9,500 concrete pilings.
When we arrived back in New Orleans, we drove through the Ninth Ward area that was so devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Although much of the area is still in shambles, and many bare foundations are still evident, it was interesting to see some of the new growth and development in these areas.
One of the most notable areas of rebuilding is Brad Pitt's "Make It Right" homes that are being constructed right where the levee broke through and destroyed 4000 homes. The Make It Right homes are colorful houses with bat-wing roofs and louver trellised porches, all elevated 6 to 8 feet above the ground.
Thanks, kids, for a great week exploring the Big Easy!
1 comment:
Looks like you guys had a blast!
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