Just back from our 9 days in the US – which oddly felt like quite a bit longer (in a good way!). Packed in a lot of random, bizarre, local hokey and entertaining stuff across the two cities and the vast expanse of backwater nothingness in between…
So in vague chronological order – here it all comes!
Houston was of course built around seeing Billy Joel in concert – and thank god it all went ahead as would have been a bit of a damp squib on the holiday if not! Closest I've ever been to him – and the magical piano. H is still wondering how they can charge $20 for a pint of beer in the arena – damn good question – but apart from that, Mr Joel (who I have looked since I was 15 and first daw him n the Old Grey Whistle Test after my bedtime) he knocked it out of the (ball) park.
We braved a line dancing class in the rather fabulous Neon Boots Dancehall & Saloon in Houston (well I did, Mr H got cold cowboy boots once he saw how good they all were!) but I was welcomed and at least had a go before I too bolted back to our table! Clearly, doing it week in week out is better than seeing it for the first time and having a crack.
Final Houston activities included a nip down to the Space Centre (pretty crap tbh) and on to Galveston – a somewhat hotter but similar version of most British seaside towns, complete with pier and ferris wheel etc. Very, very warm sea for paddling in…
And OF COURSE a visit to Truth, once of the top BBQ places in town. Which involved standing in line for an hour (at 11.30am!) to get in the doors and choose our meat from the menu – plus of course some mac n cheese and my first sprouts of the season, hurrah. Unbelievably good brisket with the ribs a close second, and the sausage third, I could go on..
And then we headed for 2 nights out of Texas and into Louisiana. Via – as you do (when there's cock all else around!) the Tabasco Factory on Avery Island. I was wondering how they'd do the obligatory tasting at the end and the answer is that they provide mini pretzel sticks – but it still isn't quite something I'll be turning into appetisers any time soon..
Next pit stop en route was to Gator Country where the locals bring their toddlers for a nice half day out to see the primordial monsters in the swamps.. Hmm.. Anyway, we bought the bag of hot dog sausages, duly threaded them on a pole and spent some entertaining time seeing which of the beasts would get each piece.. And I coughed up the extra few bucks to 'cuddle' a baby gator – no way Mr H was up for that little treat!
Which got us finally into New Orleans. We knew Fi McNae & Rich were totally coincidentally coming into NO at the same time as us (post Nashville & Mephis for them) and had plans for a day/eve together – but of course, bumped into them the night before in the same bar that we we were already in! Must be hundreds or bars plus the restaurants in town, but yep – we had both been to the same one earlier (closed that night) and chosen the same one again to have a drink! Great minds..
Then spent our planned day together – doing the airboat thing out in the bayous of Louisiana, was great. Beautiful waterways, lots more gators and even a couple of racoons to mix it up..
Followed by drinks at the Carousel Bar (yes the whole thing rotates every 15 mins, does make you feel a bit pissed before you are..), then Jewel of the South bar (top notch) and supper. Before heading to Frenchmans Street for a bit of jazz and bourbon. Obvs.
H & I also nailed a few other N'Orleans bits and bobs – a trip up the Mississippi on a totally touristy but still nice paddle steamer, after a breakfast of beignets and chicory coffee at Cafe du Monde, and even a nip round one of the many many cemeteries there – sarcophagi galore.
Made it home yesterday lunch, only to have to nip out to CCL for chemo. I'm not sure fi it was the jetlag or the steroids that have had me up since 1am (grr!!!) but at least I'm catching up on chores as a result. Big thanks to Nicky & Jules for staying at Dora while we were away to look after Maddie & Mojo – Maddie peed like a trouper in her delight at seeing us again, which was rather nice (if requiring a lot fo kitchen towel and spray) and the jacket spud with tuna & salad was very nice to return to after a lot of meat and beige food. It's good to be home…
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