52Parks~52Weeks Week two (weak too!)

For this weeks adventure we (and I say we because I have convinced my sister-in-law Jen that this is going to be the most fun legally possible) have decided to tackle the big easy and two National Parks, The National Jazz Museum, and Jean Lafitte National Park . I contact my old friend Priceline and scored a hotel not only IN the French Quarter but ON Bourbon Street!

It's at this point I feel compelled to explain a couple of things. First, after I began my quest to complete 52 National Parks is 52 weeks, I walked into work on Monday and first day, first assignment, first case, I promptly twisted my ankle. I'm talking white light blinding, ears popping, unable to process thought other than OH.-MY.-JESUS! pain, unable to stand pain. A trip to the ER later and I'm told to rest it for 1-3 days and you'll be good to go. I'm counting Monday as day one right? I mean it IS early...Two half days of work with my foot propped on an upside down garbage can doing nothing more than hyper extending my knee followed by on the couch, foot in the air draining the swelling and I should be right as rain. (Speaking of rain, we arrived in NOLA in drizzling-just-enough-to-be-annoying rain under tornado watches.) Now the hotel is right on Bourbon Street remember? And it is an exceptionally beautiful hotel (The Four Points By Sheraton) decorated with exquisite chandeliers in the lobby, details in the woodwork and absolutely NO sound proofing in the rooms...so after hobbling around, in the rain, finally finding the National Jazz Museum JUST as the concert was ending (for future reference if you are headed to NOLA...go to the end of the open market, in the dark red brick building that was once the US mint. There you'll find the new location of the Jazz Museum...but to get your National Park stamp, head back up to the headquarters building in alley behind the Cafe Du Monde all the way at the end, just before the bathrooms...) Back to the hotel...with no sound proofing...sitting right on Bourbon Street...I have ear phones in playing two small beach waves, rain, and reflection...and it is NOT drowning out Bourbon Street. So here I sit, waiting for 2AM, praying that they do indeed stop in this state AT 2AM, because tomorrow, will be day four...and surely my foot won't swell, and all will be well, and it won't rain on my river boat cruise to my next National Park: Jean Lafitte...because they are planning a reenactment of the battle of NOLA!

The foot is better this morning but I am still aware of its tenderness at times on the cobblestones of the NOLA streets.  After a breakfast trip to Cafe Du Monde its off to catch a river cruise on the Creole Queen paddle boat to the Chalmette Battlefield.  I have decided hereto from this day forward to find other reenactments on my list of parks to conquer and make it a priority to be there!  I am also convinced that most of these southern gentlemen, after this battle, had to be deaf because these cannons were LOUD!  The drizzling rain made this day another day that I was so grateful and thankful for the invention that is Timberland waterproof boots! If you don't own a pair...why not?  The smoke from the cannons made for some beautiful photos.  Here is a synapse of my trip in photos, enjoy!