Vingt Quatre Heures

twenty four hours...

So it has been some time since my last post...not that it has been missed...but hey we're back :)

Currently Jorge, Hobie and I are on a month long adventure that started in New Smyrna Beach, FL and has taken/will take us to New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Nashville/Memphis (not sure which one yet) and back to Fort Myers.

On the first leg of our journey we had the opportunity to stop in New Orleans...but only for 24 hours! The following will be my attempt at a Lonely Planet Guide to New Orleans if you have a child, a tight budget and only 24 hours:

First things first, do whatever it takes, but get to New Orleans no later than 6 am, I promise it's worth it! Aside from a few half drunken party warriors from the night before the streets are nearly empty. What struck me first about this city is how old it seems (is). You feel as if you are walking the streets of Prague (save the blistering heat). To me New Orleans is a mix of Key West meets, Jacksonville, meets Prague...I really liked it.

The first thing we did was walk to Cafe Du Monde for Cafe Au Lait and Beignets...both were delicious and cheap. If I'd had it, I would have spent the entire day there. Cafe Du Monde is a picturesque open air cafe circa late 1800's, where you expect to see the likes of Ernest Hemmingway or Gertrude Stein walk in and order beignet at any moment. It was both relaxing and stimulating all at the same time, inviting you to take a deep breath and take it all in. Cafe Du Monde is the perfect place to start your 24 hour New Orleans adventure.

Next we went to our hotel to park the truck and unload. We had plenty of time to kill before check in so we took our time and relaxed in the hotel lobby for a bit...well Jorge relaxed while Hobie and I took advantage of the fresh fruit as part of the complimentary breakfast (we hadn't checked in, but we'd already started paying for parking...we were guests)

We left the hotel at about 9 am to begin our walk to the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. By now the streets were starting to fill up and the buzz of a New Orleans day already had rhythm...I swear the sound of a jazzy alto sax was everywhere! The aquarium opened at 10, and was the perfect place to mosey (in AC) for a few hours. While it in no way compares to the Shedd in Chicago, it has nice exhibits with an auditorium-like viewing area that is dark and cool. Watching the sharks and rays swim is overwhelmingly relaxing and I can imagine that after a night of fun in the Big Easy, it would be the perfect place to recover.

Following the aquarium we were thankful that our hotel room was ready a few hours early, the 3 of us walked in and promptly passed out for the next 4 hours. When we woke up we were hungry and decided we couldn't leave New Orleans without sampling some Po Boys...We didn't want a smokey, loud bar type atmosphere, but we didn't want to pay more than $40 for a quiet dinner either. The Stanley Restaurant seemed to fit the bill perfectly.

The Stanley is a small, hipster type diner on the west end of Jackson Square. We got Po Boys, french fries and Chartres ice cream for a reasonable price. It was a quiet restaurant where there was no wait and it was kid friendly! The food was great and the ice cream (Hobie's favorite) was out of this world!

As we walked back to our room tarot card readers and artists were out, some more ambitious than others to promote their businesses.  While New Orleans was just starting to rev up for what I am sure would have been a blurry and wild time we were strolling back to our room; tarot card readers and artists were out, some more ambitious than others to promote their businesses. While  we tried to eat the Chartres ice cream before it dripped down our arms, we were winding down and preparing for the next leg of our Journey. The following day (yesterday) it was Oklahoma City or bust! An almost bust!