'nawlins

(more photos here)

I'm in the Big Easy! I'm crashing with Miriam this week just off Bourbon St in the French Quarter - pretty amazing.

Let me back up - I think I left off in Louisville... since then I've gone to Memphis, where I couchsurfed again, then was up at the crack of 8:30 to a phone call from my Becky in Africa! I was a little out of it, but we managed to chat for a few minutes (albeit not at that hour, a little later - thanks Becky for letting me sleep a little longer). I chose to experience Memphis via the wonder that is Elvis: none other than Graceland. Unfortunately I didn't have either Elvis or Paul Simon on my ipod at the moment, but even I admit that that would have been supremely cheesy.

I do wish I had had some company at Graceland, besides all the whackadoos with southern twangs and an unhealthy love for everything related to The King. It was amusing, however the best part was probably the cookies and cream ice cream for breakfast there. (I'm on vacation, I can do what I want.)

So I arrived in 'nawlins on Friday evening, settled in a bit, then hit the streets with Miriam to grab food and catch some music. (Friends of friends who know people who play music. Obviously.) We woke up early this morning to drop my car in a non-permit/safer area of the city with a fellow couchsurfer, then joined a group of probably 75 people for an urban 'hike' on a Rails to Trails conservancy project that is still very much in the early stages of completion. There were some pretty sweet photo ops along the way that made the heat and humidity worth the trek. (I must say, though, it was one of the longest 3 miles of my life, probably made worse by our lollygagging ways in the heat).

The French Quarter is incredible, but I've already caught a few glimpses of the less fortunate parts of town: a tent city under one of the city highways; a homeless man prostrate on the ground, moaning, without any shade or the willpower to move; the abandoned projects that are slated to be demolished to make way for either high-end homes or mixed-income housing, it wasn't clear which. I'd like to see more of the city in the coming weeks, but also don't want to step on toes or rudely gawk in places where the devastation hasn't been dealt with completely, so we'll see.

Monday I'll be canoeing in Mississippi on either the Wolf or Okatoma River with some couchsurfers - should be fun!

A couple of other notes - I'm working on a pretty wicked trucker's tan/burn from all that driving with my "AC" on (my window open, arm hanging out). Also, I'm mad at Mississippi for messing up my "Welcome To" photo series. Where was their sign??? If it was even there, I maintain that it was minuscule, wholly inappropriate for such a large state. Perhaps I'll try again on Monday when we go canoeing.