Live the Dash

This winter my friend Yesenia and I decided to be bold and sign up for a square dancing class. We hadn't done it before and we were pretty sure we would be the only people who were let memebers of AARP there, but we thought "oh well let's do this, it will be fun!" So we did it. And just as expected other than one boy who came with his grandma we were just about the only people under thirty there.

But we loved it! We met so many nice people who cared for us and enjoyed our joining in with them. While there we met another newbie named Tom. He is a very kind older widowed  man who is a retired teacher.

At the end of lessons Tom gave Yesenia and I some very thoughtful gifts and invited us on an adventure to go climb a mountain! Though both of us thought that sounded thrilling I must admit we were both a bit apprehensive. So when Tom called we thought we ought to meet with him to get more details and discuss it s bit further before we could completely commit to an adventure with someone we don't know all that well. 

Yesenia and I like to keep our schedules full so we gave him a limited date selection. When we arrived to dinner last night we were seated and starting talking like old friends. He asked us about our studies (both education wise and bible wise) and then he went on to share a story with us. 

He told us the story about his family and going to church and an amazing story about how a cute little first grader came and plopped herself down right next to him the first time he went to church and years later they married. He is truly an amazing story teller and hearing about his wife through his eyes and seeing his family and her on their climbing adventures growing up was truly a blessing.

Then when he was finished he told us that yesterday eating with him so was special to him because April 20th was actually his wedding anniversary and it meant to world to him that we would come and spend some time with him, and that in honor of his wife he wanted to give us a small gift. He always bought her earring so we to got earrings along with a lovely book to read called The Dash, which was inspired by an amazing poem. He was so excited to hear that I had known the poem by Linda Ellis. 

I can honestly say each person at the table got emotional as he shared his love stories about his past wife and how much he missed her. I feel so blessed that God put Yesenia and I in this mans life to bless him, but in turn we are to being overly blessed. In a day an age of technology and business it's not often that we slow down to learn from our elders and connect with new people. God's really challenging me to step out of my shell to slow down connect with people and I am so eager to continue to get to know Tom better along with many others on the journey of "my dash".

Gator! Gator! Gator!

It's our last day in this beautiful city! We woke up bright and early went to a billion (aka three) stores to find bug spray, third stores a charm and we got us some breakfast! Then it was off to the swamp tour!

We had so much fun going up and down the bayou of the Honey Island swamp!

We saw a gator strait away! But it was on the the other side of the boat so I sweet talked a gent from NY with my cute innocent charm and suckered him in to taking pictures with my phone for me. I had him all trained up:

When a Kodak moment appeared without even asking he just took my phone to get some shots for Yesenia and I, so ladies if anyone ever tells you boys can't be trained I insist they are dead wrong. 

We also saw some wild bores, turtles, a lizard, and a snake swimming down the buyou. 

We just basked in the sun and enjoyed the atmosphere!

After the tour we changed our clothes headed out to grab at a place called Huck Finns where we split our meal and some pecan pie! After that browsed some shops I got a great pair of new shoes as a souvenir and we made one last stop for some beingnets. As we were walking back to the hotel a mini fight broke out behind us and the streets were slammed with people so we glad even though it was just a bit before seven to be headed back to prepare for our 4:30am journey tomorrow morning! 

Overall though I'm a huge fan of New Orleans! 

Plantation and Beignets

Today we had a late start that was much needed! We ate breakfast and headed out to catch a bus to the Laura Plantation. Before wel loaded up we browsed the Jackson Square and it's near buy shops, but the price of documents was so not in our budget but looking was fun.

It took us about 2 hours to get the the plantation but once we were there it was such a great experience. Hearing about the south and how families used to live was so fascinating.  This specific plantation was a Creule plantation, you can tell by the color of the building. 

We learned about the culture in the early 1800's and the reality of slavery on the plantation. It was so eye opening. One quote that really stuck with me was when the tour guide was sharing a story about how the slaves children would grow up with the families children, but one was being groomed to be a slave the other was not and only one had to pick up the toys. And though the family would love the slaves "integration and equality are not the same thing". The tour really made me want to read more about segregation and slavery in the United States. After the civil war nothing really changed the slaves still lived and worked on the plantation for a small wage because they knew nothing else and they signed a freedom act which is the picture above. 

After we got back we went to get some southern classics! Gumbo and Jambalaya! We loved it to say the least! 

Then we headed shopping! On our shopping excursion in the French Quarter we caught down great street music, which was fun but we could stay long to enjoy it as nature  called ... As is life. 

The final note worthy moment of the day was Cade de Monde where we for our beingnets! Wow were they good! We're thinking we need them tomorrow too! :)) Back at the hotel now for some relaxation to prepare for the swamp tomorrow! Life is good!

New Orleans Time Travel

Day two in the south! We started off pretty slow this morning! The time difference might be winning but we pushed through best we could! We got our tours all set up with the concierge, had breakfast at the hotel and headed out on our first adventure, The Worlf War II museum! 

We had such an amazing time exploring! We watched a 4D movie about the US involvement and really enjoyed ourselves. 

Of course the movie made is a bit emotional and reminded us of all the brave people who stepped up to help during the war. 

I would totally suggest the Museum to any history nerds or any individuals who love learning :). 

After hours in the museum we headed to the water front to get on a a steam boat and do a tour of the Mississippi River.

 We got to see the city from the water and it was beautiful. Apparently the water is 200 feet deep in locations and the Mississippi travels through 31 states! (As you can see we love learning new things!)

It was a great time and we loved the trip. We even got to see a sugar factory in business which I was excited about, I love me some good sugar!

We got off the boat around 5:30 or so and decided it was nap time and spent the rest of the day in our room ordering room service, life is rough. =P. Tomorrow we are off to a plantation and we are doing research now! I think it's safe to say we are making the trip educational :).

Down in New Orleans

Wake up call for the airport started at 3:45am this morning and Yesenia and I haven't stopped yet! We landed in New Orleans finally at 5:30pm after our layover.

We landed in New Olreans and I got teary eyed just thinking about how in the near future I would be consuming authentic sweet tea, don't judge. 

We grabbed a taxi and boy did we luck out with the driver! It was like a bonus mini tour! He gave us the history lesson of the area and showed us all the great spots to go he thought we would enjoy. For instance Louisiana doesn't have county's they have parishes most named after saints. He was from Honduroas originally so naturally I was already a fan, but he talked in both Spanish and English so I got to work on my Spanish skills which was also a bonus. 

Once we got to the hotel we freshened up and hit the ground running. We went to the water and walked through the French quarter on our way to a hot spot suggested by the concierge guaranteed to have live jazz for us to enjoy. 

Turns out you had to have tickets but we lucked out and were able to buy tickets of individuals who didn't show up and enjoy the show. So it was myself, Yesenia, and AARP memebers there to enjoy some of the best live music you can imagine performed by artists who have worked with some of the most popular recording artists in the biz today! It was so much fun! The only downfall was when I asked for sweet tea at the show they told me they didn't have any! Isn't that a southern sin? It's ok though I didn't hold it against my jazzy gents who believe me were smooth as butter and had more soul than I can even express (insert some amens and mhmmms southern baptist style here).

After the show we headed back because it had gotten dark and we are a bit on the caughteous side seeing as it's just the two of us and we are not as tough as we think we are... We are so tough that we both had our pepper spray on the ready =P. It's an interesting group of people here that's for sure. 

Once we made it to the hotel we went to its cafe where I finally got my sweet tea! Not to be a negative Nancy but I really built The stuff up, so it wasn't nearly as awesome as I was expecting, but hey I'm not complaining that's a ✔️ off my bucket list =).