Texas Continued

We have thus far had no trouble in Texas, which judging from the warnings I've received about the law enforcement community, is a very good thing indeed. The scenery west of San Antonio is beautiful; short, scraggly trees, rolling fields, small cactus everywhere, a sunset that seemed to last forever, and a starry night every bit as vibrant and alive as Van Gogh's. Today we'll be driving right by the southern border, and up to Albequerque.

New Orleans to Van Horn

It will come as no surprise to many readers that Texas is a really, really long state. I used to complain about Pennsylvania, but I-80 is a walk in the park compared to I-10. Departing New Orleans at 7:55 A.M., we arrived at a truck stop in Van Horn around 1:30 A.M. We broke up the monotony with a stop in San Antonio to visit the Alamo (which we nearly forgot), where I spotted the building at left. I'm not sure what its original or current use is, but it had some neat Star of David window decorations. The Alamo was closed.

Day Three Continued

In addition to the sights in the last post, our friend drove us around some of the areas that remain damaged from Hurricane Katrina. Some of the neighborhoods, such as that posted to the left, have been somewhat rebuilt so that a single block may have only a few abandoned properties. Others, such as near where the levees broke, are still completely destroyed. Imagine chest-high tall grass and overgrown bushes all around, but bordered in neat city blocks. It's almost a post-apocalyptic feeling, with walkways leading up to empty squares where houses stood and the occasional re-built dwelling. It was a jarring difference to the tourist areas we saw.

Day Three

You'll never miss them rice and beans...
After a long and delightfully air-conditioned sleep in Metairie, Louisiana, our friend from college showed us the sights of New Orleans. Our first stop was Russell's Short Stop for Po-Boys. The crawfish was delicious. After this we saw the French Quarter, the deceptively named Saint Louis Cathedral, the shores of Lake Pontchartrain, Basin Street, downtown New Orleans, and Cafe du Mond (perhaps one of the most delightful cafes I've seen on this side of the Atlantic -- and chicory makes all the difference in a cup of coffee). Later we're going to a party, then departing around 8:00 for the long haul across Texas. I'd love to come back to the Crescent City to see more.

Day Two

Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike.













1,600 miles. With a brief stop in Maryland and an overnight stay at a parking lot outside of Knoxville, we managed to make it from New York to New Orleans in two brief days. Suffice it to say we're both quite knackered, but looking forward to a good night's sleep and a full day in the Crescent City with a resident as a guide.

It's interesting how alike the US interstates seem. If one doesn't look too close, I-55 through Mississippi could be I-87 through the Hudson Valley. Fortunately, one of us (not to be named) needs to make fairly frequent stops, so we haven't been short on local color -- including some accents that could make Anglo-Saxon sound positively familiar.

Stay tuned for more scenes from New Orleans and points West!

Day One

Before leaving on this trip, I had read great things about Langer's Deli in Los Angeles. Being a fan of pastrami sandwiches, and in order to draw at least a somewhat fair comparison, I had to begin the trip at the iconic Katz's Deli. It was better than last time I'd been, though the line was long and inexcusably unorganized. Nonetheless, it made the perfect send-off for our month-long tour.

A Blog For Which We Have The Utmost Respect

Many thanks to my Beloved Godfather, who kindly linked to this page on his blog. Be sure to take a look at his continuing commentary on sex, religion, and politics (and, more often than not, comic books): Magdalene's Egg.

The above picture was taken from FDR drive, looking in the general direction of his former parish perhaps a half-mile beyond the East River.