French Quarter November 25, 2008

Believe it or not our journey is about over or should I say just beginning. We had lunch at the Two Sisters at the French Quarter, New Orleans yesterday. What a beautiful setting and with the jazz combo it was a memorable experience. I ate salad then went straight to the desserts. Jim managed to include the entire buffet! Surprise! Later that night we went to Pat O'Briens and enjoyed Hurricanes their special drink. Pats has a piano bar which was fun and made for a fitting end to our wonderful honeymoon trip around this great land of ours visiting National Parks, small towns, big cities, relatives and friends. See you at home. Love Janet and Jim

Houston and the Ice House Bar November 21, 2009

While in Houston we sampled one of their local traditions an Ice House Bar. These bars could be described as a dive by first impression with the garage doors, writing, grafetti all over the walls and the well worn furniture. Their unique in that the beer is in buckets on the bar and you help yourself paying before you leave on the honor system. They had a live bad and we danced yes the Texas two-step which Jim describes as the same as other dancing just more arm pumping! We did have a good time! Our cousins treated us to some more Mexican cuisine and Elaine made chili for supper one night.

We traveled down to New Orleans yesterday and today stopping in Henderson, LA for some cajun cuisine near the levee. The restaurant named Pat's is world famous and is very picturesque. We sat on the porch oveerlooking the bayou and feasted on Gumbo, alligator and blueberry cobbler.

Plan to tour the French Quarter tomorrow and then on to Tampa. We are staying in an RV Park just blocks from the French Quarter which has a wall and high security gates. This is a luxury park with hot tubs, individual toilets with adjoining showers.

More later.

Janet and Jim

Palmetto State Park, Gonzales, TX Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Spent the night and most of the next day in this beautiful park on the Palmetto River. Many of the buildings were built by the CCC during the 1930's and still exist. We built a fire and sat around it til late into the evening. The tempereature was moderate in the low 70's.

For lunch we found a wonderful Mexican Restaurant in Gonzales, TX and treated ourselves once more on this cuisine. The food almost makes me want to move to this area.

Arrived in Houston at my cousin Elaine and her husband Chas's home. After supper we sat around and listened to their stories about their experiences as they not only operate a business manufacturing deer blinds but are hunters themselves. We plan to join Elaine's sister Jackie this evening and you guessed it eat Mexican!

I had my hair re-styled todayand I like it.

Sunday we're off down the Gulf Coast to New Orleans.

Love Janet and Jim

Somewhere in Arizona Lunch time November 15, 2009

Ate lunch today at an authentic Mexican Restaurant--so good. It is historic run by same family since the '40s and the road across America was Route 66. Jim had a kind of stew with chicken and hominy. And I had the Chile Con Corne. Bread was a slightly sweet puff of sorts which we put honey on. I brought home one of the souvenior menus.

Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico November 16, 2009. Toured the Caverns today and were entertained and informed by an extremely personable Ranger. One story the Ranger told was about a maintenance man who climbed into one of the natural formations called the Kiss and inserted a dollar and stated that money can come in the way of romance. Walking through the caves one can imagine all sorts of shapes of animate and inanimate objects. Jim states that Luray Caverns in Virginia can be described as delicate and Carlsbad as massive. The Carlsbad Caves were accidentally discovered in modern times by a 16 yearold cowboy from Texas who fashioned a ladder out of a piece of fence and a home made lantern to explore the caves. During the Wilson administration the caves were made a National Park. In the 1930's an elevator shaft was built to take visistors to the cave floor at 750 feet underground. The elevator travels the 750 feet in one minute. There are numerous tours available. And the grounds around the Caverns offer hiking, picture taking vistas the surrounding areas. A must see if you're in this area.

Sincerely, Jim and Janet

Painted Desert and Petrified Natural Forest Saturday November 14, 2009

Hello everyone, While touring the Petrified Natural Forest we learned why this Park unique. Petrified wood can be found many places but only here has the wood turned into stone and indeed valuable minerals through a chemical process. One could be convinced they had landed on the moon since the barren landscape resembles that seen of moon shots. The colors of the rock formations in the Painted Desert were beautiful hues of pastels and earth tones. To think that dinosoeurs walked this ground gave us an eerie feeling!

Grand Canyon National Park Friday November 13, 2009

Hi Everyone, Toured the South Rim of the Canyon on a tour bus which stopped for photo shots at several vistas. One stop was at the historical Hermits Rest. Hermits Rest was originally constructed to afford a rest stop for early visitors to the park by a man named Harvey was was a hotelman in the early days of the Park. Hermits Rest has a huge stone fireplace with large rustic rockers. Jim and I had hot cocoa which tasted good on a sunny but crisp day. In fact, we awoke to snow. Jim visited the Park 40 years ago and said few of the amentities we enjoyed were there on his first visit. We stayed the nite at one of the campgrounds which offered most of the usual hookups for RVs. Best of all is the free shuttle bus which runs continuously throught the park from dawn to evening hours.

We did see two Elk last night as we were returning to our campsite. Unfortunately, since it was dark I couldn't get a picture.

I have a Passport for all National Parks and have added many visas while on our tour.

I did get a number of photos. One, I hope, is a good one of the Colorado River 1 mile down in the Canyon. Told by our guide waves from the white water can reach 14 feet or more. The photo I took white water is visible. No wonder the Grand Canyon is considered one of the 7 natural wonders of the world. A suspension bridge can be crossed by foot (one mile high) or driving from the South Rim to the North Rim is 220 miles. We met a young woman who had just finished a hike on one of the trails who said "I went most of the way but did not cross over the bridge." When I later saw it I understood why! Jim states, the Grand Canyon is a truly awesome sight. One no picture can adequately convey!

Murrieta, CA with Jim's Family

Hi folks, Arrived here on Friday evening to visit with Dick and Trudy, Jim's brother and his wife. Have enjoyed meeting some of their children and grandchildren and visited their homes where they all have vast renovation projects underway. As with all of Southern California the architecture is Spanish in style and this being a desert there use desert types plants and trees and instead of the green lawns we have in the East other materials are used to conserve on water such as lava rocks.

Jim's brother Dick built a waterfall in his backyard which is elevated and affords a view of the mountains as a backdrop.

We had supper last night at an unusual restaurant which serves cafeteria style and begins with a vast salad bar including several types of soups, pastas, bread, rolls and cakes. Also offers fresh fruit, yogurt and beverages including milk (unusual) all for the price of $10. per person. Like most of the U.S. this area has seen property values plummet during the recession. By comparison Hampton Roads has fared better that most. This is evident by comparing home market prices here and at home.

As usual we are buying supplies, tending to personal grooming needs, etc while in Port. Today we'll wash the rig inside and out. Tomorrow we'll have some electrical work done and then on to the Grand Canyon on Wednesday. We expect that to be a two day trip from here so we'll be at our next scheduled stop in Houston in about a week and a half.

Love Janet and Jim

These seals have made themselves a home on the piers in San Francisco at Fisherman's Wharf. According to one local they found this haven during an earthquake and have not left.

San Simeon, CA Hearst Castle Thursday November 5. 2009

Visited the home of William Randolph Hearst of publishing fame. Hearst Castle was the culmination of his life-long love of art. As a child he with his mother Phoebe traveled Europe, particularly the Mediterrean, and learned about the work down by the artists and artisans of old, while his father stayed at home in California and accumulated wealth through investments all financed by his discovery of silver in "then there hills of California. With his new found wealth Hearst's father purchased vast acres of land and San Simeon is part of that initial purchase.

San Simeon was completed in the l940's taking 28 years to complete. Hearst worked with a female architect who was highly respected and the first woman to graduate from the Paris School of design. Sam Simeon is fanciful in that it is literally a hodge-podge of art and function.

Hearst was a fun-loving man who enjoyed entertaining having the famous from entertainment, arts, science, sports to his mountain home. While there his guests could play tennis, ride horseback, swim, put on plays--Hearst encouraged his guests to be up early and active.

On the dining room table which was formerly church furnture found in Medival period church institutions are bottles of mustand and ketchup to remind guests that this room with its museum furniture and decor was actually a home to be used and enjoyed.

In the time that Hearst lived at San Simeon the property included a zoo, herds of cattle, winnery and other types of support to those who lived at San Simeon.

If you're in the area be sure to visit.

Love Janet and Jim

More later, we're now in Murrieta, CA where Jim's brother Dick and his wife Trudy live. Today Dick's children and their children are visiting for the day. We will tour the area and have some work down on the RV.

San Francisco - Tuesday

Took a tour of Alcatraz Island today. The weather cooperated a beautiful day with gentle breezes temperature in the low 70's. Sometimes you make all the connections and today was one of those. Arrived at the ferry landing and was able to board for Alcatraz within 2 minutes. Had a very informative visit to the island and, as always, learned that place was home to many over the years and for only a few years of its long existence was it a Federal Prison. Families of the warden and his staff of guards lived on the island and the children rode the ferry to San Francisco daily to school. The tour was not "prettied up" but very realistic and what a dreary end of the line place it must have been. One of the prisoners served 15 years of his sentence without a visitor until one day his kid sister came to call. Evidently his family had said we'll have nothing more to do with you. The prison cell blocks were on the top of the rock which is 13 stories high. Volunteers do much of the gardening on the island and it is in stark contrast to the reality on display in the museum of prison life.

Afterwards we had lunch at Pier 39 or Fisherman's Wharf. However, no fresh fish for sale there these days. Among all the choices we ate at North Beach restaurant. Reportedly the best Italian Food in the area. We agreed! Our meal was especially tasty since we only paid for our beer. The waiter turned in our order but somehow it got lost.

Leaving tomorrow morning for San Simeon and the Hearst Castle then down to Murrietta, CA and Jim's brothers home.

Think of all of you often. Love Janet and Jim

San Francisco - Monday

Hi, and thanks Aaron for your comments. Today was a rest day, buy groceries and do laundry. Tomorrow we'll do San Francisco. Then on down the Monterey Peninsula to San Simeon and the Hearst Castle. If I didn't say so previously we are camped within the city limits of San Francisco right across the street from Candlestick Park. In fact, this camp ground hosts fans of that ball club in season.

Must check on the laundry. Jim says he'd rather drive the windy narrow roads of Route 1 than the streets around San Francisco.

San Francisco

Spent the night last night at the Redwood River RV Camp on 101S in California. Did a little sight seeing yesterday. Went to the Tree of Mysteries where we took a gondola ride over the canopy of redwood trees. On the hike up to the gondola ride we saw many "special" trees including the Cathedral tree where many weddings have been preformed over the years. A young couple asked us if we wanted to be married and were surprised when we told them we were honeymooners. Of course, they took our picture in front of the tree. One of the many facts we learned about Redwoods is they do not have a single tap route but gain nourishment from the entire root system. Since it was raining we couldn't see much from the top but it was an amazing experience to ride above the trees.

On display on trail was an Indian canoe which had been carved out of a Redwood. The Indians would form a "heart" near the end of the canoe out of the same piece of wood as the canoe.

Today, Sunday, we continued our trip South on Route 1 which was exhilarating and one "not to be missed."

Tonight we are camped across the street from Candlestick Park in an RV park by the same name.

Hopefully, now that Brenda has fixed the comments section you all will be able to let us know what you think.

More Later Janet and Jim