We took a Jazz / Dinner cruise on the Steamboat, Natchez. It was cold, windy, and spitting rain that evening as we walked the nine blocks to the river. As we approached the boat we could hear music. It took us a while to realize that the music was coming from the steam calliope on top of the boat! And it was a real person up there playing it in the bitter wind; amazing! [In fact, you can see the little fireworks display from the calliope in the photo below of the boat.]

We weren’t alone on this adventure, because after all, this trip was not a vacation; about 30 people involved in the company Rick works for were there as well. We took up most of the main dining room with only a few stray couples that weren’t with our group. The boat was not full by any means. Poor New Orleans ... but, more about that in a different post.

We had a surprisingly good dinner, buffet-style, really one of the best buffets I’ve ever had. I say “surprisingly” because usually when you do something that is a little touch on the touristy side the food tends to be blah. Not so, this meal. A lovely salad, an excellent spinach/artichoke casserole, green beans almandine, pasta alfredo, roasted red potatoes and three entrees: praline chicken, catfish in a creole sauce, or prime rib. Dessert was bread pudding with a toffee sauce over the the top. We had an open bar, so the liquor flowed as fast as the river.

The weather continued to be windy and rainy, but cleared up at the very end of our cruise up and down the mighty Mississippi. She was running at near to flood stage, so the water beneath our paddle wheels was running fast and furious. It was dizzying to be steaming upstream with the river rushing by at literally the same speed in the opposite direction. We got to tour the engine room and see the steam engine in action. It was awesome watching the process of turning steam into motion.

Join me now in a photographic journey set to the music and lyrics of Proud Mary. It just seemed to fit. Please feel free to sing along:

But I never saw the good side of the city

Till I hitched a ride on a riverboat queen

Big wheel keep on turning

Proud Mary keep on burning
And we’re rolling, rolling

Rolling on the river

If you come down to the river
I bet you gonna find some people who live

You don’t have to worry if you got no money
People on the river are happy to give

Our walk back to our hotel was pleasant since the cold wind had stopped by then. We passed by Jackson Square and the St. Louis Cathedral. The sky was an eerie color; perfectly captured in this photo:

We even stopped in at the Acme Oyster House [again!] for a late night treat of more oysters!

Thanks to my hubby Rick for the great shots of the paddle wheel, Cajun band and St. Louis Cathedral. You can find out more about the history of the Natchez by following the link above.

(words & music of Proud Mary by John Fogerty)

These are mostly restaurant related and maybe not quite as unique as the voodoo group from yesterday. Still, they caught my fancy. Tommorrow it’s on to something different.
Note: Take notice of the gas lamp in the first photo. These lovely lamps are scattered everywhere in the French Quarter, lending an old-fashioned, warm feeling to the streets.

I have several day’s worth of signs to share with you. I found them interesting. I usually take photos of things that other people walk right on by. Like doors, windows, architectural details. There were plenty of all those things to keep my camera happily clicking away. So, be prepared over the next week to see New Orleans through my camera lens. Here are today’s signs. Let me know what you think!

Oysters. Raw. Icy cold. On the half-shell. Oh my. Just look at the size of those babies! I have to admit, before our trip to New Orleans I was not a particular fan of raw oysters. Sure, I’ve had them before when we lived in France. I remember them as being unchewable and tasting of salt water brine, and mostly let them slide right down my throat without ever touching my teeth. I remember them as being somewhat small. Nothing like the oysters to be had in the Acme Oyster House. Yum. Sheer ambrosia! Delectable, and definitely not chewy or briny despite their large size.

It’s just a tiny restaurant off Bourbon Street, but it was always packed with customers. We ate oysters there several times sitting at the bar, and they were delicious time after time. I wish we could have eaten there every day but we had other commitments. Next time I’ll plan to eat there more often. They can be very addicting! Now, now. I see some of you out there turning up your noses at the mere thought of eating raw oysters. To you I say, don’t knock ‘em ‘till you’ve tried ‘em. Acme’s oysters will turn those thoughts right around. Trust me.

Going on vacation is a good thing. I needed a break from the old routine of feeding dogs and scooping kitty litter boxes. It was fun to visit somewhere that I had never been before and eat out every night. We kept a pretty busy schedule and there wasn’t much down time. Unfortunately I didn’t get as much time to blog as I would have liked. Rick had the laptop with him for work during the day, and the only free time to blog would have been after dinner. And by then I was way too tired to think straight. So, I hope you missed me just a little bit.

As nice as our little ‘vacation’ was, it was just as sweet to come home. The snow covered, heavily wooded hills looked very good to my eyes. The dogs did very well for their first time being kenneled and they were very happy to see us. The kitties did well too, being cared for by the teenaged boy down the street. It’s nice to be able to crawl into my bathrobe and cozy slippers and not have to go anywhere at all. So, all is good.

Our weather in New Orleans was cold, grey, rainy and very damp. We didn’t see the sun except for the very first afternoon when we arrived. I did manage to get an annoying head cold while there, either from the damp, chilly wind or from stepping in one too many puddles, so I’m a bit under the weather today. My head is stuffed up and my brain is foggy. I think I’ll spend the day watching old movies propped up on the couch by several pillows, cup of hot tea in hand, blanket tucked up under my chin to keep the chill off [right now it’s 3 degrees outside].

For the next couple of days I’ll be recapping our trip with lots of photos, so be sure and stop by! Until then, try a sugary-sweet sample of pralines: