Got up to another great fall day here in Louisiana. Lazed around getting ready and pulled out about 9:00 a.m. Took Hwy 182, the old two-lane highway that connects all the towns along Bayou Teche. Great, easy ride, averaging about 50 mph, laid back looking at the great old homes. Went through some neat old towns, Jeanerette, Sorrel, Baldwin, Franklin, Centerville.
Pretty ride.
Old home on Hwy 182
Coming up on the Atchafalaya river coming into Morgan City.
The Atchafalaya (I just love that word for some reason)
This old place looks disheveled because of hurricane damage. There's still a lot of it in this area. They got hit full on by Gustav and brushed hard by Ike.
A beautiful, sad sight. Abear's Cafe in Houma. Closed on Sunday.
Absolutely the best cajun food in Louisiana as far as I'm concerned. (So far.)
Pulled into New Orleans about 3:00 p.m. We're staying on I-10 north of the city. I routed us around the southern end because, well, because I'd never taken that route. We stayed south of the river until catching the Westbank Expressway and crossing over to the city side. This put us right by the Super Dome and near the Riverwalk area. We merged onto I-10 and headed to the hotel, checked in, took another of those great ride showers and headed into town about 6:00 p.m.
Great old granite building on Camp street just off Canal.
Seemingly a few minutes later, it's dark and Bourbon Street.
Stopped into the SingSing Bar. Appropriately named. Great little three piece group playing Blues and R&B. Joined a little later by a wonderful singer named Pleashette. Man, could she do Aretha Franklin!!! Great voice on her own.
Bass player was a native American called Kujo, and one of, if not, the best, electric bass player I've ever heard.
Tina provided libation and, man, could this girl dance behind that bar. Wonderful, smiling personality. And it worked for her, too. She was a nice lady and a treat.
At these prices one would think a shot of Jack would go in a glass. But, no.
We went to eat at 'The Embers' on Bourbon Street. Food was surprisingly good. Picking up on our biegnet challenge, we've decided to test gumbos, too. The gumbo here was excellent.
Went back to the SingSing to find our little combo replaced by another band. This one featured a guitar player ala Stevie Ray. No joke, he was as close as I've ever heard to Stevie Ray's style and sound. This guy obviously made a hell of a deal at the crossroad. Worth it. Bobby J pointed out he screwed up the negotiations. He only got three chords.
Proving an old theory of mine, New Orleans is just like Disney World and Tijuana: It's got everything you don't need.
One of the sights that always amazes me. A couple with their two young girls (walking behind the post) on a tour of Bourbon Street where every third door has a shill trying to talk you into a bar or a strip join.One guy cracked us up. As Bobby and I walked by he tried to get us to go into this strip joint with a sign saying, "Topless and Bottomless." (I figured it out: they were wearing belts.) Anyway, I said, "Man, I'm too old for that stuff. I might have a heart attack or something." He says, "Man, you got a credit card, them bitches'll keep you alive all night!"
What, exactly, does one say to that? We just waved and kept walking.
Maybe the horse was interested.
Tomorrow: The great biegnet test continued on Jackson Square.
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