Watching the wheels

These songs have been getting plenty of airplay so far on the trip..

Only the Lonely

Want to Want Me

Snake Eyes

 

 

 

Trap Queen





Watching the Wheels

Blank Space

 

Quit yer hollerin'n get on that train!

The Mississippi Delta region can rival New Orleans in good music, food and friendly vibes. Time to chug north on the Blues Highway. Who's getting on the train?

First stop: Clarksdale, MS. Clarksdale is a small town with lots of character. It's home to The Crossroads, delta blues....and tamales?

The tamales found in the South aren't steamed. They're cooked in a delicious BBQ/chili-type sauce. Each bite is just right with a drop of Louisiana Hot Sauce. You sop up the sauce with either sliced bread or some saltines.

Jerry, of Jerry's Hot Tamales. He also makes rib tips. One of the nicest gentleman you will ever meet. We had a long chat over lunch about Vegas, DC traffic, the local juke joints and the youngbloods taking over the Clarksdale blues scene. One to keep an eye on he says? Kingfish.

We stayed at the Shack Up Inn in Clarksdale, MS. It is an old cotton plantation. Once cotton started to be picked by machines, the old workers' quarters were refurbished and turned into an inn. Sit on the porch, sip a beer and watch the sun go down.

Room inside a shack. Very comfortable.

Are you lonesome tonight.........

The Inn has a stage in its main building. The night we were there, The Hollers were performing for the first (and last) time. Three musician friends who decided to play together once before the lady with the guitar moved to North Carolina.
They reminded me of another famous trio: Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt. The lady on the right doubled as the front desk clerk at the Inn.

 

The first place we stopped in town was Cat Head, an art, music and curios shop that is also sort of the unofficial visitor center for Clarksdale. Go there to find out what's going on around town. By far the largest event in town each year is the Juke Joint Music Festival in April. We missed it by a couple weeks this year. Maybe next year.

 

There are also two museums in town: The Delta Blues Museum and the Rock and Blues Museum. We went to the Rock and Blues Museum.



One man's very extensive collection of blues, rockabilly, rock n roll, rhythm and blues memorabilia. Watermelon Slim and Mississippi Junebug would be proud.

 

Most people would say to go to Red's juke joint or the Ground Zero club for some blues. But on this night, the place to be was a joint named the 2000 Club, with Big A and his band performing. The one-room square had the feel of an abandoned Chinese restaurant. We had very low expectations, but once we were inside, it ended up being one of the best shows I've seen. 

 

Big A plays a mean blues guitar. And everyone in the room got in on the act. The doorman sang a few songs, including a rendition of Ben E King's Stand By Me, all while watching the door and collecting cover. The owners---Lee and his amazingly fun and funky lady---got down with the band and were grooving all night!

 



Big A and his band.

I won't forget the fun time I had in Clarksdale. Now all aboard! Next stop: Memphis, TN.



The Magnolia State

 

 

Sunset over the Mississippi cotton fields.

 

Be nice or leave!

New Orleans is like a Caribbean enclave in the U.S., with a healthy dash of good southern hospitality. It's a city bursting with life---great music, tasty food and outgoing, good-natured people.

First stop was the Abita Brewery. Part of the brewery tour includes a SELF-SERVE, ALL-YOU-CAN-DRINK bar, and their beers are really good! I don't think I need to say much more than that. I'm a fan.

The only picture I got of the brewery. Note random tourists hustling to the taps to pour themselves a beer.

Gator! Went on an airboat swamp tour. We learned that gators can only see in black and white, love to eat marshmallows, and will eat you whole. (I realize this is a pathetic gator picture, but it's the best one I got.)

Obligatory Bourbon St shot. Because it was Jazzfest weekend, and also with boatloads of Navy seamen in town, the chaos and debauchery was full speed ahead. Got a chance to suck down a nuclear green Grenade and hear some jiggy zydeco. More spoon!



Aftermath.

We ran into a wedding marching through the French Quarter, complete with brass band. It was drizzling that day, but no one seemed to mind.





We went to Jazzfest. It's a music festival that shows off New Orleans' great musical heritage. Plus, the food at the festival can't be beat. I had the cochon de lait pulled pork sandwich, handful of cracklins, and crawfish rice.

 

Zion Harmonizers. Some rousing, soulful tunes that got people jigging in the aisles. A great rendition of Curtis Mayfield's People Get Ready was a highlight for me.
Do I have a witness! I am a witness!

 

From a negative to a positive. Pitbull's swagger and machismo is impressive. As was his relentless positive messages. Reach for the stars!  (I only got close enough to take a picture of the big screen.)

Porchfest! You can find people playing music on their porch, in their garage or right on the sidewalk.

 

If you want to relax and listen to some great music without dealing with the beady madness of Bourbon, then head to Frenchmen St. We went to a few bars in that area. That night, the Apple Barrel had some a band playing some foot-stompin' rockabilly and surf music. Then The Spotted Cat had the Jazz Vipers, an engaging brass band whose lead singer sounds a bit like Louis Armstrong.

The Jazz Vipers.

A whole fried flounder, stuffed with oysters, shrimp and crawfish. Delicious, but the boudin balls in creole mustard was the best thing we had that night. Also had a frozen key lime pie. Can't go wrong with that, but it didn't beat the fresh key lime pie we had at Brisbi's earlier in the week.

The area was hit by a huge thunderstorm last Monday. Power outages and flooded streets. We made the most of it. Fried oyster eggs benedict, bourbon milkshake, crawfish boil and turtle soup. The turtle soup tasted good. But they could have used chicken and I wouldn't know. (I ate all this stuff before taking pictures of it.)

The best part about this New Orleans visit was that I got to share the good times with some great friends. It doesn't get any better than that!

Here comes the story of the Hurricane,
The man the authorities came to blame
For somethin' that he never done.
Put in a prison cell, but one time he could-a been
The champion of the world!


Louisiana lagniappe

Before arriving in New Orleans I stopped and stayed in Scott, a small town in Lafayette Parish. I went over to a local restaurant Prejean's for dinner. Met Jake the bartender, who gave a couple great beer and dinner recommendations. Also met his lovely new wife Megan, also a bartender at the restaurant, and his brother Garrett, who also works there. I may now be an LSU fan.

Their generous spirit and friendliness made this lonely traveler feel right at home, and gave me a good feeling about the bayou. I hope I can return their hospitality one day.



Shrimp sassafras - Shrimp wrapped in bacon, and stuffed with pepper jack and tasso, then fried and put on crawfish sauce.



Smoked duck and Andouille gumbo - Dark as mud, and wonderfully delicious.

 

Zarya

Johnson Space Center is mission control for NASA. It is used for astronaut training, and a center for the design and test of vehicles and robotics for current and future space missions, like the TOP SECRET International Space Station and the TOP SECRET Orion Project. I also went on the TOP SECRET tram tour of the facilities.



One of the first rockets.

One of the modules for the International Space Station.

Apollo booster rocket. It is huge.

Space suit worn on one of the shuttle missions.

I will never complain about my bed again.

Space toilet! The pee is recycled as drinking water. Gulp.

 

alright alright alright....

Austin TX is also the setting for one of the greatest movies of all time....