Farewell NOLA

Jan. 8, 2020

Outer Journey: Old School Medicine

On the last touring day of our trip we went to three places, of course that meant more steps on my tracker. It was another mix of warm sunshine on your skin and a cool breeze coming off the river. For the afternoon, we found ourselves in the Pharmacy museum. Walking in was odd to say the least. The old wooden shelves were lined with glass bottles of different colors containing their original ingredients and labels with mostly unknown names. There were instruments in glass cases that gave me chills just thinking about its actual use versus what I imaged it being used for. At the back of the room was the pharmacist's work space that was hidden to public, leading to the mystery of medicine. This was definitely my favorite place of everything we got to see during the trip. Our guide in the museum gave a lot of history of the building and common practices from the early 1820's when this pharmacy was opened by Louis DuFilho Jr. The evolution of medicine is incredible. Learning that the first syringes used powdered medicine "injected' into a body opening that he told us may have been an abscess on a persons face. That sounds so painful. Syringes then used needles, that were not removable or able to be taken apart and  cleaned so bacteria could easily live anywhere inside. Even though Mr. DuFilho thought he was curing many diseases, he was mostly spreading it or making it worse. Mercury was commonly used to treat malaria and heroin was added to several things from cough syrups to remedies to treat female issues. At the end of the tour we were told how the first pharmacies lead to the start of "diners". The first soda fountains were used to mask the horrible taste of the concoction you were about to consume, and food was being served as well. If I ever come back to New Orleans, this is one of the places I would return to, especially after I complete nursing school and have  more known on the effects of certain things to the human body. But that may also be a worse idea knowing how horrible the treatments actually were for people. 

Inner Journey: That's a Wrap

Having the opportunity to go on this trip to New Orleans was priceless. Traveling with my family is not something that is organized as far as an itinerary. We get up at whatever time in the morning and walk or drive around until we something to do. And with 5 kids involved it would not include anything to do with history, art or religion that is automatically boring to them. I was able to learn so much of the cities past and even though we heard many of the stories over and over, it was always told slightly different than before. Some of those details made it even more interesting than the one before it. But this helped in remembering the significance that it played in making New Orleans what it is today. This city is a true example of how people come together after tragedy to rebuild and make it even better than it was before, from the first fire in 1788 to the back to back hurricanes in 2005 Katrina and Rita. The occupants of the city came together to rebuild no matter what their status, which shows that love for one another and their common grounds keep them strong. One of things I found interesting in the architecture of the early city was that the barges that came down the Mississippi River were dismantled and material was used throughout the buildings and the streets. This was before the steam engine therefore the barge would not be going back up river and could not remain in the ports. The slate sidewalks were still beautiful to walk on and the large pieces of barge board lined the walls and ceilings of many of the historic buildings we toured. Overall, this city is rich with history and beauty and I will definitely try to return.

  

Jesus and Medicine

Jan. 7, 2020

Outer Journal: Worship

Leaving the hotel was another sunny morning, with an occasional gust of the cool river air. It was going to be another busy day at the cathedral and museums. My feet and legs have made somewhat of a recovery from the past several days of touring, typically getting in about 7 miles of walking each day. The first place we visited was the St Louis Cathedral. The building is absolutely beautiful inside and out. The three towers of the cathedral can be seen all throughout the French Quarter, as if drawing everyone back to its entrance at Jackson Square. Once inside, the view of the alters and multiple paintings is breath-taking. It was interesting to find out that all the painting on the ceiling was done on canvas. When it needs cleaned or touched up the sheets are taken down and then hung back up. It prevents paints from peeling and falling onto the floor. I have been in several old buildings, courthouses and churches, that usually have strips of paint just hanging from the plaster. The cathedral had been through several disasters in the 1700-1800’s, including the first fire that ruined 80% of the area and towers collapsing while being built. On the backside of the cathedral there is a statue of Jesus, at night it is illuminated and his shadow spans almost the entire height of the building known as "touchdown Jesus". It is phenomenal to see.

We then walked a short distance to the Old Ursuline Convent, which is the oldest building in the area. It survived both fires due the continued prayer of the nuns caused the direction of the wind to change and the building remained fully intact. The exterior of the building seems simple with its white plaster and two levels of evenly placed windows. Inside is St Mary’s church, Bishops and archbishops worshiped here. The ceiling was made from cypress wood from barges that get disassembled at the ports, it was hard to wrap your mind around these massive beams being placed in the buildings as they were the entire width of the building.

Inner Journey: Love for a City

The one thing that I have noticed in every version of the cities history is one common theme. Love. This city saw many tragedies in it's early years. There was sickness that took hundreds of lives every year when there would be a new outbreak. In the pharmacy tour, he stated if they wanted to survive that summer season they had to leave. After the fires, the people pulled together to rebuild almost everything in the city, houses, churches, businesses and stores. Another way the people of this area come together is through food. I feel that when you are preparing meals for those you love there is another level of "flavor or love" added. The south is the place to go when you want to experience a new cuisine other than your own, it has made them famous. I was excited to be going to New Orleans for the history, but the idea of all food was probably the highlight of my days. Mostly because the days were long, full of walking and I needed to refuel on my favorite, spicy bites of goodness-shrimp or crab! During our tour days and when we had free time, I noticed how friendly people are. Even though New Orleans is a large city everyone has manners, which is rare in the North. Cars will let you cross the street without feeling that your life may be in danger. When asking for directions, people are always helpful. Even though it was clear we were all tourists, I never felt out of place mingling with all the people we encountered with tours or on our own.

A Slow Tourist

Jan. 6, 2020

Outer Journey: The Tortoise 

It was a quiet and slow moving morning. The curtains in the hotel room were still closed so not much light was entering the room. I took my time getting to the lounge for breakfast, my feet and legs still being achy from the past few days of walking. It was a little after noon when we finally left the hotel. It was amazing walking outside into the 72 degree weather. The immediate warmth from the sun was comforting, it seemed like those early summer days were so long ago back in Illinois. So of course I had to screenshot the app and send it to my husband to brag about this. I was in a happier mood being able to enjoy such beautiful weather on our free day. Walking at our own pace, per Katelyn's GPS was 2 MPH, stopping into souvenir shops and taking in the sites and sounds of the French Quarter. The street artists and musicians are everywhere. Some of the paintings or drawings were absolutely beautiful, I stood and watched one man as he was placing a garden-scape on the canvas in front of him. It must have been a place he could remember vividly, he was placing the color of the flowers in perfect, circular motion as if they were right in front of him. 

Walking the streets in different tourist cities has many similarities. There are lots of people all the time. it didn't matter if it was light or dark out, there were still parents with small children in strollers or on the shoulders of dad, but we did see one brother giving his little sisters a piggy-back ride. And that made me think of my 2 kids back home. I think the biggest problem I have encountered on this trip is always deciding what to eat anywhere we go. Walking past each restaurant made me feel like a kid in a candy store, I just wanted it all!! For dinner we ate Cafe Pontalba. The 3 of us decided to order appetizers and share them so we could try more options. It may have been the best decisions ever! Cassie has a severe allergy to cayenne pepper so it made her options difficult, as we had to interrogate our waiters on what was in each dish. This time he said fried alligator bites and crab stuffed mushrooms neither contained the seasoning. When the food arrived I noticed that my crab cakes and crawfish pie had a reddish seasoning around the outer edge of the plate. I stopped Cassie from shoving that fork in her mouth and we called that waiter right back over to our table. It was discovered that red seasoning was a NO NO. Duh. He put in an order for new food with the "sprinkles of death". I was in flavor heaven! The crab cake had huge pieces of lump crab meat in every bite, a slight burn from the remoulade sauce. Then I moved on to the crawfish pie. It was like an empanada. Sweet crawfish, peppers and rice inside a fried pillow of warm deliciousness and topped with a crawfish sauce that I wanted to lick off the plate after I finished. But I used a spoon to get that plate as clean as I could. Eventually we made our way back to the hotel and relaxed watching Netflix before falling asleep.

Inner Journey: Momma Bird

I have known about the anaphylactic allergy to cayenne for awhile and know about the two severe reactions that have occurred as I was with her for one of them. Many people do not understand how bad things can get for some people in such a short amount of time, within seconds sometimes. And reactions tend to get worse on each incident. One of the first days we were out on the tours, Kaytlen and I made sure that the epipen was in an outer pocket of Cassie's backpack in case we had to retrieve it. Working in an office where we have had patients come in while having a reaction to a food or insect sting has made me aware of what to look for and how fast people can go down. The style of cooking that this region is known for the use of spices to "kick it up a notch", I wish I went to one of Emeril's restaurants, which means Cassie can't have it at all. I would taste things and let Cassie know if she could enjoy it or have to find something else without her poison. I know that Cassie was wanting to be able to try all the foods on our cuisine tour but was unable to at a few of the places. Due to the menu there wasn't much that could be substituted out as a tasting for her. It made those experiences harder for her to enjoy. This experience with her allergy has made me feel like I know more than I give myself credit for. I have just began my nursing school journey but working in the medical field for over 13 years has taught me so much. Any allergy should be taken seriously, especially in the food industry and at times I felt that the staff didn't always do that. When I told the waiter at Cafe Pontalba that we would be calling an ambulance if we didn't find out the ingredients, he seemed to pay more attention to me and Kaytlen insisting that he talk to the chef. Once new plates were brought out without the garnish, we were able to eat, drink and be merry. 

Flooded with Tears

Jan. 5, 2020

Outer Journey: 

The weather this morning is calm, slightly cool but the warmth of the sunshine is comforting. We started our day at the Presbytere, which has been turned into a state museum. An exhibit for Mardi Gras on the second floor and the "hurricane Katrina & beyond" exhibit on the first floor. First entering into the Presbytere, I smell that awesome old, historic building type smell, it was originally built in 1791. I walk around the first corner into the Katrina exhibit, the lights are dim and it is filled with information about the beginning of the tropical storm and clips of news broadcasts and the warnings to public as the intensity of the storm increased and the path changed. It finally came down to mandatory evacuation that no one was prepared for. The failed levee systems in the city lead to what most call "a natural force turned into a man-made disaster".

Most of the artifacts on display were personal belongings from those effected by the hurricane. There were items of clothing, religious pieces, musicians instruments, and a garage door that had the markings from government agencies as property inspections were being done. I immediately remembered watching the news over the weeks after the hurricane and hearing the personal interviews from residents and seeing the aftermath of the water that remained in the city that eventually had to be pumped out.















Another display was the preserved walls from one resident who kept a diary from August- October of 2005. It was written from the day before the hurricane hit through October. The apartment walls showed the damaged from the weather and all the emotions he expressed in his writings throughout the time he remained in his apartment. He wrote about the weather, his personal health and what he did during the day and who he encountered- friends and government.

                  

Inner Journey:

Even though this was classified as the one of the worst disasters in the US history, one of the most emotional things of the exhibit was the picture and caption regarding service animals and personal pets. When evacuations are underway, animals were never permitted to be included. The picture is from hurricane Gustav in 2008. The caption states that was the first time that the animals were part of public assisted evacuations. A law was put in place by the state of Louisiana requiring local and state emergency managers to include personal and service animals.












On the opposite side of the spectrum the people of New Orleans were able to bring humor into the horrible way they were treated by different government agencies. Laughter is the best medicine, right? In the survival kits were blue tarps typically used for covering roof damage. There was a blue tarp fashion show in February 2006 where costumes were auctioned off. In several of the Mardi Gras parades just days later these costumes were worn by patrons and many others started copying the idea.  I loved how people could look back and make fun of the tragedy that occurred just a year before.

Circle of Life- Death and Eating

Jan. 4, 2020

Outer Journey: Milton's 3 Hour Tour

We started off the cool, windy morning with a humorous tour guide named Milton. Sitting in a train station style visitors center before the tour begins, he gives us a few stories from his life. And his experience with Katrina and evacuating to Texas. Milton has lived in New Orleans most of his life and the biggest shock to him was being in a Texas bar and hearing "last call for alcohol" from a bartender. He told us that he had never heard this saying before so him and his family remained where they were. The bartender told them to place their last order before the bar closed. 

Our first stop on the tour was at the St Louis Cemetery No 1. Milton told us that the cemeteries were closed to the public within the last several years due to vandalism that was ruining graves and the grounds around of  them. This cemetery has been around since the late 1700's. Walking into the cemetery brought on the typical feeling of sadness at first. The uneven brick walkways and crumbling mortar between the bricks of the exteriors of the vaults shows the age of the cemetery. The weather and daily passing of patrons has taken its toll. The crows flying overhead set the tone as if they were waiting for another body.  

Milton told us that vaults are built just like houses. The bodies are placed into the highest level due to the high water table, bodies are not buried under ground. There is a law that a time of 1 year and 1 day must pass before another body can be placed into the vault. The heat and humidity helps to decompose the body, which is then gathered and bagged and placed into the lower level of the vault with the other bodies of the same family line. Just like the main city, the holding wall for bodies and the vaults have multiple levels, gates and balconies. The care that is taken for family members that pass seems so different than what we do for burials. It shows the difference in cultural respect.

Inner Journey: Get in my belly

The afternoon was hopefully going to bring me so much joy as I love food! However, I have an issue with certain textures and will not eat anything that is still containing parts of it's carcass. It is complicated please do not try to think about it because explanation is even more confusing. Being able to taste new flavors through these samplings was an ideal way to get a New Orleans experience through food. On this cuisine tour, we were going to 5 places. The first stop allowed us to try the brisket po'boy from Tujague's(Tu-jacks). The combination of flavors was amazing. There was a signature creole horseradish sauce that was strong but delicious with the beef. The next place gave us a history of some of the creole and cajun cuisines. Cajun cuisine is the typical thought we get up north of the spicy southern food, and this is because those who started this cooking method were living outside of the city in the early settling. They were hunters needing a way to mask the "game" meat flavor. Creole cuisine is a blend of the cultures that began settling in this area. Here we sampled red beans and rice. Our next stop gave us a sample of seafood gumbo from Antione's. I have eaten this before, so I didn't think that it would be a problem for me. I took a small scoop and there was an odd sorta fishy, sea creature taste. Well! There was this unidentifiable clump, it had gills and I was suspicious. I asked our tour guide who tells me it's an oyster. Ok, that is why the flavor was not appealing to me so I just decided to leave the rest of the bowl alone. My excitement heightened when we walked across the street to Leah's pralines. They were so sweet and buttery! It was heaven. Our final destination gave us two items, shrimp remoulade and turtle soup. The shrimp looked so yummy, I took a bite and it was cold and the horseradish was strong. There was a slightly tangy flavor and this was not something I would order from this restaurant. I took the bowl of turtle soup and hoped for the best. You know "everything" tastes like chicken. This soup was AWESOME. The flavor was savory and comforting. I had that bowl empty in just a few minutes. Next to me sits  Kaylten, she wasn't impressed and I ate her turtle soup too!!

My Dogs Are Barking

Jan. 3, 2020

Outer Journey: Food for Thought

After the very long train ride from Champaign, IL to New Orleans, LA, we stepped off the train onto the wet platform, engulfed in the fumes of the train exhaust, standing in the steady rainfall that lasted through most of the evening. The Uber dropped us off at the hotel and this began our real adventure. We finally got to step into our "home away from home". The room was a typical hotel room. The carpet had a textured pattern. The room had two beds each having the super, soft pillows I wish I had at home, a couch, and 2 cups for coffee which will clearly not be enough for the three of us who visit Starbucks on a regular basis. I started unpacking a few items I      would need for the upcoming Haunted History Tour.



Our group left the hotel and went down St. Peters Street towards the French Quarter. Within the first couple of blocks, there were the sounds of the busy streets. Car radios blasting music. Honking of horns. And many voices growing louder over those around them. The farther down we walk the closer we get to restaurants. And the smells began to make my mouth water. Only eating snack food on the train, I was ready to dive into some seafood. I could smell the smoke from the grills and the spices were floating through the air. Walking past the candy shops brought on the sweet, caramel smell of the well-known pralines. Our group arrives at Original Pierre Maspero’s for dinner. I had already been scoping out the menu on the train and thought I knew what I was ordering. Once I sat down in the historic building and could see all the freshly made plates passing the table, I then changed my mind.

After dinner we walked a few blocks to where we met our tour guide Ina. She gave us a gruesome walk through some of the history of the city. She told us of the fires on Charter Street, happening twice within 6 years of each other. Hundreds of houses were damaged in both fires. Ina also told us of the slave’s stories in Jackson Square where those who were murdered had their heads mounted on steaks and were left there until the skin and hair were eaten off or the skulls were completely decayed. During the tour a parade passed by, there were instruments playing loudly , singing, dancing and costumes.

Inner Journey: History lesson 1

Being completely exhausted from traveling in general, lack of sleep, and not eating real meals while on the train I have so many thoughts about what the rest of the day will be. I prefer to just go in the hotel room and sleep. Knowing that there was so much to do in the few days that I will be here, maybe just sleeping isn't wise. I can tell my body needs real food at this point, the fatigue is setting in and I am getting "hangry". There is so much history in this city. From the early days of the settlers to the present day, there is so much to learn from the people who live here. So much of the information that I will hear in the next few days will not be anything that is written in the history books in schools.

Taking our first walking tour, I have already heard stories of murder and tragedy. The second fire on Charter Street was said to have been set by the spirit of someone who died in the previous fire in almost the same location. I am not sure that I could actually believe that a spirit was able to set fire in a courtyard. Many people believe in spirits and that there are some strong forces amongst them. I have never had any personal encounters so the idea that good or evil things can be conjured from a spirit doesn't convince me. Walking around the French Quarter was an amazing site to see. Even though the area had seen devastating fires and many rebuilds that were not true to the original French styles, I love the columns and arches that came from the Spanish. 

Let the Good Times Roll

Jan. 2-3, 2020

Outer Journey: The Whistle Blows 

  

During the long, nauseating train ride there was plenty of excitement. The ride was not as smooth as I thought it would be. It took a long time to be able to fall asleep. The constant whooshing of the air in the background should be calming, like the hum of the ceiling fan in my bedroom. Having my seat near the front of the passenger car allowed for the loud, high-pitched squeaking of the sliding door to keep me awake. I can see the accordion style attachment in the narrow walkway, with a metal pole clanking against the sides. At all hours of the night people were passing between the train cars. The up and down of the train car on the rails was almost like riding a roller coaster. As the car sways back and forth and the whistle blows in a timely fashion, I imagine myself in an earlier era traveling by train cross-country. All of these noises are playing in their own musical rhythm. After 12 hours on this ride, I have embraced the soreness and let the song of the train ease my mind.

 

Around 0830, in the distance behind me I hear hooping and hollering, singing, and clapping. I turn around to see a group of folks in the aisle at the back of the train car dancing. The women with the spiked purple hair was very cheerful, and her voice was that of a song bird. As they had passed my seat several times already, I knew they were celebrating a gentleman’s 50^th birthday this weekend and were headed to party it up in New Orleans. Just seeing the good time they can make on this tin box stage, I picture them up and down the Bourbon Street and Frenchmen Street as if they are their own partying marching band.

Inner Journey: I Can't Fight This Feeling

Once this train got moving, I was almost immediately nauseous. Only one time have I ever experienced motion sickness. That incident was on the wide open, aqua blue ocean 7 miles off the coast of Aruba on a small fishing boat on a deep-sea excursion. My stomach is very uneasy, and a pounding in my head. I can’t stop thinking about my children that I left only a few hours ago. Knowing that my son has a stomach bug, I am hoping that I am not heading in that direction.

My nerves are increasing as the anxiety of leaving my home, my children, my spouse….. everything I know has now become real. During the car ride to Champaign, I was reassuring my two passengers Cassie and Kaytlen that we had nothing to worry about and that this trip was going to be an opportunity of a lifetime with all the sites and tours we would be experiencing. As soon as we walked out onto the platform my gut was turning. Was it the German dinner I enjoyed with my husband for his birthday before departing Peoria or was it fear of the unknown for the week ahead? So many things are going through my head. Have I gotten everything arranged for my children while I am gone since they will be going back to school on Monday? Did I pack everything, extra socks, shoes, a toothbrush? So many thoughts.

The excitement of this trip built up more and more over the last few weeks. There is so much to learn during this trip. Having all the tours and sites already arranged is going to allow me to take in so much history of the city of New Orleans. Our first thing to do is tonight, going on the Haunted History Tour. To me this is the best way to start off this adventure! I am looking forward to a few chills and thrills on our first walk down the streets of New Orleans.