New Orleans changed me

a wonderful couple we met in Key West said,

if you like key West - you will love New Orleans

they were SO right

it changed me, this trip change me

New Orleans - changed me

***

well of course let's start at the beginning

New Orleans is 735 miles from our house - that is a 2 day trip for me

first stop the Swanee River - yep the famous Swanee

 ("how I love you, how I love you")

I came here with my grandparents when I was a kid

or at least I thought this was the one, now I see there are lots of parks on the Swanee......

 

 

here is the swim in the famous Swanee River

the sand is white but the tannin in the water turns it orange and dark

very refreshing in a 90 degree day

 lots of kayaking and canoeing opportunities along the river

we did not bring the kayaks this trip but we will be back

okay the most amazing thing about this park is that hole in the wall

above is the old stone work around the spring

it looks mucky but it isn't - the yellow is sand and the dark is deep water

the spring wells up in the middle of the dark center and goes out the hole

under the wall into the river

it was so much fun to jump in the spring and let it shoot you out into the river

the spring water was very cold and the river warm

you needed someone to catch you though 

or the current took you down river fast

lucky for me there were some local kids and they very happily stopped

and helped people out

I did it until I could hardly walk

next stop 

Ponce de Leon Springs
they created a swimming area around the spring

 the water was turquoise

 a small damn spilled from the swimming area into the river

 this was the most amazingly clear little river
it was very cold as was the swimming area but very refreshing

did you know that Florida is covered with natural fresh water springs?

27 first magnitude springs move over six billion gallons every day!
and there are over 900 known springs in Florida!!



and 

 there was this tree - all over the southern states
crype myrtle

 they got huge

and these were nothing compared to the ones in New Orleans

which was our next stop

just as we get across Lake Pontchartrain - we could see the storm coming

it was so bad everyone pulled off the road and waited for it to blow through

which it does most of the time here in the rainy season

 when we crossed Florida Street - we knew were close
our son bought a house a few blocks from there
he got me to New Orleans and I am so grateful!

when we got to where they were staying I used the bathroom
on the wall was a PLAY LIST - that is so New Orleans

 there were also several other 

 walls artistically done

we were happy to have rented an apartment in the Bywater nearby
half a shot gun as they say

it was over 140 years old

it was a wonderful home for a week
the feeling was like we lived there and were part of a neighborhood 
instead of tourists
it had all the right things, old wood fireplaces, big claw foot bath tub
and a great front porch to hang out on, super high ceilings with fans

we essentially came to the city to support our son in buying his house

 here is the happy seller and happy buyer
it was the sellers aunt and uncles house, he grew up there
he said he would be checking in to see how the rehab was going
they both look pretty happy

new house

  I love the brick and sweet little yard

that accomplished - we were free to explore the city

to be continued......