New Orleans: Bayous and Beer

This morning we got started late since I wanted to browse some shops in the Garden District.  Many of them either opened at 10 or 11, according to my guidebook.

The GPS got us down Magazine Street to the first antique store I wanted to visit, but instead of being open at 10, like the guide said, a sign on the door stated otherwise: 11.  Oh, well.  We continued down the street, spotted the other antique shop I wanted to look at, but continued onward and stopped at Blue Frog Chocolates.

The store had an amazing chocolate aroma about, and there were shelves stuffed with candies for Easter.  I picked up a bag of absinthe-flavored malt balls, a couple of truffles from the counter, and an interesting-sounding piece of hazelnut paste.  Since we were now hungry, we went to the near-by grocery store for a few items we can't find in cape, and lunch from the deli.  We sat outside in the sun to eat our lunch and try some of the candies we'd just purchased.  Hans' key lime truffle and my champagne truffle were decent, but we're not sure if they were worth three dollars apiece.  They were fairly large, but almost too much.  The hazelnut paste, however, was divine.  Very smooth, and layered with chocolate ganache.

Next, we had to fight traffic back up the street.  After struggling to find a parking spot, we found out that the store I wanted to see the most wasn't open today.  Boo.  So, the morning felt a little wasted, but the day wasn't over.  Next, we went out to Jean Lafitte National Park for a swamp tour.

Our guide was very entertaining and knowledgeable.  The cypress trees were starting to bloom and there was plenty of Spanish moss on the oak trees.  We saw lots of turtles and gators.  At the end of our tour we spotted a great blue heron in one of the trees.

Later, I took Hans to the shore of Lake Ponchartrain, and then we drove across the causeway to Abita Springs.  Along the way we saw two pelicans that were drifting on the winds that blew over the bridge.  From there, we drove by the Abita Brewery and then to the site of the original brewery, which is now a pub.  To our surprise the restaurant was next to a beautiful park with a grandstand, water fountains for kids to play in, and part of a 30-mile stretch of pedestrian trails that go through some of the other small towns and park land.

As usual, I had the beer sampler, and the burgers we had were ridiculously enormous and excellent.  I'm going to have to give Abita a second glance at the store from now on.  I think their IPA is the first I've ever liked.

At the end of the evening we drove back across the causeway and back to the Garden District for ice cream.  The Creole Creamery has over 40 flavors, many of them unique and inventive.  Hans had the Black and Gold Crunch, a mixture of coffee and chocolate, and in support of the Saints.  As usual I could not decide on any one flavor, so I had a sampler of Red Velvet Cake, Molasses Oatmeal Cookie, Wasabi (not gross like it sounds), and Chocolate Amaretto Cheesecake (my favorite).

The evening ended quietly, as both of us were tired.  Hans is still trying to fight off his cold and I'm starting to come down with one.  Tomorrow we will check out some plantations and then head home.