Travel Tales

Where did the time go?

Hello everyone!
I have so enjoyed getting your letters and emails!Please keep them coming.

Somehow I have been out here in the south for two months now. I've had visitors from Santa Cruz, and of course, some of the Ocean SHore crew. It was so great to spend time with everyone!



So what HAVE I been doing for the last two months- that is the real question. I've been talking in the city and actually working! This is a small city where everyone knows everyone, and I know more neighbors here than I ever did in San Francisco. It's the way things work, I guess. The weather is gorgeous here at night- tank tops and flip flops, so people sit out on their porches with the neighbors. Walking home a block or two can take an hour if I stop and chat with everyone, but it is one of the ways we use to watch out for each other, and I really like it.


I'm babysitting two little ones a couple times a week- Hannah and Sam. THey are the happiest babies, and we have fun playing outside. Twice a week I also work at a little store up the street, which works out nicely for meeting new people. THe last two weeks were the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, which everyone just calls JazzFest. The little store I work at is right at the entrance to the fairgrounds, so I worked two of the 6 days there, being part of the party without actually going out and sitting in the hot sun (or pouring rain!). I also got a job with the local newspaper's internet site, passing out flyers to festival goers. It was fun meeting people!

The pictures of the clouds are of this crazy day last week- it rained so hard that the French Quarter flooded (that's where I was, standing in water up to my shins), and the streets were all rivers for about 3 hours. Later that evening, I actually made it to work, and this was what the sky really looked like. Totally amazing!


When I wasn't working, I was 'festing' also. I spent 4 full days on the fairgrounds, listening to music from all over the world, and eating eating eating. You all would LOVE the food! There was crawfish bread, and crab cakes, artichoke and spinach, maccaroons, red beans and rice, gumbo, jambalaya, andouille sausage, fried green tomatoes, ice cream, sweet potato pie....the list goes on and on!! At night, and on the days where their was no festival at the fairgrounds, there were concerts all over town, all day and all night long. My house is right downtown, so I can get to any of these concerts by walking about 10 minutes. Sometimes, I didn't even have to make a decision, because there were 7 or 8 bands playing right next door to each other, which means you can just keep moving on until you hear what you like. It was so much fun, but by this Monday morning, I was so tired, I could hardly take a shower. I've spent the last two days sitting around in my air conditioning, staring at the wall, sad and excited that it's over.

A couple weeks ago, I went on a big trip (museums museums blog), and I sent you all postcards from Memphis, Nashville, Mississippi, everywhere! But I hear you didn't get them. I am so sad to hear it.

I am going to upload some photos on here, hopefully. I also sent Virginia a CD with some photos (look carefully for those gators!). Looks like I'll be sticking around here for a couple more months, and then head back to see my grandparents again. But every day is a new day with new ideas, so we shall see.

I miss you all very very much, and tell stories about you all! Take care and keep me posted on your lives.
Much love
Rebecca

posted by Rebecca @ 1:29 PM