First Day to NOLA

We had a later start, but I don't know if I could have handled an earlier start. WOW. ANYway.... Eric is still coughing, but says he feels fine. I drove all the way, so I think he is still sick, because he hates my driving - it makes him nervous - and slept most of the way down here. Highway 27 (I think) from Vicksburg to Crystal Springs is a nice drive. Spring is alive in Mississippi, and all the trees are nice and green and it was just beautiful. It was like driving through the bottoms at home. We met traffic once we got within 13 miles of NOLA. (how do people do that everyday?). Stop and crawl. Stop and crawl. It was around 3:30pm, so I figure it was quitting time. We found our Bed and Breakfast with only one turn around. BUT OMG - there is a school next door and they were just letting out, so traffic again was awful. I began to panic. Was this what the Big Easy is all about? Traffic?

We are on the third floor at the Terrel House. Its a very small room, but the bed was comfortable last night and it's dark and cool. (two things I want in a room) There is a courtyard on the side that I enjoyed yet, with a beautiful fountain and lush green garden. Pictures will have to be made today.

Once we got our bags to our room, it was off to our adventure. Why did we choose NOLA? Food! And what kind of food did we want? SEAFOOD! Oysters in particular, raw please. So off to Acme Oyster we go. It's only a mile away. "We can walk there" I say. Eric says "oh hell no". My plan was to find a street car and ride into town. We asked our host about how to get a pass and she gave some "quick" directions and we didn't follow well. AND your have to have exact change - which we had none. SO off a hiking we went. BOY - was someone grumpy. (that was until I went off on him in the middle of the street and things were much better then!!) We were lost most of the time and stupid me followed my phone map directions instead of my head. We have blisters this morning. We found Acme through route of Bourbon Street, otherwise should be known as "SIN STREET AND MIDDLE OF HELL". I'm not gonna get on a high horse here, but it was just gross, lued and stinky. I can't believe that the people that sit on the left side of the church, second row, have been down that street!!

We finally found Acme and there was a line. But we didn't wait more than 5 minutes. Ok, let me start off - the oysters were good. Eric thought they were great! But now let me complain. We chose to be seated "1st available" and of course it was at the bar. At the bar, the guys are shucking oysters right in front of you and that was real cool. Back to complaining - our seats were right up against the door, and you know me, I don't complain while there, just gripe about it afterwards. Eric took his space and I squinch up against the wall. Which also means Eric ate most of the oysters, too. Oh well, he had fun. We had 2 dozen oysters and a sample plate of jambalaya, gumbo, smoked sausage and red beans and rice. With drinks, our bill was almost $60 dollars and we were really still hungry. Eric wanted to get another dozen oysters, but I told him we should sample some other oysters around town. You have to try Acme Oyster, because that what all the books and TV shows say, but I must say, they are pricing it according to their popularity.

We got change for a street car. We got lost again looking for the stinking street car, I mean -We walked the streets some more, exploring the city. Found the street car, and decided to ride. How far could the street car go right??!! How bout FOREVER. I thought I was gonna throw Eric off the street car, because he kept worrying about "how far was this thing gonna go" and "is it gonna bring us back to our B/B?" JUST SHUT UP AND RIDE for PETES SAKE!! It did take us a long ways, but we got to see some of the most beautiful homes and it's an open window streetcar, and the weather was perfect for it.

About and hour (or two) later, we got off at our stop. We were hungry, so we decided to try this restaurant at our stop. GOOD CHOICE!! It's called Zea. I don't know if it's a chain, but I think it might be. When we got there, they said we would have a 30 min wait, but we were seated shortly after we got there. We were afraid that we had chosen a swanky place by looking at the plates on the other diner's tables. Plus it had pretty white table clothes and candles. But our waiter was wonderful!! I would say that it was a dressy casual place. Lots of people came through the door and all seemed very happy to be there. We had duck empanoda's for appetizer - YUMMY. Eric had the dry ribs and I had the Trout with spicy shrimp/rice topping. YUMMY. I also had a side of corn grits. OMG, I have to have that recipe!! SO YUMMY. Did I say YUMMY??!!

We were only 4-5 blocks from our room, so off a hiking we went again. Straight to bed. What a great ending to a crazy day.