New Orleans

After a week on the ship, Andrew's family headed back home and Mom and Dad got me settled in for a short stay in New Orleans, which was our port of departure and arrival.  I had never been to New Orleans before and was thrilled to finally get to see the great city in the south.

Mom, Dad, and I wandered around Lafayette Cemetery No 1, located in the Garden District.  It is the set for many movies and books, including "Interview with the Vampire".

The tombs are still in use!

A house owned by Ann Rice. 

After a walk around the Garden District, lunch, and getting settled into my Airbn, I said bye to Mom and Dad and wandered around sunny downtown.

Jackson Square, right in front of St Louis Cathedral, was the place to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Art vendors, musicians, and tarot card readers lined the square.

Music is everywhere in New Orleans, even up high on the tops of buildings!

Oysters in French Market

Frenchman Art Market

Bourbon Street is fun after dark ;o)

Actually, Bourbon street was really just a bunch of loud bars playing annoying country music and full of tourists.  

The next morning I took the first Canal streetcar heading north and it deposited me in the city park area.  Not really being one for manicured parks, I headed in the direction of the nearby art museum.  However, the park was so peaceful I decided to go for a little walk instead.

The moss is wonderful!

The park was home to a small amusement park, and one section was called "Storyland".  I wish it wasn't closed--I would have loved to soak up its strange nostalgia.

There was also a funky little sculpture garden.

I followed a little trickle of people all the way to the Morning Call cafe.  Beignets and cafe au lait, and a lady playing children songs on the accordion, of course.

After the pit stop I returned to the Canal streetcar and transferred over to the St Charles line for a second look at the Garden District. 

Mardi Gras was just two weeks earlier and the cable lines and trees were still showing off their beads.

Beads, bead, beads.

Classic New Orleans "shotgun" style homes.  The Airbnb where I was staying was also shotgun--there are no hallways and all the rooms connected like beads on a string (ie. in order to get to the bathroom one would have to walk through three living areas and the kitchen).  A fun novelty but I wouldn't want to live in one!

An icon of the Garden District

I spent the rest of the afternoon revisiting Jackson Square and the French Quarter.

Chicory cafe au lait at Cafe Dumond.  Had I known that there would be no line I would have saved my beignet splurge for here!

The cajun combo for dinner in Jackson Square

To top off my stay in New Orleans I squeezed into a ghost tour of the French Quarter.  It was worth staying up late for!  One story was about this restaurant, Muriel's, that had a ghost that was only happy when a table was set for it every night--with wine and bread, of course. 

Hmmm... do the tarot card people never leave Jackson Square?

It was a great introduction to New Orleans, but I was definitely ready to go home!

Days at Sea

We spent two days at sea (as well as afternoons and nights, of course), and even though it seems like it would be boring there was always something to do!

The top deck was a popular place.  The Spring Breakers mostly confined themselves to this part of the ship.  Thank god.

Spring Breakers could still be found in the hot tubs even in early morning hours, enjoying the beautiful sunrises.

The boys got to take part in the kids activities, which they loved.  On the last day they put on a circus performance for us!

Every night we got dressed up for dinner.  
 

There was always lots of well-presented food! 

I was good friends with the gym, so much so I was the only one there the last morning.  Actually, the gym door was closed and I was kinda locked in :o(

The ship was full of wonderful characters!

Final port of call: Costa Maya, Mexico

For our final day on foreign land we revisited Mexico. This time, we were on the mainland, which gave the aura of excitement.  If I had a better sense of what the area was like it would have been fun to take another tour.  We decided to stay local. 

Yet another generic port area.  This one is also very new.

I couldn't wait to escape the port.  There was only one road out and word on the street was that the nearest town area was 2-8 km away.  I took my chances with the distance and set off on foot, solo.  Yes, it was hot and sunny :o( 

The first church I saw was Luterana.  Yay!

I eventually got to the apparent "end of the road" then followed a paved walkway along the water.

Yet another beautiful beach!

It got really developed and is still being constructed.  For some reason I was reminded of Gilligan's Island.

It would be nice to stay here a while.

So this is where the Spring Breakers were setting up camp (literally)...

Not sure how it happened but Mom and Dad found me.  Then they got us drinks and a guitar singer.  I am still not sure if it was a dream.  Mom and I didn't even get sick off the ice in our coconut drinks!

Mom and I went on a hunt for properly working WiFi.  It was here that I discovered Brandeis was closed due to 12-18 inches of expected snow ;o)

Another tortilla operation!!  After some samples right off the conveyor belt we bought a tall stack of them.  About a kilo for only $1!

Even though we still had a couple hours before the ship would depart, Mom and I decided there wasn't much left to do.  We grabbed our prized tortillas, walked back to the lighthouse, and took a taxi back to the port.  It was starting to sprinkle anyways.

Back on the ship, who could forget it was St Patrick's Day?  Reubens all around!