Cruise 2013 - Days 1&2 - The Big Easy

Our trip to Florida and Jane's 40th birthday cruise began with a slight "detour" - to New Orleans! Day One saw the Juke carry us from home all the way to Birmingham, Alabama after a long day of driving, capped off with some local southern BBQ at Full Moon.

Day Two led us on to New Orleans, arriving around lunchtime amid light drizzle. We parked the car and the party began with an interesting bus tour of the city, followed by further exploration of the French Quarter's food and atmosphere on foot.

We had already booked a room at the Andrew Jackson hotel in the heart of the French Quarter, also allegedly quite haunted. This led to two unexpected additions to our evening - an upgrade to a gallery (balcony) suite due to overbooking, and haunted hike tour groups stopping in front of the aforementioned balcony every 15 minutes to explain all about the haunted hotel!

Enjoyed a great afternoon and evening in this vibrant city.....and a sound sleep in a beautiful room, uninterrupted by anything paranormal.

Nearing the Big Easy

Canal Street from the open-top bus

Saint Louis #1 cemetery

Decatur Street nearing Jackson Square

Remnants of recent Mardi Gras festivities!

The mighty muddy Mississippi

The view from our gallery along Royal Street

Dinner - shrimp gumbo, chicken & sausage jambalaya, crawfish etoufee, and Abita Amber

Our hotel and street gallery

Impromptu live jazz

Nightlife on Bourbon Street

New Orleans old and new

Pleased to Mead You

Thank you, fine folks at Trafalgar Ales and Meads of Oakville.

Thy will be done, thy golden elixir be quaff-ed.

 The silver maple receptacle was procured at the Renaissance Faire in Holly, Michigan.

Backdoor Bandits

Not sure they're really stealing, since the outdoor cat food was fair game. At any rate, some entertaining shenanigans on the back porch.

Winterlude

Just in case we give the impression that we don't actually get winter here....the white stuff has found us at long last. Kinda beautiful though, no?

Now that I've got pictures of our winter wonderland....it is free to go.

Piss Jugs

I now have a deeper appreciation for the Trailer Park Boys trucker "piss jugs" mentality. Way of the Road, bud...Way of the Road.

Or in the current context, Way of the Kidney Stone, bud.

Simply put, they require two 24-hour urine accumulations to try to figure out what is causing the stones. Just shut up and fill these jugs.

FYI - the jugs pictured are both empty and sterile. For now.

Bayside Brewing

A beautiful January Sunday seemed like a good excuse for a drive along the Lake Erie shore, to check out the new Bayside Brewing Company in the port of Erieau. I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story....

Lake Erie on a sunny January morning

Cool enough to make ice on the pilings!

Fresh cut fries to die for

Long Pond Lager - Nickelbrook IPA - Bolshevik Bastard Imperial Stout

A Tale of Two Wood-Fired Pizzas (Pizzae?)

Long Pond Lager "to go" in all it's local glory - I suppose Perch Piss was taken?

Legends of the Fall

Jane came out to check out the outcome of the feeling of Ash Tree #1, and as usual, somehow managed to trip and fall. Poor Brad the Tree Guy was speechless, and not quite sure how to react. Luckily I was there to make sure he didn't actually ask her if she was alright.

More luckily, she only hurt her knee....when in reality she could have impaled her eye, neck, hands, etc. on the many twigs and branches sticking up. Proof positive that in spite of it's demise, the ash tree enjoys the last laugh.

It was later that we realized that Jane had somehow managed to fall down the stairs on the back deck the LAST time Brad the Tree Guy had been here....leaving him similarly speechless.

Here is the re-enactment of the classic wipeout: