Sunday (?Sunday? yes, Sunday…road confusion…) 7/19/15 settled in for a 2-day stretch in San Antonio, home of the famous Alamo, Riverwalk and Missions.
NOLA Thurs-Fri was a truly beautiful city, perhaps all the more so for lowered expectations. We toured the city via stop/go open air trolley-ish vehicle with tour guide in the 100 degree heat. Hottest day of the year, they said. But with a nice breeze it was doable. WWII Museum truly amazing (not to mention the gulf shrimp and grits for lunch.) I’m struggling with uploading David’s google shared pics from that day…
Then on the road Fri for a short-ish few hour drive to Houston via the Louisiana Plantations: we are an astonishingly acquisitive country, first the 1300 years of native americans vanquished and banished/subscripted, then the Mexicans, and then africans. The creole history is fascinating, but I’m not sure how we live with ourselves without having considered massive reparations. All in the name of war? Not so much.
The first series of pics below are from a 15 mile long elevated road over the Atchafalya swamp in Louisiana. Unexpected, and sorta creepy to realize after a few miles that we are surrounded by water, marshes (and no doubt amphibians. No stopping, no thanks!)
Then on to the wide vistas of Texas, big beautiful sky, and into Houston for the night. We happened upon an awesome hotel with one of the most beautiful acquatic centers I’ve ever seen—David got his laps in and we had another wonderful southern meal and mojitos!
We’re staying at the start of the Texas hills near a Six Flags in a hotel that’s the grownup version of an amusement park—50 yard long infiniti pool with a view, nightly fireworks, and more bars in one place than a stretch of New Orleans. Not quite my thang…but there’s not a hotel room to be had downtown, no real explanation other than San Antonio is the tourist center of the state.
Riverwalk (more pics next post!) lives up to it’s reputation…stay tuned for an update in a while!
xxxooo
gail
Gail Ansel 
“Then on the road Fri for a short-ish few hour drive to Houston via the Louisiana Plantations: we are an astonishingly acquisitive country, first the 1300 years of native americans vanquished and banished/subscripted, then the Mexicans, and then africans. The creole history is fascinating, but I’m not sure how we live with ourselves without having considered massive reparations. All in the name of war? Not so much.”
Snaps.
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Gail,
So glad you enjoyed NOLA — even in the sweltering heat. I spoke with Katherine one of the days you were there and even for a “native” like her last week’s temperatures were hard to handle. I had the same reactions you did driving over the Atchafalaya and visiting some of the plantations. I have been reading (again) David Reynolds’ “America, Empire of Liberty” — a dazzlingly well written history of the United States — and have been dwelling in the civil war era as the Confederate flag business has been going on in SC. Feeling such a profound sense of shame and loss for our country’s original sins.
On the plus side though a day spent in the WW II museum is truly awe inspiring and so comforting to know that we as a people are capable of rising to greatness when history requires it. Just wish we could sustain that focus and integrity other than in war time. It sounds like you have drunk deeply of the unique magic that is the South — so vastly different from the rarified air of life in New England but a piece of our American fabric all the same.
And I love that the genealogy bug has bitten you. I spent months and months back in 2007 working on my family history and Rick’s after I received a treasure trove of family archives from my maternal grandfather’s side of the family. Found many fascinating links like your French royal ancestry except that mine were across the channel in England. I have been longing to get back to it but never seem to find the time.
I am loving your Cliff Dive notes and look forward to your arrival in California. Big hugs to you both.
xoxoSusan
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