A much more leisurely trip this year we set off just after midday Wednesday to head to New Orleans for Thanksgiving. We did catch a lot of holiday traffic leaving town and then again in Houston, plus some roadworks so it took us til 11 to get there. We got a little rental car to save wear on the truck (and to be more efficient) so it took the trip to get used to being so low down on the road! I was standing up to get out the car rather than jumping down *grins*

Thursday – Thanksgiving day – we spent with DmentD’s family, his Mum put on a wonderful spread, we brought some of the gumbo home with us! We played a few games and relaxed  lots and ate even more *grins* a nice day together.

Black Friday we wanted to avoid anywhere with shops, so we went off to the Audobon zoo. We got there not long after opening so it was still quiet and we were able to park near by! It’s a nice zoo, not as large as I had been lead to believe but interesting to walk around. We spent about 4 hours there, and I took over 240 photos, I averaged about a photo a minute *grins* I chose a select few to upload here, didn’t fancy putting them all up! It was a really enjoyable morning. We messed about and acted like kids, taking photos playing with the sculptures, and ‘climbed’ to the top of Monkey Hill. There were a lot of interesting exhibits, a Mayan section with ant eaters and jaguars and the Louisiana Swamp with alligators, nutrea, bears and racoons. They had some white tigers, and we spent a while watching the orangutans playing.

In the evening we went out to our all time favourite restaurant in town – Lolas. Spanish Creole, killer garlic mushrooms and a paella to die for *grins* We headed to Angelo Brocado’s for dessert, gelato!

Saturday we met some friends for breakfast and then went and did what we’ve been talking about doing the past few visits. Go to the cemetary! As New Orleans is below sea level the dead aren’t allowed to be buried straight in the ground, so mausoleums and crypts are built with everyone wanting to show how rich and prosperous they were. We went to Lake Lawn, one of the more well kept cemeteries I’m told, and spent a while wandering about taking photos of some of the more interesting pieces of statuary and stained glass. We were there at a nice time of day to catch the sun shining through some of the glass. And while taking photos of the castle we met a couple walking their dogs who told us about the weeping angel so we finished the visit by finding her.

Saturday we spent with friends, playing the wii and having a good time. DmentD and I bought a new game that allows us to sit on the balance board (which we may now need to get *grins*) as a control, for a game where you’re sledding down the mountain on a cow! We had a fun evening and got home late!

Friday night we had seen a poster for an exhibition at the Museum of Art. So Sunday morning we decided to visit there and see what it was about. It was a Disney display, Dreams Come True, in New Orleans only to commemorate the opening of The Princess And The Frog which is set there. It showed the history of their animation, taking us from the Silly Symphonies, through Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, finishing with a display on The Princess And The Frog. It showed processes and techniques that had been pioneered in those films, preliminary sketches and story boards and character development. It was a fascinating display, we spent a few hours there, using up all our allotted time so we didn’t get to see the rest of the Museum.. but then that exhibition was the whole reason for our visit so I’m not really bothered about missing the rest of it.

We spent a little more time visited with family, and napping, before leaving New Orleans about 8 in the evening. We got back home about 4 this morning, grabbing a sleep before returning the rental car, then I headed back to bed for a few more hours.

I got home and discovered my new glasses, I was being the guinea pig and trying out an internet company, Eye Buy Direct. They weren’t too expensive and took precisely as long as they said they would, the glasses fit and seem just fine (though it’s raining now so I can’t wear the sunglasses *grins* I think I cursed us!). I would say they met expectations all around. If anyone else is interested I would recommend them, and can send you a coupon code for money off!

As usual, the full selection of photos are in the gallery