Only in NOLA! April 12-14, 2019

Riding down St. Ann St in a bike cab to the hotel.

This is it - the ultimate party city. Good food, good drinks and good-hearted people. You never feel more alive than drinking a Hurricane while listening to a live Zydeco band. After a hasty check in at Pontchartrain Landing on Friday I grabbed the shuttle for the French Quarter. Linda and Steve met me at the drop off point and we walked part way and took a bike taxi part way.

The courtyard at Place D'Arms.

They were staying at the Place D'Arms on St. Ann St., behind the cathedral. It was an awesome spot to access the French Quarter Fest. The hotel could have not been more charming. The courtyard was picture perfect. They had a continental breakfast and the tiny birds were happy to share the crumbs with us. Linda and Steve invited me to stay with them as they had an extra bed. I gladly accepted.

We went for dinner just down from the hotel at 801. Fantastic service and really good food! Steve loves their Gator Sausage. Linda and I had Muffalettas. Yum! We went back to the hotel and sat in the courtyard drinking wine. What a perfect evening with a couple from Massachusetts, Donnie and Bonnie.

In the morning we had a quick breakfast and took off for Jackson Square and the fest food, drinks and music. Thanks to a miraculous salve Linda had, I could walk pain-free for the first time in many years. Now I have to build up my leg muscles and endurance. Hello treadmill! I was able to walk where ever I wanted at the fest.

As I mentioned earlier, we found our way to the Chevron Stage and listened to some great Zydeco music. Linda got hot and she and Steve went back to the hotel. I stayed and listened for a while longer, marveling how incredibly lucky I was to be here and have this a part of my Adventure.

Some bimbo decided that all of us behind her couldn't see the stage.

The trip home was a bit of a fiasco as the guy who drove the bike taxi totally screwed up finding my hotel, dropped me off way down Bourbon St., and I fell getting out of the taxi. Just minor bruises and cuts but I was mobbed by people wanting to help. I had an EMT bandage a good scraping on my big toe and four burly guys plucked me off the ground. What a great city!

I took a taxi back to Pontchartrain Landing to pick up some things for another overnight stay with Linda and Steve. Back in the French Quarter, I hailed a bike taxi to get back to the hotel. Everything went fine this time. Saw a few unique revelers.

None of my nuns ever looked like this! Thank heavens!!!

I called Linda when I got back and they had dinner at Pat O'Briens. I went back to 801 and had a fabulous shrimp and crawfish nacho platter. I never saw so much seafood in one dish in my life! Once again the service was superb and our waiter, Dustin, from the night before, told me to tell Andy to give me the VIP discount. How sweet!

Loving all the great seafood!

Back at the room we were all pretty done in with all the walking we did that we are so not used to doing. After a post dinner bottle of wine in the courtyard, we crawled into our beds and watched "As Good As It Gets". Forgot exactly how great this movie was!

Cathédrale Saint-Louis AKA the cathedral at Jackson Square where the entrance to the French Quarter festival was

Yup, another departure day. Linda and Steve went for breakfast and I headed back to my rig and on to another destination. I was heading to Harrah's in Biloxi for a boondocking site in a parking lot they let RVers and truckers stay. I was not impressed and knew I wouldn't get a wink of sleep there.

I also was not at all enthralled by the beaches in Mississippi. The water looked like mud - not the pretty colors of the Gulf in Alabama and Florida. The mansions across from the beaches were pretty impressive!

So I called a Passport America site in Magnolia Springs just north of where I am staying this week. Very nice woman took my reservation and when I got there I drove to Bon Secor for dinner. I ordered an Oyster Po' Boy at a nice place called the The Tin Top Restaurant & Oyster Bar - had to have oysters in Bon Secor!

So here I am settled for the night. Not much to do to get ready as I am leaving in the morning. Oh - Linda called me while I was on the road - their flight to Chicago got cancelled and they had to spend another night in New Orleans - went back to the Place D'Arms and got a nice rate on a room due to the circumstances.

Tomorrow I head for Gulf Shores and the Gulf Coast RV Park.

Have a great evening and sweet dreams!

More pictures of the French Quarter:

Having a cocktail en route to the hotel.

They even have a parade for Palm Sunday!

Pontchatrain Landing not exactly a charming location. But it was safe!