About Blog

As a police trainer I travel all over and have the opportunity to see alot of things. I thought it would be nice to share with others some of the non work related parts of these travels

Saturday, August 11, 2012

New Orleans 2012

 I'd always wanted to go to New Orleans but had never been. I travel back and forth to Texas alot to train police departments over there. I always do research on the internet to try and cut down on tr4avel costs to maximize profit. I found out I could take a train for Birmingham to Houston cheaper than I could fly. The best part is I'd get a one night layover in New Orleans so I jumped at the chance making to trips one in January and one in March.I plan on making this a normal part of my Texas trips.
 
About to get on the train in Birmingham. It was a 7 hour ride but it really wasn't that bad instead of sitting in the seats the hole time you can go sit in the lounge and talk with other passengers. There's even a bar and restaurant on board. Though the beer is expensive. Just find some people to talk to and make some new friends.

  Once I got to New Orleans it was night. I was told by Orbitz that the Hotel Lafayette was within walking distance but I was told by the passengers it wasn't a good idea to walk around at night in New Orleans if you didn't know where you were going that it's be best to take a cab. In all actuality the lounge car took a few bullets to the side as we were heading into New Orleans so I took their advice. This was the thursday before the Alabama-LSU national championship game(Roll Tide!) and when I got to the hotel they'd sold all the rooms yet I'd purchased a room. To make it up they upgraded me to a suite! That room was pretty awesome it looked like something out of the 1920's check out these few pics I took of it.
 
This room was legit! Was pretty noisy though on St. Charles but not too bad.
Herbsaints was right across the road so I got some good gumbo and the town drink which is a Sazarac.

Speaking of St Charles here is a vid I took from Herbsaints before heading back to the room
 

The next morning I decided to walk to the train station since I now knew the way but before that I thought I'd check out Lafayette Square.
 
Lafayette Square was a nice area with a good restaurant on the opposite side of the hotel that made a great omelet

Before I left this time I snapped a quick pic of the Superdome which is behind the train station

In March I made my way back to New Orleans on my way to Texas once again and decided to get out on the town a little more this time. You can pretty much get anywhere for 10 bucks.  The Hotel Lafayette was booked up this time so I stayed over at the Midtown Hotel on Tulane. I'd heard alot of bad things about it but I didn't see any of the things they were talking about. I was hoping for some crawfish but they were out of season. I took a cab to Cooter Brown's and still came out pretty good thanks to my new friends Rebecca Durham and Marek Birdline who helped me pick out something else on the menu.
  
A nice local brew called NOLA Blonde
This sandwich was the bomb! It's called a bayou philly. Onions, green peppers, cheese, shrimp, and alligator sausage. I can't wait to have one of these again when I go back.
 
 I got up the next morning and walked to this little mom and pop place there on the left behind those awnings. Toast, Sausage, eggs, potatoes, for less than 3 bucks. You can't beat that!

Then it was a cab ride back to the train. I took a few more pictures from the train as we were leaving the city and headed to Houston.
 
This will definitely not be my last trip to this great city


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