pics from today

I was surprised how lush, Mississippi was

The car

Southern house

The I 55

Vicksburg and the Mississippi

Leland - Mississippi

Well here I am in Leland, Mississippi, (google map it). I picked up the car this morning and surprise surprise, the good deal the concierge got me was not honoured and it cost me an extra  $500 as insurances were not as comprehensive as he thought he got. I got a little Ford Escape, a 2016 model. It drives nice enough. I don't have a GPS as subsequently got lost on the way, American directions are sometimes a bit hard to follow. It is all part of the fun getting lost, at least a little bit. Probably cost me about an hour in trip time. They are not big on direction signs here once off the main roads.

I am trying to follow the Americana ( or Blues) music trail or triangle (Google that as well). My first stop was Vicksburg, on the Mississippi but it seemed pretty rundown and economically depressed, the blues cafe was closed. It reminded me of the Paul Simon song line about being "in the cradle of the civil war and the Mississippi shining like a National guitar" It was shining too, photos later as this being sent from my iPad at Lillo's Italian restaurant in Leland. A bowl of spaghetti and meat balls for me.

Leland also does not seem to be in boom times either, all a bit sad but motel only cost $25, so that is a bonus, I hope. Tomorrow I will go to Greendale and Clarksdale (of Robert Johnson Crossroads fame) and then on to Memphis and after that Nashville.

Time for dinner.

Jazz Fest - Even Wetter

Today I shelled out my US$75 to go to the Jazz Fest. It is an all day ticket, but no pass outs, leave and you can't go back in.

I got there easily enough by a bus just near the hotel on Toulouse and Rampart Sts, which took me through Treme to the New Orleans Horse Racing Track where the festival was being held. Two main stages and various "tents" for other varieties of music. I got there about 11.30 -12.00 and soon after the heavens opened up with a thunderstorm and torrential heavy rain. I got saturated in seconds as the organisers of the festival, in their infinite wisdom, did not apparently anticipate and plan for the possibility that it might  rain. There was no shelter anywhere from the sun or the rain and no seating at the main stages. You either brought your own folding chair or you stood. There was a limited amount of under cover seating at both stages but it was reserved for "Big Chief" members only, whoever they were, but for blow ins like me, it was a no go area.

I ended up buying an Official poncho for US$40, but it is a nicely made one and and was very waterproof. Although by that time I was already drenched.

I saw a woman called Mia Borders, the Lost Bayou Ramblers with Rickie Lee Jones helping out and Gary Clarke Jnr, during all performances the rain was so heavy you could hardly see the stage. I also saw some nice Treme houses on my way to the bus. My camera battery died before Rickie Lee started, not sure why, perhaps because it got very wet or I may have left it on. After that, only phone camera.


Tonight is my last night in New Orleans, I pick up a car tomorrow and shall head toward Baton Rouge and Greendale along the Mississippi. Heading toward  Memphis and Elvis country.

And the Rain Came Down during Melody Garners show.

Gary Clark Jrn

Treme House

For anyone called Leon.

                                                              

Maison Dupuy

Sorry, this was meant to be posted Monday, but did not publish and still in draft mode.


I booked a hotel, the Maison Dupuy at 1001 Toulouse St in the French Quarter. It was expensive, but not as much as others and it looked nice and central. When I arrive who should I meet in the Foyer but Derek Guille (Australian ABC Radio personality), who reliably informed me that this is a good hotel and that the 2016 New Orleans Jazz festival is on this week and has all sorts of people playing including Stevie Wonder, Steely Dan, Van Morrison, to name a few. This might explain why hotel prices seemed high for NO. Anyway, as  I waited for my room key, another bunch of Aussies turned up, apparently part of even a larger group, all here for the festival and staying at this hotel.

Time to get my free complimentary drink now that I have had a shower.

I was planning on getting out at Atlanta where I had to clear immigration and Customs but Delta Bloody Airlines (They are crap, never use them) refused to let me cut my journey short by one leg without paying an extra US$150 fee. When they could have easily resold my seat. Arseholes.

Time for that drink.

Wet Wet Wet

Hi Y'all,

This morning was spent trying to get a good car hire deal mostly without success. Joe, our concierge has promised he can do me a good deal so I have taken a leap of faith and left it with him. Hopefully by this time tomorrow, I will have something lined up.  Also, by this time tomorrow I will have been to the Jazz fest and seen Rickie Lee Jones with the Lost Bayou Ramblers and Gary Clark Jrn, although Gary Clark is overlapping and on at the other end of the Horse Race track where it is being held.

This afternoon was spent avoiding getting drenched, a thunderstorm came through about 1.30pm and it bucketed down for about an hour, the streets were beginning to flood as the drains could not cope. Thankfully it stopped and I could continue my walk around the French Quarter, down to the mighty Mississippi, The Old French markets and around the quieter residential streets to look at the houses and think about one of favourite books, "A confederacy of dunces".

My computer is still giving me grief, dropping the connection at random times so that I need to restart the computer and often retype half my blog. The Havana Rum and Tomato juice drinks i am having help, I call them Cuban Reds.

Despite efforts, I will not be able to stay past Thursday, the place is fully booked. I even tried airB&B. So I will miss seeing some great acts. Might try to come next year (Bill).

Pics attached

Po Boy

Just been for wander around the French Quarter at night, live music everywhere, in the bars, busking on the street, all styles. I had some dinner, a Po Boy Crawfish roll and a hamburger and beer. Full of farts now. Not going to wander around here too much by myself at night, I think it is safe, but would rather be with others. Especially later at night. Being a good boy, home by 9pm. Some aussies from Triple R radio asked me to see some band with them but I let is slip.

Did not take the Camera with me tonight.

Nawlins

Day one in Nawlins (New Orleans with local accent) started early with Breakfast at the hotel, then a walk through the French Quarter and along Bourbon St to Canal St, which is where the Tram stop is. Yes, you heard right, this town has trams. Bourbon St lived up to its reputation for fragrance, it has a very piquant odour to it, even at 8 am in the morning, a combination of beer, spew and urine. A reputation such as Spew Orleans is hard earned and need maintaining.

My day today was spent in the burbs of New Orleans, starting with a visit to an Apple repair shop, who agreed I had "issues" and problems but could not really help. I then moved on (via the tram) to head towards the big & tall store for some wardrobe maintenance, I also went to "best buy" to get a sim card for the iPad, unfortunately I was told best were just passed where the big & tall store was so I got off the bus to visit Best Buy, but Big & Tall was well passed best buy and it was really hot walking along the road in the heat for what I guess was a mile. When I got to Big & tall, they did nt have anything in stock for me, it was a much smaller store than I expected. The good news was there was a DXL store about another 1/2 km along in the heat. I got there OK and they had heaps of stuff for me.

I then caught the bus back to the shopping centre where an apple store was and looked at buying a new laptop but backed off and decided to wait until actually dies. I then went to a Camera store because my camera has also been misbehaving as well. Diagnosis was it was probably dropped and lens is not always connecting properly to camera. Again, It can probably limp home for me. After that, I got a taxi back. I then had a Guinness in Fahys pub across the road. Very nice.

This is a pretty good music festival, it was on last weekend  and again this Thursday, Fri, Sat and Sunday. Rickie Lee Jones is playing with someone else on Thursday, so I am going to stay an extra day here and see RLJ, which means I'll probably have to miss Bonnie Rait, Elvis Costello, Beck, Jon Cleary, Dr John,  Buddy Guy, Los Lobos, Aaron Neville, Neil Young, Paul Simon, to name but a few. Google up Jazz Fest 2016 New Orleans for full line up.

It is super Tuesday here today where the Presidential Candidates are endorsed by (not Voters) but party members. Last night I saw Bernie Sanders  being interviewed on MSNBC. If the Americans don't want him, he can come to Australia, he is refreshingly honest and straight talking.

Here are some pics from outside the hotel last night and more from this morning's walk through the French Quarter.

The Big Easy

I have arrived at New Orleans, now need to find and book some accomm.

More later.

The Mississippi is a very big river.

Back in Cancun

A short note, back in Cancun and staying o'night  for flight to the US in the morning. I fly to Atlanta first and then New Orleans and depending on where I have to go through immigration, I might leave the airport at Atlanta and get a car and then make my way down to New Orleans rather than go to new Orleans and venture north along Mississippi delta.

On the flight back from Havana, I got upgraded to Business class and happily nibbled on peanuts and swilled crisp cool white wine with the best of them in the big black leather chairs while the peasants huddled in chains down in the bilges at the back. Some things are just right sometimes.

stay tuned

Last Night in Havana

Tonight is my last night in Havana and I will miss it a bit. I met my friends from Melbourne Greg & Sherrie this morning and they arrived ok late last night after about a 30 hr flight. We spent the day together and they are currently off exploring on their own whilst i write my daily piece. We started the day with drinks at the Inglaterra hotel, then more drinks at the Floridita bar, and my Hemingway likeness was noted. After that some lunch then a classic car ride for about an 1 hr and then more drinks and Ice Cream for me. I also saw a tee shirt I should have. More drinks later and then dinner and by then they should be finished. Tomorrow, off to the airport back to Cancun for me, Then New Orleans,

Hasta Luego

LB

Drinks start early with this lot

Me and Uncle earnest

Cuban Character

Bacardi Building

Our Ride

My Tee Shirt want

Pics of Floridita

Floridita Restaurant

Well tonight I went to the famous (via Ernest Hemingway) Floridita restaurant. I shall upload pics later but overall, it was not worth it. I had the soup, which tasted like it came from a campbell can and the "Hemingway special" of Lobster, prawns and fish was so so. Lobster like old boots, prawns ok and fish passable. Not up to standards, just catering for tourists like me. At hotel Ingalterra now for a Congac and Wi Fi.

My friends Greg & Sherrie arrive in Havana tonight , about 11pm but probably won't get to accommodation until about 1am. I am meeting tomorrow at 10am so hopefully they won't be too shagged from flight. A couple of cocktails at lunch should spark them up.

Beside me is the the most mangy cat I have seen in a long time (too dark for pic). It has had a hard life.

Hasta Luego

LB

Fumigate Friday

Today, Friday, is Fumigate Friday. According to the landlady, every Friday morning between 8-9 the fumigation patrol come around and fumigate every house in the street, presumably for Ziki virus mosquitos, but who knows. So this morning I left at 8 to find coffee and breakfast. Along the way i took some snaps with the phone.

The water

Cat minding the shop

Typical Havana street

Fumigate Friday

April Sun in Cuba