Day 36: Tallahassee to Jacksonville

Toured the Capitol Building in this quiet capitol city.  Beautiful, historic building, full of Florida facts:

Then took the elevator up to the top of the 22nd floor of the new building and could see far across the panhandle.  When I realized how close Florida State University was, I decided to check out the rumor that my neighbor's picture could be found there, in the Psychology Department, from his days teaching there.  After some investigative work, I found it!

Jumped back into the car and headed to Jacksonville, where I met up with both my kids to enjoy Parents Weekend!  Adrian is happy at school there, and Steph flew down for the weekend.  We had a great tour of JU and a nice dinner.  Football game and tailgate party tomorrow!

Day 35: Driving

Drove 450 miles today, phew!  Left Louisiana, swept through Mississippi, then Alabama, and finally hit  the Florida Panhandle.  And then continued to drive!   Tried a bit of the coast highway (I think it's called the Beach Highway) but with all the traffic lights and traffic, decided to go back to the interstate. Arrived in Tallahassee, at dinner time and found a hotel.  Will explore some of the history of this capitol city and then head to Jacksonville tomorrow.  I expect to see the Atlantic by this time tomorrow, and my trip isn't even over yet, another 1200 miles to go (give or take a few)!

Day 34: New Orleans

Another busy day!  Fabulous cooking demonstration at the New Orleans School of Cooking.  Nothing fancy; just gumbo, jambalaya, bread pudding and pralines, but the instructor, Sandra, was great!  And we got to eat everything she made and it was delicious!  In addition, she threw in so much historical background on New Orleans and the people who settled here and what they brought with them, it was great!  She suggested we check out the funeral of the local archbishop, who was loved by many, so I got to see the procession, with a full marching band, bagpipes and hundreds of dignitaries.  It was not solemn, just very cool!

I then checked out the St. Louis cemetery, where everyone is interred above ground, and saw the third-most viewed gravesite in the US (Marie Laveau-a voodoo queen).

I then wandered over to Lafayette Square, where they were having a free concert, featuring Irma Thomas, a fantastic vocalist.  More great music, and good food, as well!
And to top off the evening, I ended up at Cafe du Monde, where I indulged in beignets, covered in powdered sugar, what a sweet ending!
And speaking of sweet endings, I want to wish my niece, Molly, a very Happy Birthday!  It's not midnight here, so I'm not too late!  Hope it was a great day!

Day 33: Driving through Louisiana

Drove more than 400 miles today, through the bayous of Louisiana.  I decided not to do the highway, which put me on some beautiful country roads.  First, I drove through the Sabine Wildlife Refuge, past many bayous containing birds of all types and then drove past some homes raised high above the flood zone; some of them looking like they were suspended on stilts!  I then passed by fields of sugar cane, and visited Oaklawn Manor, a 1827 antebellum home built by one of the founders of Louisiana.  It is surrounded by centuries-old oaks, draped with Spanish moss:

I arrived in New Orleans in time to have a fabulous dinner at Bayona, a Susan Spicer restaurant.  Walking around Bourbon Street, I stopped by a jazz bar and heard a fun band play some old favorites.  What a scene!  And I still have tomorrow here!

Day 32: Galveston and environs

So, decided that I didn't want to hang on the somewhat tacky, touristy, Galveston beach, so took a ferry over to the Bolivar Peninsula to visit the Anachuac Wildlife Refuge.  Little did I know that the ride over and back on the ferry would give me an up-close view of dolphins and pelicans.  The engines on the ferry stirred up lots of bait fish, that brought in at least 2 dozen pelicans.  Very cool!  The dolphins were further away, but frolicked in the waves, just a few yards away.  Hard to catch on film, though!

I then made my way to the wildlife refuge and saw lots of birds, not sure what this one is, do you?

Then walked on a secluded beach on the Bolivar Peninsula, littered with shells (mostly oyster) and with very few people.  Lovely day!

Day 31: Southern Texas

Drove only 200 miles today to arrive in Galveston.  Along the way, stopped outside Houston to see the Space Center.  Reviews of the Space Center were negative, but suggested that the Rocket Park was worth a stop, and I'm glad that I did!  I take back what I said earlier about how the local space museums were somehow as complete as the "big" ones.  This building houses Saturn V:

Which is impossible to fit within a frame:

This is a stop (and I think probably the best one) along the tram from the Space Center and is free to visit.  By the entrance to the Space Center, you can also see these fantastic aircraft:

I think they are Northrop T-38 Talons, correct me if I'm wrong.  It was cool to see these aircraft, knowing that some might have been tested at White Sands Testing Facility.  Cool circularity, eh?
I then arrived in Galveston and was under-whelmed!  The beach is gritty and full of fast food joints and every chain hotel.  Oh well, not quite what I expected, but I will make the most of it and report tomorrow what fun I have managed to find here!

Day 30: Austin

What a busy city!  Seemed bigger and more crowded than San Antonio, although I know it isn't.  It's just more sprawling and full of construction and traffic (as well as music and food!).

Tried food from three different food trucks (or trailers, as they are called here) and all were fabulous!  Sampled a couple of venues for music: The Continental Club, where I heard Redd Volkaert, who used to play with Merle Haggard, and The Broken Spoke, where I watched Cornell Hurd (country music's worst nightmare-self-proclaimed) and the most fantastic array of dancers I've ever seen.  From awkward teenagers, shuffling along during the waltz, to older folks, who seemed to glide across the floor, effortless.  It was magical!

I checked out the Capitol Building (yes, everything in Texas is bigger than life):

 and then a couple of museums of sculpture.  This haunting image is from the Umlauf Sculpture Garden:

So, I think I've had enough of Texan cities.  I'm headed to Galveston tomorrow.  (must be a country song there somewhere, right?)