Orleans Outing

Last weekend Matt and I took a short weekend trip with a few friends down to New Orleans. The purpose of the trip was the Auburn - LSU game, however, we did not go to Baton Rouge for the game. Matt and I decided to fly down since the airfare was cheap. We left after work on Friday and met up with our group that night. Years ago Matt and his friends agreed to meet up in New Orleans every 2 years for this game, so we met up with 12 other people and stayed in a Victorian house which was very interesting! The style of the house was unique and the bathrooms were certainly authentic! I think it has been my first time to pull a chain from above to flush a toilet and take a shower in a footed bathtub! If you are interested in seeing the house, here it the website where you can see pictures: http://www.victorianhousenola.com/

While I can't say that New Orleans was one of my top places to visit, it was quite a place to see! For someone who loves people-watching as much as I do, I think I found the perfect spot! We also found many great places to eat around the city. I must also mention that while Bourbon Street is an interesting place to be, the strangeness reaches a whole new level on the Saturday night before Halloween! While the men watched the second half of the Auburn game in a restaurant, the girls were able to step outside for a bit and see the large city Halloween parade. The floats and costumes were unbelievable! I have seen hard work and creativity in other floats, but these were amazing! And there are never more unexpected surprises than running into former students (from last year) with their dads on Bourbon Street just after midnight on the eve of an LSU win! Of all the sounds from the bands and bars and thousands of people walking on Bourbon Street, there is nothing quite as strange as hearing "Mrs Tanner!" Before flying out on Sunday afternoon, Matt and I were able to spend another day walking around the city. We ate beignets at the famous Cafe Du Monde and walked around Jackson Square while having a quiet lunch in a local cafe. As we left we were also able to briefly see some of the remaining damage of Hurricane Katrina from the cab.

I must also admit that the highlight of my trip came on the plane ride home. After a brief 30 minutes in the air, as we were asked to put our tray tables back in their upright positions, Matt's friend, Rory, told us to look out the window. On the clear, October day we could perfectly see Bryant-Denny stadium, the U of A quad, the Coliseum, Tutwiler, and I was even able to find the sorority house! I don't think the planefull of Auburn fans quite felt my excitement, but it brightened my weekend!