Louisiana Trip Day 4
9:30am- Wake up time!
12pm- We got ready and left the hotel. Today, we decided to go to the casino. Mark loves it, so he was super excited. My grandmother and her boyfriend came as well. She is an avid casino goer, so she enjoyed herself as well. For lunch, we had the Cajun buffet at Amelie’s (that is the casino). I thought the food was great minus a few nit-picks here and there.
3pm- Time to go… we ended up leaving the casino with an extra $200!! Since it was our first time there, we each got a $10 players card, so we actually gained money by going!
5pm- this is the time now. Mama has veered off for some rest and relaxation back at the hotel, while the men and I venture around Morgan City…
Look for more updates later :)
Louisiana Trip Day 3
Well, another day gone, time is moving too fast! I want to savor my time here because I don’t know when I will be able to come back.
The morning started with the checking out of our room and brunch in the French Quarter. We ate at Café Fleur-de-lis. I had an egg platter and iced mocha coffee, both were good. The hashbrowns are delicious and spicy, so add those as side! We were headed out of the city, but we stopped at the St. Louis Cemetery. Mark was very excited because he got to see the area from which Infamous (videogame) was modeled. After our sidebar, we were headed “home.”
I say “home” because its actually no ones home. Mark is from NC, I am just a dandelion floating from place to place, and neither Mama nor Daddy really claim Bayou Vista as “home.” Mama didn’t even grow here (shes from right outside this town). I do call it home because this is where my roots are deeply connected. Even though I wasn’t born here or raised here, I was raised the Cajun way and I will always hold my culture dear to my heart.
Our first stop in Bayou Vista was my Momo Lucys house. That is my Father’s Mother. Her health is rapidly deteriorating, so I’m happy we all get to visit with her, I’m especially glad for my Daddy. We are not the close knit family, but regardless, she is the only grandparent I have left, and I am honored she could meet my wonderful husband. We all sat around, talked, and caught up with how the rest of the family is doing.
We said our goodbyes, and left for dinner. We went to Tampicos in Morgan City. I do not like Tampicos, let me just go on record as saying our Mexican restaurants in North Carolina are better. I know Daddy disagrees, but that’s just because he is holding onto a memory. I do like their enchilada sauce, though. To be fair, the food is decent and a nice change-up from the typical Cajun cuisine everyone can get around here.
I know it seems like all we do is eat, but those other few things we do take more time than my details give, and lets be honest, Cajuns love to eat! ;)
Bed for now, but we will see what tomorrow holds.
Louisiana Trip Day 2 (what I forgot)
I forgot We Never Close. This is a restaurant in New Orleans Easy that has delicious Po-Boys. A po-boy is a sub sandwhich. Yesterday, we ordered a hot sausage, a shrimp, and a roast beef. The roast beef is my personal favorite because the gravy is so delicious. You can imagine my heartbreak when they told me they were out of roast beef. :( I ended up getting a philly cheesesteak with gravy on it, it was a decent substitute. I have to say, I was disappointed in the shrimp po-boy. The shrimp had a strong iodine flavor, but overall, a wonderful lunch indeed!
Louisiana Trip Day 2
I’ve skipped Day 1 for now, but my hopes are to go back and do it later.
A little backdrop: My Mama, Daddy, and Husband (Mark) went on this trip to Louisiana. All of my family are Cajun, so we know a few places in and out, others were things we are doing for Mark. He has never been, so we want to show him and let him experience as much of Louisiana as we can. Our first stop is in New Orleans.
Day 2 was yesterday, we are in New Orleans. The morning consisted of a trip to Cafè Du Mondes (I really don’t think that’s how you spell it). My Mama and I were disappointed because the beignets were not as good as they usually are and my coffee was horrible. It was more of an experience thing, anyway. Then, we walked around downtown. I love NOLA. The city has beautiful architecture and lovely little pieces of histroy, right next to new places. It is a lovely town to visit. Mark and I got toasting glasses for our wedding that are stunning! They have mardi gras colored fleur-de-lis stems.
After leaving the French Quarter, we drove to the Ninth Ward. For those of you who don’t know, this is where one of the Levees broke during Hurricane Katrina. It is located in New Orleans East. Its sad to see homes and apartment buildings that still have the “x” on them from when the homes were inspected for dead bodies. The Ninth Ward is where the lower income live. Many never came back that were able to move out after the devastation. As much as I love staying positive and happy, I want to bring awareness to people about this great city. The high school my mother went to closed after the flood, it has now been converted to a private academy. Many homes are still boarded up, some are even left with the blue tarps FEMA sent to cover the damage to the roofs.
A heartbreaking moment was when I saw a home that was all boarded up and the weeds had taken over. It had the “x”. The search found a dead dog. What was more moving wasnt what the government had put on the door, but what the family had. In black spray paint, someone had written “NEED HELP NOW.” Luckily, it seems the family has survived, minus their pet. Tourists see the beauty of the city and the fun French Quarter when they come, but they neglect to see the devastation 5 minutes away.
Another defining moment, for me, was seeing an old Six Flags, now home to abandoned roller coasters and weed growth all around. The sign read “cl sed for storm.” It has not been in operation since 2005 when they shut down for the hurricane. I’m not asking for money, but just an eye-opener to people who think everything is fine.
We stopped on the way out for a snowball, which is Louisiana’s delicious take on a snowcone. Mark also had his first hot tamales (which is big thing down here). Then, it was naptime :)
Later that evening, we tried our luck at the Casino here in New Orleans. Penny machines for everyone! It was Hubby and I’s first time going and we had fun. For dinner, we went to a hole-in-the-wall bar named Port of Call. If you ever go to NOLA, go there! BEST hamburgers I’ve had in the longest time. Its pricey, but it is worth it. They come served with a large baked potato, and they are super yummy too! I didn’t have any of their specialty drinks, but they looked good.
Its been a lovely time thus far, keep on the lookout for more trip logs!
Birthday!!!!
Today is my 21st bday!!! Currently, I am in New Orleans about to start getting ready for the evening. I ate at Deanies Seafood for lunch. It was delicious!! We had the giant platter and even with all 4 of us, it was too much. I’m planning on buying a hurricane as my 21 year old alcoholic purchase, a throwback to my Cajun heritage and the great state I’m in. Bourbon street here I come!
