As I wrote yesterday, I woke with my alarm, surprising me—I had slept so long and so deeply at a hotel on a travel day. I quickly performed the usual process and watched time disappear fast. I rolled my bags out of my room at the Holiday Inn Express. All the colors, wallpaper, and carpets match the ones I have spent many nights in the Greater Detroit Area. I checked out with the night manager, who was still there. It was just before 4 and to me still night. Four of us took the first 4AM shuttle to the airport, a short ten-minute drive. I met a man, and we both chatted about travel and food as we both passed the time. The others, still showing signs of waking up, ignored our friendliness. He was headed to a small town for business. He told me he tried retirement after hearing I was retired, but went back to work because he did not like having nothing to do, and now has more control and enjoys what he does (he did not tell me what he does). I did argue that I was busy.
As was our intent with the chat, the time went by without worrying about flights, and we shook hands and disappeared from each other’s lives, but we were relaxed and happy to be at PDX. I wish him well and hope his flights were good.
I checked in and managed to remember my phone after using it to scan my boarding pass QR code. The belts were working at the self-bag drop, and soon I was headed into security. A TSA person waved me, like last time, to a different line, “It is shorter.” It was short, and soon I passed with only a pat-down for wearing suspenders under my sweater. With Delta, I was in the exact same location as last time, in D gates, but the little market was being remodeled, and someone was selling from racks set up in the hallway, even around 5AM, and I found my usual little set of fruit, crackers, and cheese from Elephant’s Deli. Armed with a snack, I waited only a short time and boarded my 737.
The flight was easy and mostly empty, with the middle seat not used for me. I read, and soon we landed at Salt Lake City as the sun bathed the area in bright light. It was a 90-minute flight.
With only a short delay getting off the plane, I soon followed my TripIt app to locate the tunnel to the B gates. It was a bright, happy tunnel with recorded music that made me smile, though I did not recognize it. Soon I found my gate after filling my water bottle, and I drank all the water waiting for the plane. I started the blog on my Apple laptop, but the gate folks called the plane as I got near 400 words.
And as I stood, I then headed to the men’s room. Yes, I did drink all that water. I returned, and the boarding process was still in the lower zones. As a holder of a Delta credit card, an AMEX, I am assigned for no extra charge zone 5.
A family was in my area, and soon I discovered I was the spare seat. Their girls were not quite teenagers but were curious, happy, and well-behaved. I put my bag in the overhead bins to make it easier. I did grab my Kindle and phone. I forgot their names, but they were headed to a cousin’s wedding in the New Orleans area. The little person next to me played games on the screen, and I was surprised to see chess and other complex games. Smart kid!
I watched the movie Lincoln and cried at the ending. With the book I am reading, about civil rights, writing, and ‘haunting’ the reader with the real truth and purpose of the story, I saw a new aspect of the movie. The movie is haunting. With my new perspective from my reading, I now see President Lincoln is haunted by his place in history, stopping Slavery for all time, and if he was ‘fitted’ for it.
The plane arrived without issue. I wished my seatmates well, and soon found Donna and Dondrea near the baggage claim. We soon had a taxi after standing in line in the warm, humid air. Palm trees planted at the airport make it clear we are in warmer climes. A minivan for us, me putting in my hotel name on the driver’s phone, and we flew out of the airport and down concrete four-lane roads.
Our driver’s lane selection and approach to exits were like a race car driver’s, but we arrived safely, and it was $45 plus tip for all of us. My room at the Le Richelelu has a door to the wrap-around shared balcony on the second floor. Donna and Donrea have a small private one above mine. I walked around and waved to Dondrea.
Checked in, slightly unpacked, and ready. We walk to Napoleon House for a late lunch/early dinner. Our waiter, Bruce, is a character but also helpful. We share a warm muffuletta sandwich cut into six wedges, and Bruce directs us to take two slices each. We have sides of jambalya, red beans, and rice for Donna. All excellent. Drinks are good, Pimm’s Cups for Donna and Dondrea. I had a Sazerac in a small cup. Their bread pudding is more my style when I cooked one, more custard—and we all shared one. Bruce suggested a return, but not for a few days, as he is off for the next two days; we all had a good time.
Fritz European Jazz Club was on my list for tonight, but before risking Bourbon Street, we visited the New Orleans School of Cooking store and eyed all sorts of goodies. We will swing back to purchase some items later in the trip. We walked out to the river, and there were two paddle boats tied up. It was a supermoon, and we watched it rise from the river. Lovely.
There was no line for Fritz, and we found some metal chairs (comfort is not a focus here). The Bourbon Quartet was playing, and soon Donna and Dondrea agreed to spend the evening enjoying Fritz, one of my favorites. We caught most of their sets and had only two rounds, as the staff was busy seating folks as the crowd slowly built.
The young band got stronger and louder as the night went on. Their focus was jazz with many Armstrong selections (as the band leader played trumpet). Fritz never disappoints, and they got better and better, and soon we were amazed.
We stayed for one set after the All-Star Band setup. They did ragtime, and the piano player, in a pressed gray suit, and a cigar in his teeth, stole the show. Donna looked him up and he leads a Swamp Tour when not playing piano.
Getting out of my chair, I had only two beers over the hours, which was difficult; I tripped over a foot I did not see. I managed to catch myself on a chair, but I was bruised by slamming into the cheap metal chair. I was happy not to fall and be carried out of a jazz bar on my first day!
We took the long walk back to the hotel, enjoying the look of NOLA after dark. We walked by many ghost tours getting started. Dondrea and I (texting) both used our balconies for work. I finished the Wednesday blog, while Dondread did some work and some Zoom calls.
I put on my PJs and soon was sleeping. I woke cold but well rested.
Thanks for reading!
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