Magic

New Orleans is magical.

For those of you who still haven't had the window of opportunity open itself- contemplate cracking it open. For anyone who loves great people, great food, great music, history, culture, and adventure- this city has it all. It's a place that every American needs to visit. 

Anyhow- I got to spend the past 4 days in the Big Easy and it was great. This trip was made possible mostly by the doings of others- for which I am very grateful. My girlfriend Caroline had a good friend getting married this past weekend. When we parted back in April, she mentioned that she would be flying down south for the ceremony and would I like to tag along for a few days afterward (so I did also plant some seeds about that I would make a great tour guide- but hey- can you blame me?). So I guess Maria and her husband Adam (the now married couple and friends of Caroline) are mostly responsible, and I thanked both of them for getting married (they both gave me looks like- "who are you and what are you doing in our house?"). But really I have Caroline to thank for inviting me along. 

We ate great food. We had long conversations in open air cafes. We listened to great music. We even went on a swamp tour. This was a memorable adventure. And I am pretty sure that it was my last swamp tour. We loaded up with herd of other tourists in the Cajun Encounters bus that drove us out over expansive Lake Ponchartrain (spelling?). It was a 45 minute drive filled with blessed air-conditioning and insightful commentary by our native driver Renee. He filled us in on a lot of things regarding the devastation of Katrina-  water lines on 10 foot high fences we drove past; pointing out temporary bridges built because their "permanent" predecessors were completely swept away when the water level rose; painting the picture of how the french quarter is more or less bowl shaped and how, like a sink bowl, the water just went right to the middle and sat there when the french quarter flooded. He had all kinds of interesting things to share. Made the ride go by fast.

We got to the Honey Swamp Wildlife Preserve and pulled up to this little trailer built on stilts and paid for our tickets and put sunscreen on (which we didn't really need because the boats were covered). When the guides rolled in from their first tour of the day, the grouped the herd of about 50 or so tourists into some semblance of order and pointed us down the raised deckway toward the boats. To my amazement- everyone fit into the three seemingly too small boats they had waiting for us. Our captain came to welcome us last (his buddy next to us divulged that Captn Ted was probably stealing a cigarette break- he also mentioned that he himself had already done all the drugs he needed to and was thus ready to go)- Captn Ted. This guy was/is a character. 

Captn Ted (that's what he calls himself)- grew up in the swamp. As we would learn- his grandpa lived in the swamp for 94 years and only poked his out into civilization 20 times during the course of his life. Capt Ted filled with Cajun pride when talking about his swamp roots, his grandpa, and his growing up knowing every square inch of the swamp. We heard stories about searching for beautiful pearls left by the oysters found in the brackish waters of the swamp. We got lots of information on indigenous and intrusive plants. We learned all about alligators- from how they regulate body temperature, how they eat, how they mate (this was his favorite process to describe)- they guy knew a ton about gators. We heard about how, for 500 bucks, you could get a private trip with some local native americans that required you living with them for a week and paddling kayaks in the middle of the night 18 miles out toward the Gulf of Mexico in order to see the famous Big Al- an 18 foot alligator (means he's over 150 years old!!!).  The guy talked about everything from how necessary alligator farming has become to how corrupt the federal government has been and continues to be in regards to stealing from the little guy. The guy didn't take a breath for the first hour.

I think that, at first, all of us in the boat were intrigued and grateful that we had gotten the true local Capt Ted. He had us in the palm of his hand with his gritty swamp anecdotes and his endearing stories about his grandpa. But when he launched into this conspiratorial government is the root of all evil sermon (the guy covered the fossil fuels industry, green energy, farming practices, and, of course, hurrican relief efforts)- I think a few folks were feeling like they had somehow ended up in First Cajun Church of the Swamp with Pastor Captn Ted. The guy preached about everything from big government to spiritual contentment to true love (he shared one totally inappropriate story about how women shouldn't buy perfume because he knows a flower from the swamp whose nectar when mixed with a drop of water smells better than anything on earth. I thought I could talk. This guy had us entertained, information-saturated, and ultimately exhausted at the end of our 3 hour service. But obviously it was an experience none of us in that boat will soon forget (that is except the large man at the end who- was somehow able to sleep sitting up for then entire three hours).

That was Tuesday. Yesterday was a nice, relaxing last day. We had a lovely and leisurely breakfast at this little French pastry shop- yummy croissants and coffee and conversation. Like Granny says- so nice to just sit and chat. We then took a walk over to the mighty Mississippi and dipped our toes in (looked gross but felt great). We found the used/antique bookstore that mom and I went to when she visited me in NOLA back in 2005- had a nice time looking at books and feeling the air conditioning. And then we wandered to Jackson Square and sat in an open air cafe and had a long lunch. By then it was time to catch the taxi to the airport. 

The time was short and sweet. I have no idea when my next visit to the city of magic. But I do know that I am grateful for the opportunity to feel her charm and share it with someone I love.

Thanks New Orleans. Thanks Caroline.

Phil- my cousin, brother, friend, and mentor- picked me up at the airport last night. Timed perfectly- I walked right outside to where he had just parked by the curbside pick up and we were back here at the house at around 11pm. We caught up on all things Gabriela. Appears that she is sleeping better- actually taking her two naps during the day, though her nights are still filled with fits of waking and wanting to nurse. Phil credits Grandma Judy with Gabriela's willingness to resume her napping. So it will be interesting to see how things go this week with the two of us. Grandma leaves today in the afternoon. Uncle Ike, otherwise known as the Manny, formally begins his duties tomorrow. 

I'm sitting here at the kitchen table, in the cool of the shaded house, listening to some slow blues preparing to savor this time here in Atlanta.