Accomplishments at Karen's...

Seems like the same routine as yesterday. After Sabine and I got back form the grocery-store I prepared myself again to hit the road by bike, same direction but without crossing the Mississippi River. Karen and Moto's friend Lindy invited the girls over for dinner at his house, then he learned that I invited myself too and he had to go shopping again to get enough food for all of us. Strange reputation I have!
Sabine is searching for a place to stay and Lindy is moving to Africa soon, so it seems a perfect match. Will see what the verdict will be after tonight's dinner.
I have some time to kill and so I take a longer route to get to the French Quarter. Again Metairie Road that changes its name once it goes under I-10, then its City Park. I pass Canal Street and then right at Orleans Ave. Before the Louis Armstrong Park I turn left and dive into some iffy area of this city here. But no problem. Next is going right at Esplinade Ave. then right again at Decatur. Don't try to do that while driving, some of the roads are one way which I simply ignore.



I sneak-up on Cafe du Monde and enjoy another cup of cafe au lait with an order of beignets.

Another visit to Cafe du Monde, having the usual...


This time I had a waitress from Russia or former Russia, a beautiful young women with a sexy accent, she took the picture of me. Later I hear her talk to another fellow form the same country as she was and it sounded russian to me. It is strange how the personnel changes here, I remember right after Hurican Katrina when Cafe du Monde opened-up again all the waitresses were Asian, and mostly women, then at one point of time I only saw black men working there and now it seems majority is white. Further studies have to be made and I'll offer to do them in exchange for... well lets see, coffee and more beignets maybe???
Before going over to the By Water where Lindy lives I go up onto the riverbank and soak up the great feeling of being in New Orleans.

When I get to Lindy's house on Royal Street, the girls were already there. And since he had to warm-up the food first we went for a short walk around a few blocks to give Sabine a feeling of how it would be to live here. I like it here. Last December when I was here with Bonnie, from Minneapolis, we stayed at her friends Pat and Bob who also live on Royal, about 8 block closer to the French Quarter than Lindy does. But Bonnie and I walked around a lot down here and I got to like this area a lot. Great food joints, a few cafes, not enough groceries-stores and a bunch of famous bars of course.

Walking with Karen, Moto and Sabine around the By Water district...



The dinner at Lindy's. Another B.B.Q. with interesting music and conversation...


Moto surprised us with a fine dessert, a pound cake with fresh strawberries, a fine choice after all that meat intake. Our favorite music was Mahotella Queens Sabine wrote it down and is going to buy a CD soon. Maybe soon enough that I can import it into iTunes and can enjoy them as I'm working on the computer.
Like all things come to an end, also this gathering is going in different directions. I take the bike and zig-zag through the city of New Orleans. Starting on Royal going towards the French Quarter, passing Pat and Bob's house to see if they are hanging out on the porch. I spend a couple of nights at their house during my December trip for the Tipitinas Zydeco Festival. But nobody was sitting there with a drink in the hands, so I went on to Esplinade Ave. went right and stayed on that road until I turned into a small street that brought me up to Bayou St. John. Found my way to Canal and from there back to City Park that. Thats the place where the Cemeteries are. Almost on every corner, I stop to take some pictures. Then home, shower, bed, dream...

Above ground Cemetery, a typical sight here in the Mississippi Delta...

Okay I did play with the colors a bit and saturation, just to make it look real good!!!

In the morning I finally had time to catch-up with other things than writing this Blog. Fixed a few things around the house a broke a few other things. Like while mowing the grass, with the lawnmower that I borrowed from the neighbor Mark, I hit a root at the last run in the backyard, it hit that rood so bad that the blade bend out of shape. Then I had to get my tools and take that blade off, find a place to clamp it down a d try to bend it back in its original shape, well that didn't work too well, I think I have to go and find a new blade tomorrow.

Mowing grass that is greener on the other side... ahh which side am I mowing now???


And soon after that it was time to brew a strong cup of java to keep me ticking for the next few events...

Three o'clock coffee time at Karen's House...

Accomplishments of today: KAren got her Shoes, Sabine her Health Insurance and I got my Coffee...