Our second Santana Adventure cycling cruse featured the Mississippi River on a cycling tour through the heartland of American music. We started in Memphis, traveled the Mississippi Blues Trail and finished in New Orleans with many interesting stops along the way.
Memphis Pre-Tour
We opted for two extra nights at the pre-tour hotel, the historic Peabody Hotel in downtown Memphis. There is much to see, do, and eat in Memphis and we got started right away!
Dyers World Famous Burgers!
After checking into the Peabody Hotel, we walked down to Beale Street to get our bearings and to find Dyers World Famous Burgers for lunch. Lunch was great and one of the Top 10 things to do in our Memphis guide book was done! We wandered about the city for the balance of the afternoon.
St. Peters Church
Gathering for theVigil Mass
St. Peters church was also just a short walk from the Peabody, in the opposite direction from Beale Street, literally and spiritually!
Good advice!
It was a great Mass and we passed this sign-board on the way to back to Beal Street for dinner.
Old South Chips and Fried Pickles
Another Memphis Attraction
We passed on the whisky shots, but spotted an Irish Pub on Beale street and figured it would be a great spot for dinner after Mass, and it was. Also the patio area features a goat exhibit, also on the must-see list from the guide book!
Memphis Street Flippers
We capped off the night watching the street flippers on Beal Street before heading back to Peabody. Its slightly downhill and these street performers really accelerate as they flip down the block!
Hands down, best biscuits and gravy!
We started the second day of the pre-tour in the Peabody restaurant and our waiter recommended the biscuits and gravy, they were so good we returned again for an encore the next day!
Spicy and delicious
We toured the Rock and Soul museum in the morning and had lunch at
Gus's Fried Chicken; another two items checked off the Top 10 list!
We were looking forward to BB King Blues club for dinner. We had heard about their ribs and live music. There was a long wait and they were out of ribs! The host said the ribs were great across the street at the Blues Cafe so we went there and got right in.
"Put Some South Your Mouth"
Rev. Jesse Jackson
The meal was great and we even bumped into Rev. Jesse Jackson on the way out. We decided to put BB Kings on the agenda for tomorrow and called it a day!
Beale Street at night
The last day of the pre-tour included a ride to the Sun Studios. Many greats, including Elvis Presley, recorded and/or were discovered here! First order of business was to assemble the bikes. So after another great breakfast of Peabody Hotel Biscuits and Gravy, I headed down to the exhibit hall to assemble the bikes, and Debby staked out a table in the lobby bar to watch the morning Duck March!
Bikes assembled and ready to roll
I arrived just in time for the Duck Wrangler
Debby found a great spot to watch the morning Duck March. Each morning they bring the ducks down from their rooftop penthouse to spend their day in the lobby fountain. Each afternoon, they march back to the elevator and return to their rooftop digs. As you can see, since there is ample duck feed in the fountain, the March is more of a run in the morning!
Legend has it that the initial ducks were live decoys the hotel owner used for hunting. On a whim, he brought the ducks to the lobby. It was a hit and another Memphis tradition was born!
After lunch, we mounted our bikes and headed to Sun Studios. At less than 10 miles it was a perfect shake down test for the bikes.
First stop on the pre-tour
Great museum upstairs
U2's drum set in the Sun Recording Studio
The studio was packed with instruments and is still in use
Not on the pre-tour, but only a few miles past Sun Studios, the Elmwood Cemetery beckoned and we answered the call.
Another 'must see' in the guidebook
Many old graves in this rolling historic cemetery. We skipped the audio tour, and just rode through on the bikes. We headed back to the hotel and inadvertently wandered through a rough part of town to complete our tour!
Arriving back at the hotel we lined up in hallways and a small meeting room for the pre-tour COVID test. It was a new protocol for the cruise line and quite disorganized! While everyone tested negative, the process certainly didn't adhere to distancing standards!
We decided to head to BB Kings early and we caught the last set of the afternoon act and the first two sets of the evening band. The first band was good, and they said we probably would not remember their name after the next act, and they were right!
BB King All Stars
It was daylight when we arrived!
They were still out of ribs, but the food was great and the music was better! Another packed day. We headed back to the hotel to rest up. The official tour and embark starts tomorrow.
Day 1 - Graceland and Embark
A bit of rain on the ride to Graceland
The group breakfast was in a meeting room on the top floor and was good, but we had been spoiled by the outstanding biscuits and gravy in the main restaurant. The rain was heavy during breakfast, but by the time we were ready to go, it had lightened considerably and we had a damp ride for the 8 mile trek to Graceland!
Arriving early, crowds were light
We decided to take the mansion tour first and were able to get into a small group of only about a dozen folks so we were able to take our time and enjoy the tour.
Graceland Mansion
Living room in Graceland Mansion
Restored to its 60's glory, it was a very interesting tour. Much smaller than we expected.
Elvis and his family rest here
We saw the Elvis movie after we returned home, and it was great to see many of the sites we visited in Memphis and Graceland during our visit!
Lisa Marie private jet
We were able to walk through the length of the cabin
Elvis had two jets, the large Lisa Marie and a smaller corporate jet for short hops to and from Graceland. We were still ahead of the crowds so we toured both and then headed to the car collection.
Rusty Wallace NASCAR
From a NASCAR race car to pink a Cadillac and everything in between, Elvis' toy collection was quite impressive. We enjoyed a great Memphis BBQ lunch in the Graceland convention center and more Elvis and American music exhibits before heading back to the bikes and the short ride to Mud Island and our home for the next week or so, the American Countess.
Crossing to Mud Island
Embark on the American Countess
It was only about 13 miles from Graceland to the boat and the morning rain had given way to perfect weather for an easy afternoon ride. Since the bikes were stored on the top deck, we had a few flights of stairs after each ride to get them stowed. Our cabin was on the third deck facing the huge paddle wheels and was very comfortable.
Great view from our cabin terrace
We enjoyed our first great meal as the Countess cast off and headed downstream. After several days of pre-touring we were ready to get going.
Day 2 - Helena Arkansas - Clarksdale and Rosedale Mississippi
Helena Arkansas
We wake up in Arkansas just outside the small town of Helena. The plan for today is ride into town and enjoy a Gospel Music performance and receive a blessing from a local minister. Then cross the Big River into Mississippi and follow along the Blues Trail to Clarksdale, also known as the Crossroads of the Delta Blues. There will be lunch and a performance at Morgan Freeman's Ground Zero Blues Club. Let's get going!
High tech route map!
Typical Santana Adventures daily route map. Never to scale, but shows the various route alternatives for the day in a big picture format. Since the daily route may change due to river levels and/or boat traffic, the map is generally drawn and distributed at the morning route talk. Also, the highly accurate GPS tracks can be had by downloading from the internet or memory chips, also finalized and distributed early each morning!
I must admit, that being an over-functioning planning analytic, it took some time to get used to this format! Also different from our 2021 Danube River Cruise, most lunches were served inland miles away from the boat. So to select a shorter route, you simply rode to the stop that matched your desired distance. Load your bike into a waiting truck and hop on a tour bus to return to the boat and complete the day's route.
Hey, we're in Arkansas!
We docked across from a grain terminal and followed the service road toward the town of Helena. A cold front was moving in, but temps were perfect in the low 60's most of the day.
Main Street Helena
Like many main streets in the rural US, many boarded windows. We would loop through town and stop at the Helena Community Center. Formally a Jewish synagogue, it is now a community center. The local Chamber of Commerce official welcomed the group as we settled in for a fantastic gospel music performance.
Gospel Singers
What a great performance! The young man is also a minister and after the performance he prayed for our safety and blessed the group. What a great start to the tour!
Big winds were in the forecast for today, luckily they would be mostly on the tail. Except for crossing the mighty Mississippi, where there was a huge cross wind. Gusting over 30mph, it was strong enough to make us slow down and consider walking!
She's still smiling after killer crosswinds on the bridge!
We are in the Mississippi Delta country. Flat as a pancake and very little wind protection because of all the agriculture. Actually an advantage for today's forecast!
It official, mostly tailwinds all morning!
The forecast was for sustained winds at 15-18 mph gusting to over 30! Once we were over the bridge, it was smooth sailing (literally) to the coffee stop at Uncle Henry's, about 13 miles into the ride.
Morning coffee stop on Moon Lake
We were among the first to arrive and hurried in to get some coffee and use the facilities before the rest of the herd arrived!
Helpful restroom directions
Rustic and modern farms along the way
Rolling into downtown Clarksdale
Fortified and rested, we hop back on the bikes for 22 miles of tailwind
assisted delta country riding to Clarksdale and and lunch. We rolled into town and our group had overrun the Delta Blues Museum. We decided to go to lunch right away and had a great meal and awesome entertainment.
Great lunchtime entertainment!
Morgan Freeman's Ground Zero Blues Club
Escape buses at Clarksdale
Our favorable tailwind was forecast to turn to a strong cross wind for the next section. Debby wisely decided she would stow the bike in the U Haul and take a bus back to the boat. So after lunch we explored the town for a bit, then I saddled up and rolled out of town.
He's been there a while!
The race was on. The bus would wait for more riders before heading to the boat at Rosedale MS, so I put the hammer down to try to get there first! I had to stop and get this great picture. There were two old pickups at the entrance to a farm just outside of town.
Lost stoker!
The advantage of not riding a tandem, is that if your partner has had enough and decides to take the bus, and you still want to ride, you don't have to ride a tandem solo! I saw this more that a few times that afternoon and later during the trip.
A bit of gravel to reach the boat
I covered the 40 miles in just over 2 hours, and was only a few miles from the boat when Debby's bus passed. It was good that she was out in front, because the road turned to gravel and I was not sure I was on route. I called Deb, and she confirmed (via my Garmin Live Track) that I was on route and only a short way from the boat. A number of other riders turned back, not sure of the route, but with my ride controller guiding me in, not a pedal stroke was wasted!
Entertainment in the lounge before dinner
Back at the boat we grabbed some refreshments before heading to the early dinner seating. There was quite a line every evening for the early seating, but we passed the time in the lounge enjoying more great music.
Local blues group
That was a full day!
After a great meal, we headed to the show room where a local blues group gave a great performance before calling this a day.
Day 2 - Port Gibson to Natchez MS
Lots of options for today!
Loading the steeds into a livestock trailer
Another day with big mile options. The only drawback, is there is no good way to get from the boat harbor to Port Gibson. The normal landing at Port Gibson was underwater, and the alternative port was just off a major highway with no riding shoulder. So everyone rode the bus ride to Port Gibson to start the day!
We hit most these Clairborne County sites
Clairborne County is where General Grant started the Vicksburg campaign. He famously stated that Port Gibson was too beautiful to burn and left it standing!
Clairborne County Courthouse
Old mansion in Port Gibson
First Presbyterian Church
We grabbed some snacks at a convenience store in Port Gibson since we were going to do the long ride to lunch, about 33 miles. Leaving town we were soon on quiet back roads in beautiful rolling country.
Nice back roads
Windsor Ruins
Our first stop was the Windsor Ruins. A old plantation house that survived the Civil War, but was destroyed by accidental fire in 1890. The owner ironically died only a few weeks after it was completed! His family continued to live in the mansion and the family's descendants donated it to the Mississippi Parks department in 1970.
Bethel Church
We stopped at the Bethel Church, thinking it was the one with a cannonball embedded in the wall. There was none here, but it was a nice stop at this church that was built c. 1845!
Alcorn College
Next stop is the oldest public land-grant historically black Alcorn College. This is where the route splits. The choice is 24 miles paved direct to lunch, or a 33 mile ride, including about 10 miles of gravel roads to the Rodney Ghost Town. Debby is up for the adventure, so we head out on the tiny dirt road to Rodney that is hidden behind a parking lot at the college.
The trail to Rodney
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She rode this section like a champ
So proud of how Debby took on the trail to Rodney! With recent rains, the road was quite muddy in places, and we often found ourselves dodging puddles, rocks and other debris. Based on the lack of tracks in the mud, we were the first riders of the group down this trail!
Ruins in Rodney
There's the cannonball! (above middle top window)
As we were taking in the sights of Rodney another group from the tour rolled up and offered to take our picture. They were happy to return a favor after following our 'line' through the muddy road to get here.
Rodney Convenience Store
It was quite a climb out of Rodney, but well worth the trip. We head back toward US Highway 61 and lunch at the Old Country Store in Lorman MS. World famous fried chicken was on offer, but most of the group elected to bypass the trip to Rodney, so by the time we arrived the chicken was gone! No worries, the cook promised more was on the way in a minute. So we stood in line snacking on other lunch items.
About 15 minutes passed and the cook reappeared. I asked again about the chicken, he said it'd be a minute more. Recognizing me and his earlier prediction, he qualified by adding, 'another Mississippi minute' with a loud belly laugh! About 10 minutes later we enjoyed some outstanding fried chicken.
Natchez Trace
With 33 miles in the bag and building heat, Deb wisely decided to take the bus to Natchez and skip the last 35 miles on the Natchez Trace.
River crossing along the Trace
Perfect roads, little traffic
We covered the last 35 miles to Natchez
The Trace is now a national parkway and commercial traffic is restricted. The road is in excellent condition and traffic was light. Since we among the last to leave the lunch stop, there were many riders up the road. I'd spot them in the distance, catch them, say hello, and then ride up to the next group. Before I knew it, the 35 miles were done! A group was taking a photos at the parkway entrance, and we exchanged cameras to get this shot!
Downtown Natchez
Debby pinged me with her location in town and we found a quiet bar across from the park overlooking the river. We grabbed a table just inside to get out of the heat and enjoyed some refreshments while we waited for the boat to arrive and we could board!
The boat just pulling in to Natchez
We finished our drinks and headed down to the lower landing where the boat was preparing to moor. We spent some time visiting with other riders in the long line of folks waiting to board. Another great day on the bikes!
Day 3 - Natchez MS loop
Loop to lunch and back!
Stanton Hall
All the routes head into the heart of Natchez and we arrive at Stanton Hall for a guided tour of this historic 'town house.' During the plantation/slave era, it was common for wealthy plantation owners to also have a house in town. This one was quite impressive.
Many furnishings are original
The house is now operated by a historic society. The house changed owners several times after the civil war and even became an inn for a time before it was restored. Many of the furnishings, and some of the fixtures have been located and purchased or donated back to the house to present it as was in the mid 1800s.
A nice chill in the morning!
More country roads
We enjoyed the tour, but were happy to be on our own and headed out on the short route to lunch. We were out of town and soon in the rolling countryside making our way through farms and forest.
Working farmhouse
Lunch was a transition from southern barbecue to Cajun creole and was delicious! It was quite windy and we found refuge in the garden on the leeward side of the house to enjoy our meal. Since we took the short outbound loop, we were first in line at lunch this time, and were able to high tail it back to the boat in front of the crowd!
Kudzu vines lose their leaves in the winter, who knew!
We had been noticing these strange web-like branches covering trees and shrubs everywhere. We finally realized they were Kudzu vines that were just coming out of the winter dormant period. Later, and further south we would find them back to their leafy invasive ways!
This is not a road cut!
We learned during the morning route talk that the soil is so loamy in these parts, that the roads actually sink over time. Here is a good example. It looks like a road cut, but over the years the road bed has sunk into the earth!
Apparently we could retire here
We decided to skip the tour of the Longwood mansion on the way back. It was under construction at the start of the Civil War but was never completed. Some of the uncompleted sections display tools and construction processes of the era. We decided to head back to the boat, and relax in the sun on our veranda, and catch up on the laundry!
Laundry day in the cycling ghetto!
Day 4 - Pointe Coupee Louisiana loop
John James Audubon Bridge
Deb decided to take a well deserved rest day so yours truly headed out on the long route for about 50 miles of great riding. Just a few pedal strokes from the boat, my power meter battery died. Luckily I had a spare and was able to get back on the road in short order. We would be crossing a relatively new suspension bridge over the River.
Avoid riding over these!
It had road crews doing maintenance which forced us off the bike lane
and onto a traffic lane that was closed to cars. I remembered the huge
wheel eating expansion joints from the 2021 Southern Transcontinental
ride on a similar looking 'new bridge' and was extra careful to avoid them. A tandem from our group unfortunately hit one and they were on the side of the road with a taco for a rear wheel. Luckily they were fine, and only suffered a broken rear spoke. The were in need of a spoke wrench to get the wheel back into true and I was happy to lend them mine. They were going to wait for a mechanic, so I continued on.
A perfect morning for a ride
The first stop was the Oakley Plantation
Not that impressive
Maybe it was more impressive on the inside, but I was eager to get back on the road and enjoy the very impressive roads, forest and farms of the area! I skipped the tour and pressed on.
Barn ruins on the way to Rosedown
Rosedown Plantation
The big stop of the day was the Rosedown Plantation. Now a park and
restored to the Slave era, it had beautiful grounds and exhibits. Our
admission was paid for by Santana, but the park ranger informed me that
to tour inside the house I would need to remove my cycling shoes. Something about protecting the original floors. I decided to wander around the grounds instead of going inside.
Rosedale Gardens
Fantastic Lunch!
I was a bit early for lunch, but the food was ready so they served me anyway. A perfect Cajun pasta and sausage meal that would satisfy any randonneur! It really hit the spot and I was again back on the road, and fully fortified. They even gave me a couple extra cookies for the road!
Leaving Rosedown
St. Francisville War Memorial
Next stop is the town of St. Francisville. I stopped at this war memorial in town before heading to Myrtles (another plantation exhibit, but very touristy), the Chill Mill and Grandmother Buttons. Some say the journey is more important than the destination, today they would have been correct!
Grandmother Buttons
Not in need of buttons, historic or otherwise, I continued on.
St. Francisville Courthouse
This courthouse was built in 1903, next to the site where the original was destroyed by Union gunboats in the Civil War!
Are your ready for a Fixer Upper?
The extra loop took us off US 61 on a great loop through rural roads, swamp land, and a nuclear reactor!
Bayou swamp
River Bend Station Warning Sign
I arrived at this sign first, and assumed it related to some military base nearby. The signage was quite vague.
River Bend Nuclear Facility
A few more miles and bingo, its a nuke! This is Unit 1 of the River Bend Nuclear Generating Station. It generates just under 1000 mw of power (that would be equivalent to 3 large utility grade solar facilities). Unit 2 and and even larger Unit 3 were never built. This one came online in 1986.
Road kill or radiation poisoning?
Soon we are back on US 61 for a few miles before linking up to Louisiana 10 and we retrace our route over the Audubon Bridge and back to the boat.
The American Countess in the distance
Stay in the bike lane!
Cattle and Big Cajun II Power plant
Didn't expect this to be a tour of power plants, but the Big Cajun II power plant was located near the boat landing. This three unit plant was designed to burn coal, but unit 2 was converted to natural gas in 2015. Each unit generates about 550 mw of power. The coal storage is tucked away out of sight behind the plant shielded by a tree-lined man-made hill!
Audubon Bridge
Arriving early, no line to board the Countess!
Back on board we enjoyed another great meal as we headed downriver to Baton Rouge!
Day 5 - Baton Rouge to White Castle
38 or 55 miles
Can you say head/crosswind?
We sailed overnight and arrived in Baton Rouge sometime before dawn. Some days are easier than others to pick the route option for the day. Today was a no-brainer, with building head/cross winds all day, we selected the 38 mile option!
Leaving the cruise terminal in Baton Rouge
Mostly smooth roads on levees
Exposed levee that is!
Weather was great, but you could really feel the building headwind! Much of the morning route was on a fantastic bike path built on a levee. Occasionally the route would descend a few feet back to a road, then the route would return to the levee. Generally, the detour was caused by pipelines or other nautical obstacles along the way.
Running of the cows!
Of course if the levee was on grazing land, we would also drop down to the road. Along this stretch a herd of cows decided to run along with our two-member peloton! Check out the wind noise in the video!
Boarding the ferry to Plaquemine
More bikes than cars
On the ferry to Plaquemine
Lunch in Plaquemine
While on the ferry, I looked up lunch/snack options in Plaquemine. There
was a local doughnut shop on Google maps that looked interesting, but we rode in circles trying
to find it. Finally giving up, and getting way hungry, we hopped into a Burger King for our only fast food meal of the trip!
Back on the road, there two two sights left on the agenda; the Smallest Church in the World, and the Nottoway Mansion. With full tummies we get back on the road!
Many local cemeteries...
... chemical and petroleum refineries
Nice neighborhoods...
..and neighborhoods in ruins!
We would have missed it if not for this sign!
Volunteers were painting the interior!
Pleasant Mary garden at the Chapel
We blew past the Smallest Church in the World, but circled back to check it out! There was a volunteer couple repainting the interior, so we just took a few pictures around the chapel and relaxed in the shade of the Mary Garden. It was Palm Sunday, but there is no Mass here today. The Chapel holds Mass only once a year, during the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Mother!
Next stop, Nottoway Mansion.
Nottoway Mansion
The Nottoway mansion (aka. White Castle) is billed as the South's most magnificent mansion remaining from the antebellum era. Built in 1844 by a successful sugar magnate, its been an evolving museum of the era since 1980.
Nearing the turnoff to the White Castle ferry landing
With the building heat and wind, we decided to pass on the Nottoway tour and head directly to the boat to finish our day!
End of a windy, but worthwhile day!
Don't be fooled by the flat terrain, and short distance. This was one of the more difficult days on the bikes. We were both very happy we elected the shorter route.
The bikes enjoyed the shade of our veranda too!
The best part of the day, the stern of the boat was shaded, so we were able to relax and recover in the shade of our room's veranda!
Tomorrow we will wake up in New Orleans!
Day 6 - New Orleans
Critical mass ride area
We awake in New Orleans at the cruise terminal. This morning's ride is a critical mass ride/city tour of the French Quarter and surrounding area. We'll be guided by 'Kenny the Hero.' Kenny was a professional cyclist competing in South America when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. He flew home right away to help in any way he could. Shortly after arriving, he and a small group of others, 'borrowed' a boat and spent the next several days rescuing over 400 stranded residents!
Ty and yours truly lining up for the ride
So what is a Critical Mass ride anyway? Basically enough cyclists take the over the road so that the whole group can ride as one. If a light turns red while part of the group passes, the whole group continues. Sometimes not to the delight of motorists and pedestrians. Debby was not up for a hectic group ride so I headed out on my own with Ty.
A wet Bourbon Street!
We met Ty in the Peabody Bar in Memphis for the morning Duck march and suffered together through the chaos of the COVID testing later that day. Ty was the only one of our small group that didn't get COVID after the trip. He attributed his immunity to time spent in the bar!
Our strategy on the ride was to stay on the front near Kenny and we had a great ride!
Kelly Bellau
Kenny tells the story of how he and a bunch of guys from a half-way house 'borrowed' a boat and rescued hundreds of people stranded on rooftops during the aftermath of Katrina. He thought the parolees were firemen, and they thought he was a cop. Anyway they made a great team. His racing days are over, but he has become a legend in New Orleans
Touring through New Orleans City Park
There were several stoker-less tandems on the tour!
One of the last stops on the tour
We returned to the boat in time for lunch after our two hour city tour that covered nearly 30 miles! After lunch it was time to pack up the bikes and get ready to disembark. We decided to go to the show after dinner on the boat, but headed out before the end of the first set!
Day 7 - Disembark and post-tour
We decided to book our own hotel for the next three nights to tour New Orleans. We stayed at the historic Roosevelt Hotel, now a Waldorf Astoria Hilton, and cashed in some of our Hilton points!
It was a great old hotel with a classic lobby. Located just outside the French Quarter, we could walk to most places we wanted to visit. The room was ready early so we checked in and started our post-tour.
Lobby Piano at the Roosevelt Hotel
The piano's history, built in 1893!
We headed out to the French Quarter to start our post-tour tour. We shopped at the French Market and found a great restaurant there with live music, for lunch!
Muffaletta's in the French Market
Great band for lunch
We would spend the next three days enjoying the city, but getting progressively more exhausted each day. By the time we got home we both had come down with COVID! Who knows where we picked it up! Several of the folks we had dinner with on the boat also tested positive after the trip. My guess it that we picked it up on the boat near the end of the tour. Debby's guess was that it was at Morgan Freeman's Ground Zero Blues Club.
Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral
Cafe Beignets
We tried to get into the Cafe du Monde for their beignets, but it was packed. The Cafe Beignet was just down the street from our hotel and they were awesome. Even better because there was no wait! The Bloody Mary was OK too!
Maybe I picked up COVID from this guy!
Best music of the trip was here with these guys!
A helpful vendor in the French Market recommended that we get off the beaten path and head to Frenchman street and check out some of the clubs and hang-outs that the locals prefer. She recommended the Spotted Cat Jazz Club and it was fantastic. We stayed for three sets!
St. Louis Cemetery
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church
Louis Armstrong park
Louis Armstrong Monument
We took a walking tour of the Foubourge Treme area including Louis Armstrong Park, Congo Square, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, and the St. Louis Cemetery's. We had all day passes for the street cars which made the it easy to get around.
Cajun specialties
Bourbon Street
We found a recommended Cajun restaurant near Bourbon street that was fantastic for our second night in New Orleans.
On the ferry to Algiers
Keyboard steps in Algiers
Bar in Algiers
They were filming a movie across the street and this place was overrun with movie crew and support, so we couldn't stop in!
Distinctive colorfully painted shotgun houses in Algiers
Our final day had us taking the ferry to Algiers and following a walking tour. Cute houses and a throwback vibe well away from the tourist bustle of the French Quarter, made this a nice way to wrap up our last afternoon of the trip.
Too tired (or sick) we picked up Fried Chicken for dinner
We were so tired on the last day, we decided to get some highly recommended Willies fried chicken and dine in the room. We packed up and headed home the next morning.
We both arrived home feeling worse (flu-like). We had COVID PCR rests scheduled for our Israel trip the following week, but we moved them up and both of us tested positive the next morning. That nixed the Israel trip, and knocked us both out for about a week and a half.
Finally recovered, and testing negative, we spend some time with our grandson. He ended up with the stomach flu, and we both went down again for another week.
Before I knew it, in June we headed out to Copenhagen Denmark for another Santana Cruise, the Baltic Sea 2022.
So those are my excuses for the tardy timing of this blog update. Hopefully you'll read about our Baltic adventure in a few weeks!
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