Tag: united-states

Chicago return & home

Flew into Chicago, bought three day travel passes like experienced travellers (second visit), & found out Cyrille Aimee, famous French Jazz singer, playing in town; of course we went. Her set was a bit MOR, but she’s about to produce another generation. Her range is impressive, as was her pianist.

We’re staying at The Millennium Knickerbocker hotel, just off the Magnificent Mile, so called due to Michigan Avenue having all the best fashion shops (Kath informs me). This hotel is a fine example of Art Deco architecture, looking rather sad as it awaits serious reinvestment. The interior of the entrance area is superb, the building listed for historical retention. We loved it. Of course we did.

Penultimate day – spent four hours at the huge Chicago Institute of Art & covered about half of the displays. Last night meant a visit to Chicago Blues, another of the city’s famous blues venues. The Sheryl Youngblood Blues Band was great, as was the venue, but after an hour we capitulated.

Last day was given to Chicago zoo, a really well laid out series of displays in Lincoln Park. The park has a prominent statue of a famous president, not infamous ….

Home time, leaving Chicago at 01.00 (gmt), we’re due to arrive at Tenby station at 15.35 in full sunshine. We started in Chicago just over three weeks ago with 25 degrees sunshine which over the four days we were first there turned to snowing as we left. As we journeyed south so, of course, it became hotter; in New Orleans it was consistently over 25 degrees. Our return visit to Chicago was met with 5 to 10 degrees. And three violent storms, one Chicagoan, one Nashvillean (with siren warning people not to go out for an hour), one Orlean with twister warnings in some neighbouring areas, makes me wonder why many in USA choose to ignore climate change. But it is a very divided country, with many having comfortable lives but so many having nothing, grateful for a warm, under cover place to sleep. Not a caring environment. However, nearly everyone we met was so friendly, a lasting impression.

Natchez to New Orleans

We stayed one night in Lafayette, slightly problematical since most bars & restaurants were shut – it was a Monday … then on to New Orleans. On the way we sampled a boat ride in the swamps, seeing huge numbers of alligators, turtles, ospreys, eagles, herons, egrets et al, all in a spooky, ancient setting.

GATORS

Later on the journey, we had a guided tour of a farm mansion & slave quarters accompanied by an apparently unbiased version of agricutural slave dependency in 19th century USA. Much food for discomfort.

And then we arrived in New Orleans. First night we ate in “Cochon”, a creole led restaurant; the menu included alligator so we all had some & agreed the slightly rubbery texture was not a match for their alive version.

After much walking around on our second NOLA (New Orleans Louisiana, not sure where any other NOs are) day, we visited the Jazz Museum; good supporting info about jazz & NOLA’s favourite child, Louis Armstrong. Then a night in Frenchman Street, on the eastern edge of the French Quarter, the best of that area’s live music streets. Saw three different bands, with different jazz offerings, all excellent. One of the best venues was The Spotted Cat, as below.

New Orleans