Woke up pretty late and headed to breakfast at Cafe Rose Nicaud on Frenchman Street. It was OK. I had a cinnamon roll while Michelle and Addison had bagels and Genetta a sausage and egg breakfast sandwich.
Headed into the quarter to do some shopping. First went by the Voodoo museum on Dumaine so that Genetta could buy gifts for her friends. We got her a Baron Samedi doll for her birthday as well. There was a very nice lady behind the counter talking about how brutal the weather was. We decided not to go through the museum, however, as we had already done it in 2010 (and it was decent).
As it was getting hotter and was humid we decided to head towards the river. The wind was really picking up near the levee and we took time to relax on a bench while the kids went to Cafe Du Monde to get some drinks (for them and for us). What looked to be bird droppings on the ground turned out to be confectioners sugar from someone earlier. Good thing — as the pigeons were eating it up happily. Turns out a pigeon hyped up on sugar isn’t any smarter than one that isn’t as they bobbed aimlessly around.
Skyrats snorting sugar, sweet sweet sugar
Climbed the levee and took a seat on one of the benches. As it was cloudy (finally!) and very breezy it was quite comfortable. We watched a couple of huge cargo ships come downstream from under the bridge and round the bend between the wharf and Algiers Point. They were really trucking, and we were sure they wouldn’t be able to make the turn without plowing into the wharf. They all did, thankfully. Also was a huge flock of seagulls (not the awesome 80s band!) gliding on the wind and picking up scraps left by any of the people on the levee. A few people were getting dangerously close to the river but it looked like common sense prevailed — that current is way too strong to risk swimming (inadvertent or otherwise).
Cargo ship rounding the bend near Algiers Point
Seagulls riding the breeze
The Nachez started playing its calliope concert for those boarding for the afternoon cruise. Michelle went to get information about the cruise and we decided to go for the evening cruise but forgo dinner. The menu was frustrating — each entree started great and then fizzled out: pork-loin… with artichoke sauce, bbq beef brisket… with mango pineapple sauce, and so on. Blech!
Calliope concert from the Natchez
Headed into the JAX building to use the restroom and eat at the food court. Nothing remarkable there, just hotdogs and fries and such. Did a little shopping at some of the stores (most selling just souvenirs) but found nothing remarkable. Headed out and along Decatur where we found a Final Four 2012 pin I’m hoping to turn into a magnet for our collection.
Turned up Iberville and then onto Royal where we shopped at several stores. Michelle and Genetta enjoyed sweet tea at Cafe Beignet before heading over to Jackson Square. There we went to a doll shop where she had bought a ceramic doll on a cypress knee in ’95. We found it broken several years ago under mysterious circumstances… They still had a few and Michelle picked out one to replace the fallen one. Sadly the store is closing in a few months — dolls don’t sell like they used to and the economy was killing them.
While Michelle was purchasing the doll I went out to Jackson Square to snap some pictures of Saint Louis cathedral and the Andrew Jackson statue. What a beautiful place, with wrought iron fences surrounding short, well-kept grass and live oaks. The sky was taking an ominous looking gray cast, however, and we decided to start heading back to the unit.
Saint Louis Cathedral with storm clouds gathering in the distance
Along the way we stopped at a Mardi Gras mask store where Michelle and Genetta bought a couple of nifty masks. Headed down Royal and past the Cornstalk Fence Hotel to the unit just as it started to really rain and thunder. Tried to wait the storm out in the unit but eventually gave up and made a dash to La Peniche during a semi-lull.
Cornstalk Fence Hotel with its famous fence and a horse and buggy out front
At La Peniche we had a great dinner. I went the breakfast-for-dinner route, yummy! Made it back to the room just before tip-off of the National Championship game. Blogged while the game was on, Kentucky won 67-59. Even well after dark the thunderstorms still continued to rage.