I always hear from seasoned travelers (on a good day I like to put
myself in this category) that the weather doesn't and shouldn't matter.
They say that if you are somewhere and the weather stinks just roll with
it and accept it as part of the experience. It is a real test of
staying present and sitting in your peace. I am normally pretty good at
this, (ie. Iceland hail/rain/snow/sun storm) it really does add to the
memory and the experience. In New Orleans, however, that sunny outlook
about a cloudy day was tested to the max.
Sunday was my only free full day to explore because this was a "work trip." I had plotted
an ambitious route of an unknown (at the time) length. I thought it
would be long, but I was up for it (it ended up close to six miles). I was however unprepared for the
weather. Being from the northeast I have a nice insulated rain coat
which does a fantastic job of keeping me dry, but in NOLA it was just
way to hot and sticky to wear and walk around with. I stepped out that morning and
was hit with the wall of humidity that reminded me I was really in a
swamp.
I set out from the Riverside Hilton while it was still dry out, damp air but dry ground. My casual stroll took me through Lafayette Park which has some pretty amazing trees, and a few interesting buildings. I did a walk by of St. Patricks' Church because it was Sunday and mass was in session. The outside is surprisingly green, almost an off olive color, not something you see everyday. I walked out of the CBD via Lee circle and St. Charles Ave. I walked under a few overpasses that didn't look too safe, but kept my walking at a fast clip and pretended I knew where I was going. I tend to do this wherever I am. I will walk blocks out of the way instead of look like I have misplaced myself. I digress. About a half mile into my walk on St. Charles I realize that I haven't seen the street car at all even though I can plainly see the track. Then it starts to rain, then the rain turns into a downpour. With in a minute or two my pants are soaked up to the knees and my hair looks like I just got out of the shower. I finally see a store, a Walgreen's, where I can buy an umbrella. The clerk tells me that the street car is under construction when I ask. It is only running from a farther section to the end and back. She tells me I should take the bus to that spot and then take the street car. I decide, after seeing not a single bus, to walk it. The umbrella helped keep my face dry at least.
|
Lafayette Park |