Sittin' near the Mighty Mississippi

USS Alabama - Built in 1942 and served in WWII

We are settled just this side of the levee on the northern bank of the Mississippi River about 13 miles from the French Quarter in downtown New Orleans.  We've made our way slowly west only doing about 100 miles a day.  We asked the girls if they wanted to do a long drive and stay two nights in one place or if they wanted to "leap-frog" across these southern states; they chose leap-frogging. From Tallahassee we spent one night in Pensacola (who knew it took that long to get across Florida!), blew across Alabama in about 35 minutes, and then spent last night in Mississippi. We are traveling on I-10 so it's pretty quick traveling.  We are giving Florida high marks for the condition of their part of I-10 - so smooth.  Not so much in these other states. 

George Wallace Tunnel under Mobile River, AL

We are encountering plenty of rain.  Seems every day there is a thunderstorm and all the rivers are full to their banks.  So sad that it's all falling here; wish we could make it rain in south Texas.

Jeff's new friend - "Hammy"

Jeff made a new friend at the place we stayed last night.  We named him "Hammy" because Jeff fed him some ham luncheon meat which he scarfed down immediately.  He was very friendly - not sure who he belonged to - but he wasn't a feral cat.  The lady at the RV office said that because the place is located at the end of a road, people will often dump their unwanted cats around there. They have about 6 "regulars" that hang out there.  There was another black one that came slinking out of the underbrush and that one probably was feral.  He never came near us. Hammie stayed around most of the night.  We awoke to a cat fight around 2 a.m. He was sitting on the steps of the RV when Jeff went out this morning and followed him everywhere - to the bathroom, to empty the garbage; it was so cute! He was very affectionate, rubbing on our legs. Too bad we couldn't keep him.  

Bridge over Lake Pontchatrain just East of New Orleans

We will be here for 3 nights. Tomorrow we plan to spend most of the day touring the French Quarter and surrounding areas.  Lots of history here including the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park.  I'm just hoping the weather cooperates.  It hasn't been that hot (well, 80-90s), but the humidity is stifling. We will be on the lookout for the perfect place to go out to eat; I'm hoping for some Cajan cuisine!  Some gumbo or some jumbalaya - yum!

Downtown New Orleans - in the rain