Day 14 - 1/7 Houston, TX to New Orleans, LA

Houston Super 8's Super Breakfast is anything but. Other Super 8's we've stayed at have had these dandy 'lil breakfasts including make-your-own waffles. Rick LOVES make-your-own waffles! Houston throws out some Otis Spunkmeyer muffins, cold cereal, and terrible coffee & calls that a Super Breakfast. The nerve. Oh, well... back on the road shortly before 9am local time. Destination: New Orleans.
After hearing a humorous Jim Pruit's Guns & Ammo Concealed Weapons Permit radio advertisement, we found ourselves at the Louisiana Welcome Center. The setting was nice, as it was on water with a number of pelicans & cranes. Trees sporting Spanish moss framed the body of water. Jo got a kick out of the posted alligator & snake warning signs.
Later, Rick randomly spouts "I don't even know if Chris Johnson (RB for the Tennessee Titans for those not in the know) got 2000 yards or not." It turns out he did. Congrats to him & the Hainesport Heathens who benefited from his effort all season.
We noticed lots of Border Patrol vehicles in one area of LA. Initially confused, we decided that they were in place because of illegals trying to enter via the Gulf of Mexico. Either that or they've got some really long tunnels. Ha to the cha, cha, cha!!
Bill Hicks comedy CD's have been a staple the past couple of days, putting smiles on both of our faces. Rick loves the man & Jo is warming despite her best efforts to the contrary.
Our view of Louisiana whizzing by features many a white crane and many a cracked windshield. We're not talking little cracks here either. Serious, multi-veined monster cracks. What the heck are these people getting into down here? Are gators dropping out of the Spanish moss or what? Ka-hristmas! We pass the massive Henderson Swamp and comment on the difference between LA & the West. Much of Interstate 10 is bridge, as there is so much water & swampland. Rick wonders aloud what people who broke down on these roads did before the advent of cell phones.
Near Baton Rouge we encountered rain for the first time since our day of departure as we slogged through Virginia. The precipitation didn't hinder our progress to 'Nawlins'.
We arrived at the New Orleans visitor center at roughly 3:30pm Central Time. Our stop there was excellent. Clean, sweet-smelling bathrooms awaited our overflowing bladders. There were New Orleans historical exhibits & artifacts for our viewing pleasure. Best of all, we asked one of the clerks for a map of the city & she ended up telling us about some lodging specials she had. We ended up at the Royal Sonesta Hotel right on Bourbon Street in the heart of the French Quarter for nearly half of what we would have paid regularly. The place was gorgeous & by far the best paid lodging of our entire adventure. (Cousin Chris' digs still take best of show in our opinion.) We really stepped in poop with the Royal Sonesta. Very classy & we could see Bourbon Street from our room.
After a short respite we headed down to the jazz bar in the lobby, which featured live music, free hors d'oeuvres, and some sexy lighting. Rawr.
We made our way out to Bourbon Street which was cold & rainy. So much so, that our first stop was the Walgreens where we procured a schnazzy black & white umbrella. After doing a complete circuit of Bourbon Street we decided dinner at the Bourbon House would fit our needs. This was another excellent choice, although some of the savings we landed getting the room were spent at this rather pricey restaurant. Jolene partook of her first bourbon drink, a concoction called 'The Streetcar'. It consisted of blueberries, blueberry liquor, vanilla sweetwater, and of course bourbon. Let's just say she won't be ordering any bourbon drinks in the near-future. Rick had some of the hottest horseradish on the planet with his oysters on the half-shell. Yummy, but my nasal passages will be clear for weeks. Crabmeat-stuffed Gulf Fish & Fisherman's Stew were the entrees consumed, followed by Creme Brulee & a tasty bourbon milk shot which Rick describes as an eggnoggy, bourbony, mini-milkshake creation.
Bellies full we walked Bourbon one more time, this time without the annoyance of the rain... cold temps worsening though. We went into a bar called 'The Famous Door' to get warm, grab some drinks, and listen to the band. Two out of three ain't bad. Apparently the famous door cannot be closed, as we sat in our jackets & gloves sipping our libations, grooving to the music.
Having finished our beverages at 'The Famous Door' & prying our frozen rear-ends from the bar stools, we made our way back to the jazz bar at our hotel to end the night bobbing our heads to some excellent musicians.
Our visit to New Orleans was spur-of-the-moment, but kicked some major rear. We both had a great time & consider it one of the highlights of our trip.