Our last day in New Orleans

Today we did what Lyn didn’t want to, we went to a Louisiana graveyard. I ask Polly which one, she says Lafayette, as is the one most advertised to get a tour in, and we will do this without a tour guide, as not really what we wanted.

Once we have walked Bosco, and got our selves ready, I ask again for an Uber with the app we have installed thanks to Lyn and the helpful lady at the front desk at Pontchartrain Landing RV. The Uber screen says 9 minutes, Polly writes a note for Felicia next door, and as we get to the front of the resort he is calling us, he is here. Wow that happens fast, nice to have a dependable fast service, and you can track the Uber car too, nice.

Off we go, and I ask if we can go by St. Charles Ave. when we go to the Graveyard, and we do, but in the drive I realize that much of where we are still has construction signs, and flagging, and is tore up in the middle of the road, but nothing being done. So I ask the driver, and he says held up for funding. I did see on the news that there is a 1.7 Billion dollar bill for infrastructure in the house that is being held up, and has been for years now, I do see New Orleans is treated differently then other states, not sure why, but I think it has to do with you don’t want to play the way we want then this is what you get is what is happening. Too bad, as needs work on the roads here now.

We make it to the GY, and we get out and join many others that are doing same, but many with the help of a tour 

guide. We pass by them and their long past stories, and make our own tour Polly leading the way. The GY is all gated, with walls all around, and gates at 4 sides, only one is open. As we make our way around we see many with little or no maintenance done, and some were just falling down. We hear that it is up to the family to maintain them, and as family's go, not all connect with the past, and many have moved out of the city, as floods have separated families, as the driver told us before. We walk and look at all the graves above the ground, much different that we are used to, not like we go to graveyards often, but we have stones on the ground, these are all above the ground, as they expected flooding.

Some were empty

Firemen all in one crypt

Deterioration got this grave

We walked around the outside, then through the middle, and of coarse somehow got lost for awhile, then found the gate out after about 45 mins, and were glad to leave as was the most humid warm day we have had while here.

We made it to Magazine street, and then decided to call the driver as he left us with his number, he says would be awhile, but we were now in the shade and sitting on a bench, and had much to watch as we waited. We met a couple that lived close by, they were retired too, they asked if we were tourists, and when we told them what we were doing she said she always wanted to do this, but he wouldn’t go for it. They were out in there city being tourists she said, all dressed up, they were mostly watching there grandchildren, as both there daughters were single with kids, and need help. I said we on the other hand were not up for that. Raised our kids, and we are doing what we wanted now, as life goes by fast, and she agreed. They did talk of a trip they took when they were younger in a motor home with there kids when they were younger, and she said we went to the west, up to Oregon, and Washington, and Vancouver, and Victoria. Many good times she said with much joy. She loved to travel, and so did he, she just a little more.

Funny how much you learn sitting on a bench just watching, Polly and I had a wonderful time just then, listening to these older than us couple, and watching the goings on at the corner of Magazine St. and Washington Ave. The birds, small sparrows kept coming closer, getting what they could off the sidewalk, and as we sat there waiting a woman comes and sits waiting for the bus, and she then meets a man that she knows from waiting for the bus, and she says “Last time I saw you here you just had a stroke, and were going for an examination afterword, how did you make out|?” He says he has had another stroke since then, and they can’t find out what is causing it. We join in with talking about the movie Concussion, and he admits he had a few, like 11 fights, with gloves, and sounds like many without, and says what could a couple fights do. We then try to say that could be what lead to it, but he was not having any of it. He looked fine, but he said not all was as it seemed he did have troubles from the stroke. I don’t want to wait for life to hit me with something like this, we are off to do what we want before this comes my way. The bus pulls up, they get on thinking we were going too, but no we stay, maybe should have, but waited for our Uber...

On our way from GY huge Oak trees

A few minutes later another woman comes and sits down, she never says a word as she sits and waits for the bus, as Polly and I sit there watching the birds and people and talking about what we see. The bus comes after about 10 minutes and the woman gets on, as do a few others.

Bosco’s up now, the day has started rather nicely today, guess I’ll get another coffee and let him out for his morning pee. Mmm coffee is good, and Bosco needs a big cuddle now, it is colder this morning, some of that good ole Canadian cool air has been blowing in, 41 degrees this morning they forecast, but 75 by this afternoon, then will warm up the next few days to 85 again, I am getting to liking this weather.

Back to New Orleans, The bus that excepted all the people is now broke down, and the woman that is driving it starts with the phone to get some help, then the reflecters come out, and as she starts to set these all the people come off the bus, and the woman comes and sits again. She looks at me with a smile as she sits and says, well that was short. I laugh, and then the call from the Uber Raymond comes, he will be here in 4 mins. Sure do like this Uber thing, works real good.

The trailer moves now Polly is awake, I want to finish this as am behind in our travels.

We ate fast, only had 3. They went fast...

We get the driver to take us to Cafe du Monde as we want to get some Beignets and iced coffee, another that Lyn didn’t want to do. Wow yes they are full of icing sugar, and may not be good for you, but what a scrumptious treat, and the coffees were just what we wanted to help us get just a little cooler on this warm humid day. The Beignets were warm, and kinda like the fisherman's bread we would get at Swale Rock Cafe in Port Alberni, but sweeter, and a little more like cake inside.

All was good today, we watched the people next to us with twins 3 months old, and we talked with them, Polly got to oogle the babies, and say this one looked like here, and this one looked like Dad. Funny, I never really got that too much, but these two had much different looks, and this time I could see what Polly was saying.

After our “Not lunch” we wander toward the French Market one more time, and went into a few stores looking for a card, was a much different experience as we had been here before, so were looking at things just a little differently. Polly shopped, I watched, we make a good pair, neither bought... LOL

After awhile I say wanna a beer, I remember the small beer store across from the French market, Polly agrees, and off I go while Polly continues to shop. I like that it is OK to have a beer as we walk, but law says has to be discreet, so a bag around your can is all it takes to hide what you have from the law I guess as that is what we all do.

Polly up now, she says she slept good, as did I.

We took the road to Frenchman street, and looked for a place to have Lunch/Dinner as was late in the day now, and shopping was successful, bought nothing. A few of the bums I call them get a little forceful with there begging, to the point we talk about them after, not happy when they are rolling a joint, and sitting with there dog each and asking, demanding we place something in there hand. Not from me, I don’t take too much time with this, but I don’t like it.

We keep looking for a restaurant that will fit the bill as we back track onto Decatur St., something not too expensive, and decent food. We get about a block or two away from the bums, and we find Original French Market, a restaurant that fits the bill, you can smell the wonderful smell of cooking as they boil all the seafood, crab & crawfish right in the front of the restaurant.

Was the right time to go in, we had a waitress that said we were her only table, nice. Drinks first, then Polly orders Jambalaya Pasta, I get Alligator fried. All was good, and we were very happy to have or dinner and then a short walk and we order our Uber again, which takes us home.

As we walk toward our home and Bosco we see our neighbours Mike and Felica Tison walking toward the pool, and say we will meet you there, Felica says Bosco is OK, just walked him. We had been wanting to spend some time with them anyway, just never got a chance. We said Hi to Bosco, got on our suits, got a few beers, and went up to to the pool for a swim and a chat. Was nice to sit and talk with these two as just never had a chance since the first night we spent here. Felica walked Bosco almost every day we were here, as we were in town or on tour every day while Lyn was here, and we just spent our last day down town, so was just the right time.

We got to know them just a little better, and when we came home they came over and we talked some more, and when we parted, as they hadn’t had dinner yet, Felica said don’t go till we talk tomorrow.

Was a nice way to spend our last day here, we couldn’t have had a better time, was nice to have Lyn come and Join us, and we all got to discover the place together. New Orleans was fun, will be back, and next time will have the Beignets first!

Loving life here in the south...