Good Morning Iran!

According to a study of my blog statistics I recently undertook, the second highest country for number of page views of my blog is Iran!

The only Iranians I think I know are here in the U.S. I don't believe any of my friends are currently visiting Iran...and I have not yet been there myself.

So who are you, Iran? Have we met somewhere along the way and I've forgotten you? Are you a fake traffic funneling site? I am perplexed and fascinated by you.

Eating my way through NOLA

When I travel, I like to eat and drink my way through the city I am visiting. I believe in smelling, tasting and feeling the places I go and hope to enjoy the effect. I distinctly remember the smells of Dublin, Ireland--pee, green beans and hops. These smells hung in the damp air that hung over the city and made me want to escape it. There are similar smells in New Orleans, combine with vomit and excrement but for an inexplicable reason, I find myself embracing it! The architecture, sweat and music remind me of "A Time to Kill" and I avoid my reflection so that I can blissfully compare myself to Ashley Judd in the movie. We are only here for two and a half days, so have to make the most of it. This morning we met up with my best friend, who decided it would be fun to move into a windmill in Amsterdam, and her boyfriend at the Cafe du Monde. I could probably survive for weeks on beignets and chicory coffee and, after learning that the French brought coffee to America through New Orleans, love the city even more. We proceeded to the French Market, which smelled like seafood, spices and pralines and had the most adorable hat that I was informed I DON'T actually need by my sweet husband. We explored the French Quarter, with a few disturbing sights but mostly fabulous streets and cafes, and stumbled upon a perfect patio oasis with old brick walls, a beautiful fountain and French awnings. We parked there for a few hours with cold drinks, before deciding it was time to eat again. I chose a place with A/C and devoured the Natchitoches meat pies, apparently a "Jazzfest favorite".

We're staying at the Queen and Crescent Hotel only a mile from the Quarter, so plan to walk and sweat off all the delicious food. Or so I hope. Tonight we are going to the Preservation Hall to hear iconic jazz music and I will surely get myself into some harmless trouble. I love the personality of this city, smelly as it may be. It reminds me that I have to hope people who love me can stand my armpits. That's the way I love New Orleans.