amusing – Page 2

New Orleans – The land of food, fun and festivities!

August 30, 2016 by Notourguideneeded Leave a Comment

I live in Houston and New Orleans is just far enough for a good long weekend trip but not too far that will require you to fly. So, it becomes a great alternative for college kids rather than Cancun or other beach towns. Then as you get older you start appreciating it less for its cheap daiquiris and more for its architecture and charm.

I have been to New Orleans so many times I cannot count. Between college roadtrips, Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, and work events, I have experienced a lot of the city. Even with all that, it is one of the cities that I can just keep going back to over and over again.

Now, before you start reading this and get all opinionated, remember that there are so many things to do in NOLA that you cannot begin to have a complete list of everything. Feel free to add your favorites in the comments below.

By the way, if you don’t know it already: NOLA = New Orleans, Louisiana

Food

I could go on and on about the food in New Orleans. If you have been there once, you know what I am talking about!

First, let’s just go ahead and say that you should not go to New Orleans if you are on a diet. Just don’t. You will be miserable. Most of the food there is in a fabulous gravy or on bread, or fried! I guess you could eat salads, but that would be so sad!

Things you must try:

Beignets at Cafe Du Monde – These are little fried donuts. The place is open 24/7 so take advantage of that. Do not go at morning time as it will be packed. There is mainly outdoor seating but there are a few tables inside. People line up to sit outside because of the view of street performers, but trust me you will see enough of that. Go sit in the AC! Be ready to order when the staff come to take your order. The menu is on the side of the napkin holder. They only take cash.
NOLA – Or any of Emeril’s restaurants. I prefer this one as it is snappy casual and has a great menu. The others are just as good.
Red Fish Grill – I have had many parties (work, wedding, fun) here. They have fabulous food, and the staff knows how to treat you. It is on Bourbon Street, but don’t let that fool you as it is high quality and a good time.
Chop House – If you want a nice dinner this is the place to go. You will spend some money and it will be so worth every penny. I don’t eat beef, but it is still one of my favorite places.
Mothers – This is the restaurant that I must go to each time I am in NOLA. You cannot find food like this anywhere else. It is a steam table set up and you wait in line to order. Their etouffee omelet is to die for and the biscuits are just wow. Also the beans and rice are insane. Yes, Beans and Rice. Just try them and you will never be able to eat them anywhere else.

Activities

There is just so much to do in NOLA that it can be overwhelming. You could just spend your entire trip walking around the French Quarter. I highly recommend you spending at least three, er one, day just walking around. You will find street vendors, performers, shops, etc that will take up your entire day. Best of all, with the exception of the tips that you will give the performers, it doesn’t cost much. And please don’t be a jerk and not tip. You stood their and watched the show; cough up some change.

There are significant amount of street vendors (and palm readers!) around Jackson Square.
The aquarium is something fun to do on a hot summer day.
At the end of the French Quarter is the market. It is worth a stop in to see the various alligator on a stick and buy a souvenir. People rant about it. I do not.
The trolley is a neat way to see the city for cheap. There are several stops in the Quarter and you can just ride around.
The garden district is something nice and different to do. If you have a car I’d recommend you spend a little time looking at the homes. There are tours you can take too but I just like looking at the older homes.

Tours

As you know I am not big on taking tours. However, there are a set of tours that I just love. I find them entertaining and sort of educational. The Haunted History tours is something you should definitely check out. They meet in front of Jackson Square. You get to walk around the Quarter and see things you wouldn’t normally notice (like the corn fence). I prefer the vampire tour to the ghost tour but they are both a fun time. Plus, you stop half way at a bar to get a drink where you normally wouldn’t.

NOTE: I was there once and unable to consume alcohol. My husband ordered me a hurricane without alcohol and the bartenders didn’t even flinch. They made me a fabulous drink that I also enjoyed with the crowd. Don’t let the massive amount of booze prohibit you from going to NOLA. You will be fine.

Places to stay

I have stayed in many places in NOLA. Do not even attempt to stay anywhere but the French Quarter unless you have a good reason to do so. It isn’t worth the hassle.

My favorite spot is the Sheraton on Canal. Followed by the JW Marriott on Canal. If you are looking for something a little more touristic, Monteleone is really nice and in a great location.

Things to remember

First and foremost, unless you are going in the dead of winter, New Orleans is hot. And I don’t mean dry hot. You will be on the gulf and Mississippi River. That is a lot of water. The humidity is about 100%.

Do not bring nice clothes or nice shoes. New Orleans is super casual. Women dressing in sundresses is as formal as you need.

Do not wear open toe shoes. Just don’t.

Bring cash to tip people. The city makes its money on tourism. They are not out there to show off their skills. They are performing to make money. If you can afford a vacation, you can afford to set aside a little money to give performers. If you watch the show and you don’t pay, I recommend you evaluate your karma.

What other things do you like to do in New Orleans? Let me know in the comments below!

(Special thanks to Andres Salaverria for taking these photos for me)

You will see tons of performances like this. See the guys in the back? Do that – get a drink, stand against the wall and just enjoy! And don’t forget to tip!

Here is the festivities outside of St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square. Get there early before it gets too hot.

More street performances. This guy stands still with his dog, never moving.

This is typical French Quarter architecture. The Spanish occupied Louisiana and had much influence on the way the balconies were done. This style can be seen in parts of Spain now days as well.

What else??

Trains in Rio are sometimes not what they seem…

July 25, 2016 by Notourguideneeded Leave a Comment

I have written about Rio before in my blog but I was telling someone the other day about going up to see the statue of Christ the Redeemer. I thought it was worth its own post…

Let’s just go ahead and suppose that most people of the educated world at least know what the Christ Redeemer statue is right? We have seen photos and such. So, when visiting it, you would think that it would be a big tourist destination. Maybe even theme park like lines. Crappy souvenirs. People trying to getting you to buy things you don’t need.

Well, you would be wrong.

We hop in a cab and tell the driver that we want to go up to see the statue. He starts driving. We have gotten used to sitting in the Rio traffic. What is better.. sitting in a hot cab and not moving or walking on the hot steaming side walk? Yeah we are sitting… Okay so we are creeping along and we turn into a neighborhood. Oh good, a short-cut. We love going through where the locals live and seeing the.. oh wait, he stops.

He tells us to get out at this corner. Walk down the block. Go left (or something like that) and then we will see a sign. Pay at the counter and then they will tell us what to do. Um.. ok?

So, we start walking and we come across a small open air pavilion. There is a ticket booth. We pay. She says to wait and a train will arrive to take us up. There is what appears to be a teacher with about 10 kids and maybe 5 other couples. That’s it.

We wait and the train arrives. It is the coolest thing. It isn’t new but it is open air and we are about to take it through the jungle forest. So up we go!! The kids’ fascination make the trip up even more exciting.

The train is coming along quiet nicely and it is a lonely ride. Then the train stops. Everyone seems to be concerned as to what is going on. I am keenly aware that I am a very pale individual in the middle of South America. Then we see the train conductor get off the train and walk away from the tracks. Then we start to roll backwards. VERY QUICKLY. People scream. It only lasts for about 5 seconds but it is enough to frighten everyone. And then another train passes us.

Ha!

Clearly we were just getting out of the way for a another train. A little communication maybe? Na, we were okay.

So, the conductor showed back up, put the train back in drive and we headed back up to the statue.

Once you get up there it is incredible. The view is spectacular from all angles. The statue is cool too but the view is what you really want to see.

I was expecting to buy a bunch of stuff to take back, like a french quarter of the Rio. Uh, no. There was 1, yes 1. ONE store up there to buy souvenirs and they were the nice kind that you really don’t ever buy. We aren’t talking about your $5 t-shirts. Maybe now that the Olympics are there it has changed, but I kept thinking what a waste of capitalism.

I mean the view was great but there was so much space to sell stuff too! 🙂

Read more about my trip to Rio here: RIO

Christ Redeemer — Walking up the steps after getting off the Train

Me back when I was blonde :) — Me back when I was blonde 🙂

Talking during mass might get you hit with cardboard…

July 11, 2016 by Notourguideneeded 1 Comment

My first trip to Paris was over Memorial Weekend. Hubs and I flew to London and took the train there. If you haven’t taken the train in, I highly recommend it. If you are flying from the US it can be significantly cheaper and plus you get to see the country side of both England and France. The seats on the trains are comfy and you don’t have the same “in flight” experience you do with planes.

I have been back several times since then but the first trip.. well you always remember your first..

We arrive at a nice little Best Western. Apparently when the hubs made the reservation he didn’t’ notice that it was for one person. Normally this would not have mattered. I mean really… Have you ever changed that “number of persons” count???

We go to check in and the desk guy is pissed. Two people cannot stay in this room. They are fully booked. We cannot do this. He is just being dramatic. We will share a towel. We will be fine.

After lugging our baggage up the stairs (I have since learned one small carry-on, period), we arrive to our ..room?

I shared a room with someone in college. We have been camping and shared a tent. I have had to sleep in a car before on a road trip. I could do this.

The room clearly was meant for one person. It was more of a closet. There was no closet. There was a twin bed and a dresser/table. The bathroom didn’t have a shower area.. the shower area was the bathroom. Really… you could sit and do your business while washing your hair. Multi-tasking anyone??

But that’s okay. I was in PARIS. Oh and it was wonderful. Except… it was supposed to be on the chilly side and a heat wave came through. I didn’t know how hot it could get. Since then, unless we are there at Christmas, I just plan on a heat wave coming through because it seems more likely now than not. Last July we were there during “dangerously hot times”.

Getting back to my story…

We are in Paris. I am eating escargot and croissants. It is just amazing.

Even though I don’t speak any French (well, a little but just a little), I wanted to attend mass at the Cathedral Notre Dame.

We arrive and sit in the front row of the second section. It is crowded. There are chairs and you kneel on the hard floor (oddly the only time I have ever worn white pants). It is spectacular and serene. Then I heard it..

WHACK!!!

What the??

WHACK!!!

Then I see this very short French man standing between the two sections. He has a piece of cardboard. Maybe from a box.

Wait- I need to rant a little first to set context…..This is mass. It is a time of prayer and respect. If you are in a church during mass, sit down. Enjoy it. Don’t stand in the middle of it all taking pictures and acting like we are putting on a show for you. The church is there for worship. Your photos are just icing on the cake. And if you cannot respect the mass being said (regardless of your religion), then why are you in awe of a building??

So I digress..

WHACK!!!

He does it again.

The Frenchman is standing in the isle and as people are starting to stand in the middle and being disrespectful he smacks them with the card board and tells them in hand-gestures to move along.

The Frenchman is so committed to his job.

Or maybe he just likes smacking people.

Either way, every time I am in a historical place of worship and I see people acting disrespectfully, I wish they would have a Frenchman to set the peace. I dare not talk during mass just in case.

Paris -8 — Cathedral of Notre Dame It is just right off the street and accessible to anyone. Although there are peak times when the line is quite long.

How I got the travel bug… KOAs and Historical Markers

June 22, 2016 by Notourguideneeded 4 Comments

Growing up, my parents encouraged us to see the world. We weren’t rich but they always seemed to find a way to have enough money to pile us in the back of their custom van. Summers were spent driving around the country exploring. I think that is why I love traveling so much today.

In our world of America, especially in Texas (yes, it is different than anywhere else) we tend to think that everyone lives like we do. We think that all people get up in the morning, get ready, take the kids to school, go to work, come home, have diner/social, go to bed. While this is true for a lot of people, the degree and variations are so different that it impacts who they are. Simple things like:

What time do you get to work? 5am or 9am?
Do the kids have school on Saturday?
Are businesses open at 1 or do they close from 1-4 (or some variation of that time)?
What time do you eat dinner?

The dinner thing is what really amazes me.

In Texas, dinner time is 5-6 ish… In Spain, dinner time is 9-10 ish. The whole day is set up differently based on this time. Now, if you ask someone in Madrid why they eat late, they tell you because that is when it cools down. The stores are closed in the afternoon to save on electricity or it is just too hot. But Texas never adapted to that, and I can tell you it is a hella lot hotter in Texas than Spain. I hate eating dinner at 6pm. I don’t start cooking until 7. Depending on how long it takes to cook we usually have dinner around 8pm. That to me is a suitable time. My friends and family think we are crazy.

The other big one is children.

Is it socially acceptable to take a baby into a bar? Many places it is. Many places it isn’t. A lot of places it isn’t but people do it anyway. But then in some places kids can start drinking beer/wine at 16. So, it isn’t uncommon to be in a beer garden sitting next to essentially kids having beer.

Then there is the attitude of people that is just different.

Some cultures are laid back. Servers in restaurants tell you to holler at them when you are ready. Others are annoyed that you are talking and not ordering. Some bring you the bill and need you to get out when you are done eating. Others tell you to take your time, bring a bottle of something yummy on the house, and encourage you to stay a little longer.

But if you do not see the world, you only know this via television, books and radio.

You don’t get yelled at by the concierge in Copenhagen when you ask what he recommends doing and the reply is “you should go home. it is too cold for you to be here. why do tourists come here in October???” (seriously this happened. The concierge! and then when I told others what he said, their reply was “well, he is right”). (by the way, I love Copenhagen but their directness can be overwhelming for someone used to the southern hospitality).

If you do not go see the world then…

You do not know what it feels like to be in different altitudes. You do not have the experience of someone bringing you tea and you not sure what is in it but you drink it anyway because you feel that strangely bad.

You don’t understand why it is important in Cuzco Peru to take it slow and easy because otherwise you will pass out from the height.

You would not know that the birthday cake in southern Venezuela tastes a lot like my mom’s cake. But their rice is totally different.

If you do not see the world you do not really understand what a street dog really is. And that means different things in different parts of the world.

If you don’t travel the world, you have no idea the variety of toilets that exist on Earth. We all poop, but not in the same way.

So, I am extremely grateful that my parents dragged me and my brother around the US. I’ll write more about those trips later. If you haven’t piled your kids in the car and taken off though, do it. Sell something, save your money. Pack PBJ sandwiches and clip coupons.

Who knows… 30 years from now your 10 year old could be sitting in her kitchen writing her travel blog about the world all because you made her stop at every.. single..historical landmark you saw.

Peace and love.

Madrid Tapas are unlike anywhere else.

June 12, 2016 by Notourguideneeded 1 Comment

I love Madrid. The people there know how to live. Saben vivir. Madrid Tapas are unlike anywhere else.

They know how to dance, with their sexy flamenco. I could watch that dance all day long.

But more importantly, they know how to eat. All of Spain has dishes they are famous for… Bilbao has Pinxtos (little toasts with stuff on them), Barcelona has the best paella ever. There are olives, and wine.

But Madrid. Madrid has the reign on tapas. Yes, yes, you can get tapas all of the place. Madrid Tapas are unlike anywhere else.

No where are Tapas like they are in Madrid

Roasted potatoes with red pepper sauce. Ham. Olives. Homemade chips. Crotchets. Serrano. Little fried balls of ham. Some paella.

So, you go to a bar. You order a canita. That’s a little beer. You get the beer you get. (I already wrote a little bit about it here).

Then the first order of tapas. Then another beer and a little more food.

Tapas is the equivalent of getting nuts or popcorn in a bar in the US. But that is such a sad comparison that I can’t even take myself seriously.

Why can’t we do this here? Does everything have to be capitalized and with a price? Why can’t I just find a little place I can go, have a small beer and some randomly good food??

The photo here on this blog is a big plate of food with two beers. Total price $5. Yes we were eating with the college crowd, but who cares. The next night we went down the road and had an adult dinner, with a bottle of wine. Total price $40. That would have been $150 back home.

I have never eaten so many olives as I have in Madrid.

They are so good and so habit forming.

I was able to find the olives that I fell in love with in Madrid. They are bright green. I asked the hubs what kind were they and he said “Spanish”. Smart ass.

But alas, they were at Whole Foods in the olive bar. Appropriately marked as “Spanish Olives”.

Until we meet again Madrid.

Tell me below in the comments what your favorite tapas are.. I am always looking for new ideas and places.

New Orleans – The land of food, fun and festivities!