What a Weekend!!
Never dull in our lives, I must say. We went to New Orleans last weekend for a wedding which we had planned to attend for months. When we left Friday morning, the hurricane was still supposed to be hitting East of there, but by the time we actually landed in New Orleans Friday afternoon, that had changed. We were still not too concerned, because they were still not sure and saying it would be later in the week, after we were gone. But as you know that steadily changed to us being in the bullseye of a Cat 5. We were scheduled to fly out at 4:00 Sunday afternoon. By Saturday afternoon, we had pretty much decided we had better just drive out with our friends, Len & Miralee who had driven and had room for us in their van. We had definately decided that by the time the wedding reception wrapped up at 11:30 pm. In fact, I was kind of hoping we would just go ahead and leave Saturday night because I could tell the traffic was going to be aweful. I was right.
Earlier Saturday, before we had watched the news again, we were just milling around town on foot. Lar & I decided to head to some antique stores, and we were told to go to Magazine street about 3 miles down, so we hailed a cab & took off. We decided just about 60 seconds after the cab left that might not have been the brightest move we ever made. For one thing, he didn't really take us to the heart of the area we were looking for and we didn't know which way to go. For another, it was hotter than blue blazes (WAY HOTTER), and walking wasn't fun. We finally spotted what appeared to be a decent store, and as we walked in, they announced they were closing to prepare for the hurricane and were quite frantic in their demeanor - so we knew then we were screwed. We had a sort of map, so we walked toward a major street that might have a hotel or something where a cab might be and stopped at a gas station to buy a real map. It was a mad house, but we got the map and continued toward St Charles Street where they had trollies. On the way, we came across a valet parking dude at Commanders Palace (a high dollar restaurant we had been to before). He offered to hail a cab for us, so we chilled (not) for him to try. He even called one, but to no avail, so the nice young man actually took us back to our hotel as he got off work about then. Lar tipped him nicely. As we waited with him, we made small talk about the impending events. He didn't seem too concerned and said he was just a little put out that the restaurant was closing on Sunday as he stood to make about $300. He was a recent college grad (funny), but had family connections to the restaurant. He said his folks lived in a 160 year old house and they were going to ride it out 'cause they figured anything that old could make it thru this. I hope they changed their minds. His name was Taylor.
Anyway, when we got back to the hotel (which was in the French Quarter), we just took it easy until time for the wedding, but watched the news and knew we needed to get out of there. We were determined to have a good time at the wedding, tho. After all, that's what we came for. It turned out to be a real nice wedding and reception at Pat O's on the River. The bride, who is from New Orleans (her parents now live in Baton Rouge), was pretty upset and worried about everyone who had come to the wedding and concerned that we might get trapped. I know all the Andrews folks and us got home ok. I think everyone else did too, as I haven't heard anything to the contrary.
I want to plug Southwest Airlines here too. They flew empty planes in to make sure all their passengers got out safely. We could have probably stayed and they would have flown us out on an earlier flight (the airport was closed at 1:00), but we couldn't be sure and we didn't want to chance it. In spite of the 17 hrs it took us to get home, I'm glad we drove.
And one of the most interesting things about the drive home is the fact that 3 hours and 3 miles into our I-10 West drive, we spotted the best man and his family (5 of them), stranded beside the road. We pulled over and picked them up. Jonnie & Linda were behind us in a rental (they were originally scheduled to fly out Monday - oops), so between them and the van we were in, we were able to get them and their luggage. We dropped them in Jackson, Mississippi where they rented a car and drove to Houston. Left a note on the car and called the Louisana State Police. Probably, that car is history, but they were not part of the Superdome crowd. Tim said he was thinking "if I could just see Jonnie Miller". Hmmm.
Right after we picked them up, we were listening to the emergency radio and they were advising everyone NOT to go I-10 West as it was almost a parking lot all the way past Baton Rouge. We quickly looked at the MAP Lar & I had bought the day before..hmmmm..and found we could exit and go across the causeway North on I-55 to Jackson and catch I-20 there. As soon as we got off I-10, we went sailing on thru.
All along the route, there were hundreds of people, stopping to PPP and stuff. I'm sure glad I didn't think much about that during that 3 hr stint. It would not have been a pretty site. But all in all, the people were calm and patient with one another and everyone at the places we stopped (which were just slammed with people to wait on), were doing a great job of accommodating all the hords.
It was not an experience I want to repeat, but we are so blessed to be safe and not living thru what all the people from Louisana, Mississippi and Alabama are. It is pretty strange to have just been there and see it devastated.
I know this is a long blog - you are lucky I'm blogging at all, but I knew I needed to get this over with. We are still very busy with A & Z's house, but they are moved, so that is a relief. Living in our little apartment might be a little crowded, but it will be fine until their new mansion is ready.
That is all. I didn't quite get the pics in order, but oh well.
Earlier Saturday, before we had watched the news again, we were just milling around town on foot. Lar & I decided to head to some antique stores, and we were told to go to Magazine street about 3 miles down, so we hailed a cab & took off. We decided just about 60 seconds after the cab left that might not have been the brightest move we ever made. For one thing, he didn't really take us to the heart of the area we were looking for and we didn't know which way to go. For another, it was hotter than blue blazes (WAY HOTTER), and walking wasn't fun. We finally spotted what appeared to be a decent store, and as we walked in, they announced they were closing to prepare for the hurricane and were quite frantic in their demeanor - so we knew then we were screwed. We had a sort of map, so we walked toward a major street that might have a hotel or something where a cab might be and stopped at a gas station to buy a real map. It was a mad house, but we got the map and continued toward St Charles Street where they had trollies. On the way, we came across a valet parking dude at Commanders Palace (a high dollar restaurant we had been to before). He offered to hail a cab for us, so we chilled (not) for him to try. He even called one, but to no avail, so the nice young man actually took us back to our hotel as he got off work about then. Lar tipped him nicely. As we waited with him, we made small talk about the impending events. He didn't seem too concerned and said he was just a little put out that the restaurant was closing on Sunday as he stood to make about $300. He was a recent college grad (funny), but had family connections to the restaurant. He said his folks lived in a 160 year old house and they were going to ride it out 'cause they figured anything that old could make it thru this. I hope they changed their minds. His name was Taylor.
Anyway, when we got back to the hotel (which was in the French Quarter), we just took it easy until time for the wedding, but watched the news and knew we needed to get out of there. We were determined to have a good time at the wedding, tho. After all, that's what we came for. It turned out to be a real nice wedding and reception at Pat O's on the River. The bride, who is from New Orleans (her parents now live in Baton Rouge), was pretty upset and worried about everyone who had come to the wedding and concerned that we might get trapped. I know all the Andrews folks and us got home ok. I think everyone else did too, as I haven't heard anything to the contrary.
I want to plug Southwest Airlines here too. They flew empty planes in to make sure all their passengers got out safely. We could have probably stayed and they would have flown us out on an earlier flight (the airport was closed at 1:00), but we couldn't be sure and we didn't want to chance it. In spite of the 17 hrs it took us to get home, I'm glad we drove.
And one of the most interesting things about the drive home is the fact that 3 hours and 3 miles into our I-10 West drive, we spotted the best man and his family (5 of them), stranded beside the road. We pulled over and picked them up. Jonnie & Linda were behind us in a rental (they were originally scheduled to fly out Monday - oops), so between them and the van we were in, we were able to get them and their luggage. We dropped them in Jackson, Mississippi where they rented a car and drove to Houston. Left a note on the car and called the Louisana State Police. Probably, that car is history, but they were not part of the Superdome crowd. Tim said he was thinking "if I could just see Jonnie Miller". Hmmm.
Right after we picked them up, we were listening to the emergency radio and they were advising everyone NOT to go I-10 West as it was almost a parking lot all the way past Baton Rouge. We quickly looked at the MAP Lar & I had bought the day before..hmmmm..and found we could exit and go across the causeway North on I-55 to Jackson and catch I-20 there. As soon as we got off I-10, we went sailing on thru.
All along the route, there were hundreds of people, stopping to PPP and stuff. I'm sure glad I didn't think much about that during that 3 hr stint. It would not have been a pretty site. But all in all, the people were calm and patient with one another and everyone at the places we stopped (which were just slammed with people to wait on), were doing a great job of accommodating all the hords.
It was not an experience I want to repeat, but we are so blessed to be safe and not living thru what all the people from Louisana, Mississippi and Alabama are. It is pretty strange to have just been there and see it devastated.
I know this is a long blog - you are lucky I'm blogging at all, but I knew I needed to get this over with. We are still very busy with A & Z's house, but they are moved, so that is a relief. Living in our little apartment might be a little crowded, but it will be fine until their new mansion is ready.
That is all. I didn't quite get the pics in order, but oh well.
