So… We got out of the ‘Nish at supper time on Thursday evening and made our way to Halifax. It was early to bed at the Hilton Garden Inn with our first flight departing at 6:30 AM. We decided to park there and grab the airport shuttle… Little extra on the room charge but avoids the parking fees at Stanfield.
Friday morning flights went well. Everything ran very close to on time and no real adventures beyond the fun of getting from point A to B. It’s the first time I’ve flown through the US in a long time… that process has changed lots. Oodles of technology at customs! We even had pictures taken at remote kiosks. However, all was friendly and lots of help getting through security. Of interest, I enjoyed the peek we got of the geography surrounding New Orleans as we broke through the cloud cover and surveyed the surrounding landscape.
We hit the ground running at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and we were quickly able to share a cab (very nice young lady from Toronto) into New Orleans. I’m guessing we were settling up with the driver 1/2 hr after hopping into the cab ($36 flat rate). Our first stop wasn’t the hotel for check-in, but the WWII Museum. Once referred to as the D-Day museum, the National WWII Museum rests in the heart of New Orleans. We checked bags at the museum entry and went to work, taking on about 3 hrs of “everything WWII” exploration. The museum complex is spread over 5 buildings, each with a different focus, and combines artefacts and media to share the story of American involvement in WWII.
There are definitely some notables in regards to the museum’s offerings! We especially enjoyed the “Freedom Pavillion”, which presented trucks, tanks and aircraft from WWII. You could actually use catwalks, strategically located around suspended planes, to view aircraft from multiple angles. It was a long way up and I got the tingles looking down over the railing. Great care was also taken in the Road to Berlin and Road to Tokyo exhibits, with dioramas and mixed media / artefact displays that chronologically followed American involvement in those theatres of war. Further, a powerful 4D movie presentation proved a good introduction to the themes covered in the museums and had all the bells and whistles.
By 3:30 we were getting a hunger on! I’d viewed online some of the potential eateries close to the museum and stumbled across the Cochon Butcher, just a short walk from the Museum. Off we go! With the help of our waiter, who handled us with kid gloves, we decided to go for variety and had great fun sampling from the many choices! We were all over the place on the menu, sampling goodies such as oysters, alligator, ribs and pork cheeks (just some of the highlights)! All washed down with a couple of excellent craft beers. Nice ambiance and friendly service chucked in as well… Great meal!
Next, time to check-in… sort of. When we arrived at 5:00 PM the line circled halfway around the lobby. Instead of that, we did a quick bag drop and hit the city. Off to Bourbon St! When in New Orleans… 🍻.
Shortly before 7:00 PM we returned to the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel and walked up to an open desk and did check-in. Then, to another table to do our IB Conference Registration… And once again no line! Dropped off our stuff at the appointed room and then back out on the town for a blitz of the most yacked about “to dos” for New Orleans. We had coffee and beignets at Café du Monde, strolled Jackson Square, caught musical acts at multiple bars, used a “To Go Cup” (Hand Grenade), visited the carousel bar at Hotel Monteleone, sipped a Sazerac, experienced the buxom costumes and seedy neon of Bourbon St., and generally absorbed the mischief that is the Big Easy. Solid day of travel and exploration!