TRIP TO THE SOUTH '98!

Dec 25th, Christmas day, Dallas Airport. I just paid 3.53$ for a pack of cigarettes. -----NOTE TO SELF----- Quit smoking tobacco & start a cheaper habit... Like crack!

New Orleans Airport. Had a hell of a time getting a rental car, I'm about to strangle my flu-ridden sister for being too grumpy, but just realized that the free suite I got just rocks my whole reality. This is the first time I've ever wanted to be a yuppie.

December 26th. Took time to be a real tourist and walk around Decateur St., Bourbon St., and Jackson Square. I begin to remember what I hate about rich people and tourists. Got spare changed by a 17 year old wannabe crusty chick and her really clean boyfriend, and thought "These southern homeless kids are just too clean..." Later I saw them at a popular restraunt with her business suit dressed dad. Felt good for not giving them a cent earlier.

Low points of the day -
-Dealing with PAC-Bell on the phone... Extortion!
-The RTA one day visitor pass rip off where it does nothing for you except make you mad.
-Driving around in a packed car with a screaming kid.
 
High points of the day -
-The Calliope on the Natchez Steamboat, cool and really spooky!
-The Old US Mint at 400 Esplanade Ave... The Mint section is crap, but the jazz history and Mardi-Gras Historical Museums were really cool, this museum needs more funding.
-The "Got Shrimp" Shirt from Bubba Gump I got for my uncle, XXXLARGE.
-The Gumbo at the ACME Oyster House, and the really nice waitresses and staff who were very tolerant of the whole Atakra clan.
-Voodoo dolls for a dollar.
-Black plastic coffin/stash boxes for 3 $'s.
-The Chateau Dupre, Cable TV, and really cool... Located to a cool local bar with punks.
-Watching "The People Under The Stairs" after a long day with Clan Atakra.
-Bourbon St. at night, especially the 800 block.
-Hello! No open container law! Happy Days!
 
December 27th. Got to sleep in and prep for a 4 hour drive to Mississippi. Stopped somewhere in Louisiana, and ate at some place called Middendorf's.

The view from Middendorf's, bought illegal fireworks, and ate good food

 I've kind of been doing a gumbo review of all the places I've eaten at since I hit the south, and the gumbo there is OK, but still not as good as the ACME Oyster House (Spicier=better!). Hit the Mississippi line around 4:00pm and commented on how all the states in the south are like OZ without the yellow brick road (although in Louisiana's
Bourbon St. The streets are stained with piss and beer). The South is WIERD. I've been looking to see if the people are all friendly, and so far I don't have any disputes with that idea, although I have avoided all the local authorities.
Got to Jackson, Mississippi and picked up the Sunday Newspaper. I guess I'm pretty sheltered to the south's racism problems, nearly all the features of this rag had to do with past rascial crimes and the current solutions. -----note to self----- Pay more attention to the South. (irony note... as I wrote this, someone put on Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" Album). DOH!
 
-High points of the day -McDonald's sells Grits for .49 cents in Mississippi.
 
December 28th. Spent most of the day familiarizing myself with this new part of the Atakra Clan. Got to watch "A Perfect Murder" and thought it was too predictable.
 
-Low Point of the day- Seeing "The Faculty"
December 29th. Too much Damm driving! Went to Vicksburgh, MI and got to see the restored remains of the Cairo, an old armored battleship that was sunk off a branch of the Mississippi River. Cool Shit! History can be fun if presented properly.
-High Point of the day- Stopping at Harrah's riverboat casino and spending 2$ on quarter slots, and walking out with 57$. I'm a winner! Tomorrow we go back to New Orleans, I'm going to get drunk on Bourbon St.!
 
-Low point of the day- The car ride back from Vicksburgh, although I did get to listen to the really rad "Cypher in the Snow" CD for the duration.
 
-EPILOGUE-
So far I must admit, Southerners are indeed quite friendly! Sure, they dress like perpetual tourists (i.e., bright colors and pastels), and are usually a little overweight, but so far everyone I've met has been really cool. I'm beginning to wonder if Jerry Springer imports all his guests from Canada, and not the deep south. I had heard many bad stories before this trip, but to me, any place which can stand a 6 foot 2 inch black clad freak wearing patches, "fuck you" t-shirts, and pins can't be all bad. But Where are the punks? I haven't seen one in Mississippi yet! Is everyone here well adjusted or what?
 
December 30th. Got on the road back to New Orleans, not prepared for the trip what-so-ever.
 
-Lowpoints of the day-
-Stopping in the Tangipahoa cemetary. First of all this place sounds like an awful skin disease. Tangipahoa is a ghetto. a scary place indeed. I got the same feeling driving through the town that I get when I make a very wrong turn in Oakland. This is a town who's cemetary has twice the population of the actual living town.
-KFC. Made the mistake of eating crappy KFC food en-route to N.O... Got trapped in an awful conversation with a wierd old guy who's car had broken down. I kept thinking "Save Me!". To no avail. Finally I was rescued by the Atakra troops.
 
-Highpoints of the day- (and possibly the trip!)-
-Bourbon St. The Sugar Bowl was happening in two days time (New Years), and a million Texans and Iohaians were in Louisiana to celebrate.
Bourbon street was at the near height of crazyness. There were drunk ATM and IStaters everywhere, all with a drink in their hands, and naked chicks on every street corner. Madness! I kept wondering what would make a parent of a 6 year-old child bring their kid to such a cavalcade of hedonistic debauchery, but I guess it's all part of the "American Experience."
Finally ended up at "Zombie's House of Voodoo" on St. Peter St., and bought a really cool red two sided t-shirt, with really cool voodoo slogans on it. Natasha at the counter even realized I wasn't the typical traveler (must be the patches again), and invited me to a rave the next night, but I had to leave the next morning to my dismay.

-The Hotel was Fantastic! Free trips rule! I felt like a millionaire for an evening, and what did I do? Nothig but sip strong mixed drinks and watch the Road Rules/Real World competition marathon that was on cable TV! I became a looser, but a clean and pleasently refreshed looser.