Day-11 Drive to New Orleans + Tuba Skinny!
I started out in the dark again so that I can leave the interstate for interesting back roads.
Headed out east on I-10. Smooth sailing to east of Houston. Pulled off at Anahuac, "Alligator
Capital of Texas". A little east was this historical sign :
Oh, by the way, these are HUGE in Texas, monster-sized gas stations, with MANY islands:
they stand OUT .. in the dark!
to the left are the gas islands .. ~30, and the right, diesel .. ~9 and either side .. !! X 2 !!
Continued on I-10 to .. Beaumont, when I decided to take off on Texas Hwy.12 (east)
Most of this geography is in the Gulf Coastal Plain, see how it looks out my windshield :
features included grasslands and marshes and a thinned out version of the Piney Woods ..
Another good (lucky) decision I made. It was an interesting road. Here's one of my 1st stop's:
Already about 78-deg. at 10am! Headed east, just past the Sabine River, my welcome sign :
Interesting towns appeared : Deweyville, Starks, and the very interesting town .. DeQuincy,
which had a railroad museum :
Hwy.12 turned into Hwy.190, which travels through many of the parishes of :
An interesting town, Opelousas, is Louisiana'a third oldest town. It calls itself the "Spice Capital
of the World". It's also the center for ZYDECO music. Settled by French Creoles and Acadians.
It was getting to be early afternoon, and I had already driven 440 miles! It was time for lunch.
I was in Baton Rouge by this time :
Tempted by the crawfish, I settled for grilled catfish and sweet potato fries. yummmmmy!
Also, ... it wasn't fun driving through "home game" traffic ... LSU is in Baton Rouge!
On to New Orleans. Found my airbnb and settled in for a little rest before walking over
to Frenchmen Street and the club 'dba', to listen 'LIVE' to a favorite band of mine.
But before I regale you with .. 'the story' and 'the description' of this live event, I want to show
you some pictures I took walking over and coming back. As testament to my lucky streak
this trip, I came upon revelers and parade 'floats' getting ready for a Halloween parade.
First .. balloons in Albuquerque, and now this ... !???? Not a parade you'll find in Pullman!
interesting architecture in the neighborhoods I walked through, including a church :
I've been listening to TUBA SKINNY for quite awhile on YouTube. Interesting sound.
Very good instrumentalists! Pull them up and listen. They have MANY videos to pore over.
This attachment of mine, similar to my earlier described Wyoming snow fences, and New Mexico
and Texas ranch signs, of listening to eclectic music (like zydeco and klezmer) has always been
there. Many years ago, our movie group (several couples) decided to go downtown and see an
interesting international film, "Schultze Gets the Blues", here's the poster :
about a recently retired German salt miner .. who, for years, played traditional polka music on
his accordion. But a series of upheavals in his life inspire an interest in zydeco and cajun music.
He takes a pilgrimage to the US to pursue this music ... similar to my travel to New Orleans
to catch TUBA SKINNY playing LIVE music at the 'dba' on Frenchmen Street.
Here's my picture. To hear the cornet, clarinet, trombone, tuba, fiddle, guitar, washboard
in person was quite an experience!
Their excellent female soulful singer, I think, was on maternity leave. You'll see & hear her in the videos. I stayed for a set and a half and then walked back to my room. What a day!
I think CAPTIVA will have to be my vacation from my vacation! Unwind with relatives!
Hopefully .. WWII museum tomorrow, maybe a bike ride to take arch. pictures
today's mileage : 553
accumulated trip mileage : 3025
Headed out east on I-10. Smooth sailing to east of Houston. Pulled off at Anahuac, "Alligator
Capital of Texas". A little east was this historical sign :
Oh, by the way, these are HUGE in Texas, monster-sized gas stations, with MANY islands:
they stand OUT .. in the dark!
Continued on I-10 to .. Beaumont, when I decided to take off on Texas Hwy.12 (east)
Most of this geography is in the Gulf Coastal Plain, see how it looks out my windshield :
features included grasslands and marshes and a thinned out version of the Piney Woods ..
Another good (lucky) decision I made. It was an interesting road. Here's one of my 1st stop's:
Already about 78-deg. at 10am! Headed east, just past the Sabine River, my welcome sign :
Interesting towns appeared : Deweyville, Starks, and the very interesting town .. DeQuincy,
which had a railroad museum :
Hwy.12 turned into Hwy.190, which travels through many of the parishes of :
An interesting town, Opelousas, is Louisiana'a third oldest town. It calls itself the "Spice Capital
of the World". It's also the center for ZYDECO music. Settled by French Creoles and Acadians.
It was getting to be early afternoon, and I had already driven 440 miles! It was time for lunch.
I was in Baton Rouge by this time :
Tempted by the crawfish, I settled for grilled catfish and sweet potato fries. yummmmmy!
Also, ... it wasn't fun driving through "home game" traffic ... LSU is in Baton Rouge!
On to New Orleans. Found my airbnb and settled in for a little rest before walking over
to Frenchmen Street and the club 'dba', to listen 'LIVE' to a favorite band of mine.
But before I regale you with .. 'the story' and 'the description' of this live event, I want to show
you some pictures I took walking over and coming back. As testament to my lucky streak
this trip, I came upon revelers and parade 'floats' getting ready for a Halloween parade.
First .. balloons in Albuquerque, and now this ... !???? Not a parade you'll find in Pullman!
interesting architecture in the neighborhoods I walked through, including a church :
I've been listening to TUBA SKINNY for quite awhile on YouTube. Interesting sound.
Very good instrumentalists! Pull them up and listen. They have MANY videos to pore over.
This attachment of mine, similar to my earlier described Wyoming snow fences, and New Mexico
and Texas ranch signs, of listening to eclectic music (like zydeco and klezmer) has always been
there. Many years ago, our movie group (several couples) decided to go downtown and see an
interesting international film, "Schultze Gets the Blues", here's the poster :
about a recently retired German salt miner .. who, for years, played traditional polka music on
his accordion. But a series of upheavals in his life inspire an interest in zydeco and cajun music.
He takes a pilgrimage to the US to pursue this music ... similar to my travel to New Orleans
to catch TUBA SKINNY playing LIVE music at the 'dba' on Frenchmen Street.
Here's my picture. To hear the cornet, clarinet, trombone, tuba, fiddle, guitar, washboard
in person was quite an experience!
Their excellent female soulful singer, I think, was on maternity leave. You'll see & hear her in the videos. I stayed for a set and a half and then walked back to my room. What a day!
I think CAPTIVA will have to be my vacation from my vacation! Unwind with relatives!
Hopefully .. WWII museum tomorrow, maybe a bike ride to take arch. pictures
today's mileage : 553
accumulated trip mileage : 3025
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