On Friday, 31 March, we headed South; destination: Bethany, MO - a mere pit stop on our way to Branson, MO. Question: Does anyone successfully travel the interstate highways without stopping at McDonald's? Okay, anyone with a five year old in tow? After a night at the Super 8 (where the wireless was less) we arrived in Branson on Saturday, early afternoon. After the requisite stop at "grandma's house" we went and checked in at Sunterra's Plantation at Fall Creek. The concierge looked - I'm not kidding - absolutely crestfallen when I told her that we would not be needing a copy of the show schedule, thank you very much. I don't think she could believe it. Yes, it's true. Much as I might have liked to see a taping of the Jim Bakker Show... So, our first day and a half were spent visiting with family. I say Fellini; partner says Tennessee Williams. Need I say more?
On Monday, 3 April, we left promptly at 6 am, headed toward Memphis. It was actually a great drive, winding our way through northern Arkansas, down to Little Rock, and then east. But, make a note - Exit 7, I-55, Jim Neely's Interstate Barbecue. You can't go wrong there, trust me! After a fabulous lunch we continued on our way south, right through the heart of Mississippi. Let me say that it occurred to me more than once that I was glad to be driving a rental car and not our little Civic with the Howard Dean bumper sticker and the Unitarian Universalist Uncommon Denomination/Civil Marriage is a Civil Right bumper sticker. Call me crazy.
Now, Mississippi was quite pretty. Maybe it was the green - Minnesota does have long winters and there was still some snow when we left. Maybe it was the fact that they use inmates to keep the highways neat and tidy. But, it was weird to be thinking about the events that took place in Mississippi during the 1960s as we sped down the highway. That very week on my campus was Social Justice Week honoring Goodman, Schwerner, and Chaney. It was just weird. And, then, those Barbie moms at the McDonald's play area... scary.
We arrived in New Orleans around 7 pm and made our way - after a brief and unintended detour over the bridge to the West Bank - to the Country Inn & Suites on Magazine Street. I highly recommend this place for anyone who appreciates renovated spaces. This hotel was created out of seven historic buildings dating to the mid 19th century. But, free wireless, room safes, comfortable beds, and a great location make it one to consider if traveling to NOLA. The valet only parking is a bit pricey, but I just tried to think of it as my contribution to the NOLA economic recovery.
After unloading our stuff we wandered over to the French Quarter for a bite. We stopped at Cafe Maspero's because it looked kid friendly, or at least as kid friendly as any place in the French Quarter can be. This much was true. But, I had a catfish sandwich that was horribly bland. Famous Dave's BBQ back in Minnesota has better catfish. Partner had red beans and rice that were okay, but not fab. And, five year old (hereinafter 5YO) had a grilled cheese that was actually quite good. One thing of which we took immediate notice was the smoking. Yup, just days after Saint Paul enacts its smoking ban, we go to New Orleans to suck in somebody else's poison. Go figure.
The next morning, after breakfast at the hotel, we headed over to the First Street United Methodist Church to meet Reverend Lance Eden. I had a donation to deliver and was anxious to turn it over to them. Well, I called his cell and, as it turned out, he had had to run up to Baton Rouge. After hanging out in the Hands On space for a bit, we connected with Miss JoAnn and delivered the goods. Yippee!
We then made our way to Westwego, over the bridge. Wanting to include something for 5YO I had booked a swamp tour with Westwego Swamp Tours. This was way better than I expected. Before boarding "Captain Tom" showed us an alligator snapping turtle and a few other reptilian creatures. Our cruise director, "Captain Gary," grew up on the bayou and provided a very informative and colorful narrative as we cruised the water watching for alligators. We saw probably 9 or 10 'gators. He tried to grab one and get it in the boat but it escaped. Note: He has the photos to prove earlier success. One tip I picked up was this migraine treatment: find a white willow tree, drive a nail into it - leaving some sticking out, lean your head against the nail and it will "suck the migraine out of you." I highly recommend this activity - the tour, not the headache treatment - if you're looking for something to do besides wander the French Quarter. There's a nice cafe as part of the operation where you can get a great Po-Boy. I had crab cakes with a terrific remoulade and onion rings that were perfect.
That's it for now. In the next post I'll talk about our drive around New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
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