Diary/Photo Journal
Week of August 31, 2003
We blazed (and I mean "blazed" as in hot) through Georgia and Florida,
taking a nice drive along the coast. Gerson was especially keen on
visiting New Orleans so we were making straight for the city as soon as
possible. Having been to New Orleans many times (I lived and worked nearby
for three months and again for two months), I was not as excited as he because I
know how dirty and smelly the town really is, and she did not disappoint.
We only stayed long enough to have some seafood along the Riverwalk, take a walk
through the infamous French Quarter, when the heat and stench and tourist
solicitors drove us out. New Orleans is a city best enjoyed at night
(IE: dark) and after a few beers or hurricanes (a local toxic concoction), then
she is a wickedly fun town
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Florida hitchikers (you wonder why I dislike Florida) |
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New Orleans - old bar, some renovated buildings and Bourbon Street |
After New Orleans, we knew we would hit a dry spell so we thought to head to Houston to check out the NASA space center. Our main interest was to experience the zero gravity chamber which allows you to don the space suit and float and bounce around as though you were floating or on the moon. When we found out that part of the exhibits was closed, we did not want to pay the outrageous admission costs to see half of what we already saw in the Smithsonian. So, off we went to The Alamo.
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Louisiana sunset |
But, as luck would check out for the day, we got snagged in a long and
tedious Houston traffic jam and we arrived in San Antonio after The Alamo had
closed. So, off we went to New Mexico.
We decided to see the Carlsbed Caverns and we were quite amazed at the size and
expanse of the caverns. The Carlsbad Caverns are wholly grander and more
vast than those in Marengo, Indiana (see Diary page 14); however, the Marengo
Caverns were so much more colorful and the formations were much more intricate.
Of the two, we would recommend Marengo over Carlsbad.
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Various formations at Carlsbad Stalagtite and Stalagmite almost touching - in a couple of hundred years they will Lion's tails Soda's straws And I won't even put a name to the last one :-) |
We left Carlsbed Caverns for our next quick stop at White Sands National
Park. When you look at the pictures, you have to wonder how they ever
found this name. Just some dried up prehistoric ocean, but was cool
nonetheless. Gerson takes to sand dunes as I take to meadows.
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New Mexico sky |
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We were being chased |
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Gerson and Cindy at White Sands |